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Abstract
Vermicomposting and composting are efficient methods for converting solid wastes to useful products. Incorporation of composts and vermicomposts into potting and container media is a potential use for these materials. In a greenhouse trial, effects of a vermicompost produced from raw dairy manure (RDM) along with some other composts produced from tobacco residue (TR), yard leaf (YL), sewage sludge + rice hull (SS + RH), sewage sludge + yard leaf (SS + YL), and RDM were studied. The mixing proportions of vermicomposts and composts were 0, 15, 30, and 45% of pot volume and tomato seedlings were grown in pots. All potting mixtures produced significantly higher biomass than the control (soil + sand) and RDM. Shoot and root dry matters (DM) were greatest in VC and SS + RH. Rates of composts in potting mixture did not generally affect DM, although a decrease in DM was observed in pots containing 45% of SS + YL. TR and YL produced lower DM in comparison with VC, SS + RH, and SS + YL. Correlation coefficients between the amounts of nutrients added to the pots by composts and nutrients taken up by plants were in the following order: phosphorus (P) > zinc (Zn) > copper (Cu) > calcium (Ca) > manganese (Mn) > potassium (K) > nitrogen (N) > magnesium (Mg) > iron (Fe).