Properties of vermicompost aqueous extracts prepared under different conditions

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to determine the influence of aeration and time of extraction on the agrochemical properties of aqueous extracts from vermicomposts made from horse manure (M) and apple pomace (P) waste. There were two extract treatments: stirring without aeration (S), and stirring with aeration (A) for 48 h. Aeration significantly increased the levels of electrical conductivity (EC) and the concentration of , , and macro-elements in the extracts. In the (A) treatment, the extraction efficiency of K and Mg increased twofold, and the extraction efficiency of Ca and P increased by one-third compared with the (S) treatment. Simultaneously, the extracts prepared under aeration were characteristic with a higher pH value compared with non-aerated variants. The EC and content of macro-elements in the extracts increased proportionally with time. Their highest growth was found within the first 6 h. After 48 h, the highest release of macro-elements into the extract was found in the case of the horse manure under stirring with aeration.

KEYWORDS:

• Vermicompost
• extract
• horse manure
• apple pomace
• macro-elements

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Christina Baker Starrman for revision of the English text.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant No. 312117, from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic under NAZV project No. QJ1530034 and from CULS under CIGA project No. 20152013.