Composting as a method to recycle renewable plant resources back tothe ornamental plant industry: Agronomic and economic assessmentof composts

Abstract

tIn this experiment, three piles were elaborated with rose waste (RW), sawdust (S), and different manures– broiler chicken manure (BCM), hen manure (HM), and quail manure (QM) – and were composted bywindrow composting. Parameters associated with the degradation and humification of organic matter(OM) during composting and with the agronomic and economic value of the final composts were deter-mined. All piles had temperatures >55◦C for more than two weeks, ensuring compost sanitization. OMdegradation was greater and faster in the pile with QM. This pile had the lowest water-soluble polyphenolcontent. Principal component analysis indicated that the use of BCM augmented the OM humificationduring composting; this material also influenced the mineralization of the OM. In general, the compostsobtained presented an adequate level of stability and maturity and an absence of phytotoxicity, and therewere notable concentrations of OM and nutrients, especially nitrogen. In addition, all the composts hadan economic value when their nutrient contents were assessed. Phosphorus was the fertilization unitwith the greatest contribution to the total value of the composts. However, the use of BCM produced acompost with properties that made it more suitable as an organic amendment for rose growing.