title: Effect of Chinese medicinal herbal residues on microbial community succession and anti-pathogenic properties during co-composting with food waste.
abstract: This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs) during its co-composting with food waste (FW) in two different ratios along with a control. Inhibition on total microbial population were assessed while the numerically dominant microbes were isolated and their antagonistic effects were assessed. Results indicate that the active ingredients persist in the composting mass did not affect the microbes unspecifically as revealed from almost similar bacterial and fungal populations. Rather specific inhibitory activities against Alternaria solani and Fusarium oxysporum were observed. Apart from the CMHR-born active compounds, CMHR-induced changes in the antagonistic and mycoparasitic abilities of the bacteria and fungi also contribute to the specific inhibition against the tested pathogens. Therefore use of CMHRs during the composting of CMHRs enhances its antipathogenic property resulting in an anti-pathogenic compost.
authors.affiliation: Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Ammaiyappan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Selvam
authors.affiliation: Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: jwcwong@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Jonathan W C
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005502:Food; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000187:drug effects*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Antipathogenic effect; Chinese medicinal herbal residues; Composting; Food waste; Microbial community