title: Agroindustrial composts to reduce the use of peat and fungicides in the cultivation of muskmelon seedlings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Environmental concerns about peat extraction in wetland ecosystems have increased. Therefore, there is an international effort to evaluate alternative organic substrates for the partial substitution of peat. The aim of this work was to use different composts (C1-C10) obtained from the fruit and vegetable processing industry (pepper, carrot, broccoli, orange, artichoke residues, sewage sludge (citric and pepper) and vineyard pruning wastes) to produce added-value composts as growing media with suppressive effect against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis (FOM) in muskmelon.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Composts showed values of water-soluble carbon fractions and dehydrogenase activity that allowed them to be considered mature and stabilized. All compost treatments produced significantly (F = 7.382; P < 0.05) higher fresh shoot weight than peat, treatment T-C2 showing the highest values. Treatments T-C5, T-C7 and T-C8 showed percentages of disease incidence that were significantly (F = 16.052; P < 0.05) the lowest, relative to peat, followed by T-C6, T-C10, T-C1 and T-C9 with values below 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Composts produced are suitable components of mixed compost-peat growing media, providing a 50% substitution of peat. Furthermore, some of these composts also showed an added value as a suppressive organic medium against Fusarium wilt in muskmelon seedling, a fact probably related to high pH and pepper wastes and high content of pruning waste as initial raw materials. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, CSIC, PO Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana Belen
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, CSIC, PO Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ros
authors.affiliation: Centro Tecnológico Nacional de la Conserva y Alimentación, 30500 Molina de Segura, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis Miguel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ayuso
authors.affiliation: Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Miguel Hernandez University, EPS-Orihuela, 03312 Orihuela (Alicante), Spain.
authors.forename: Maria de Los Angeles
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.affiliation: Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Miguel Hernandez University, EPS-Orihuela, 03312 Orihuela (Alicante), Spain.
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moral
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, CSIC, PO Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pascual
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics; D000069599:Crop Production / Q000191:economics; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000191:economics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D028463:Cucumis melo / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000633:toxicity; D005670:Fusarium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018525:Germination; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D058871:Organic Agriculture / Q000191:economics; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013030:Spain; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012987:Soil; D010088:Oxidoreductases
keywords:  Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis; agroindustry residue; compost; growing media; peat; suppressive effect