WO1996012687A1 - Growing media - Google Patents

Growing media Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1996012687A1
WO1996012687A1 PCT/GB1995/002451 GB9502451W WO9612687A1 WO 1996012687 A1 WO1996012687 A1 WO 1996012687A1 GB 9502451 W GB9502451 W GB 9502451W WO 9612687 A1 WO9612687 A1 WO 9612687A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
waste
growing medium
nutrient base
nutrient
bark
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1995/002451
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Robert Alan Brooke Vesey Stoney
Original Assignee
Ceres Holdings Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ceres Holdings Limited filed Critical Ceres Holdings Limited
Priority to AU36593/95A priority Critical patent/AU3659395A/en
Publication of WO1996012687A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996012687A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05F—ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
    • C05F1/00—Fertilisers made from animal corpses, or parts thereof
    • C05F1/005—Fertilisers made from animal corpses, or parts thereof from meat-wastes or from other wastes of animal origin, e.g. skins, hair, hoofs, feathers, blood
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05F—ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
    • C05F1/00—Fertilisers made from animal corpses, or parts thereof
    • C05F1/007—Fertilisers made from animal corpses, or parts thereof from derived products of animal origin or their wastes, e.g. leather, dairy products
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
    • Y02A40/10—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
    • Y02A40/20—Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/141—Feedstock
    • Y02P20/145—Feedstock the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to growing media and in particular to a nutrient base for plant growing media and a method of making the same.
  • peat-based media arc unsatisfactory in a number of respects.
  • peat's water-holding capacity is poor and there is increasing opposition to peat-extraction from environmentalists.
  • Organic material such as that derived from sewage and the like is advantageous in that it provides a balanced range of nutrients.
  • I Iowevcr many such materials have a high pathogen content and heavy-metal contamination.
  • any material known to contain sewage has a poor public image.
  • Vegetable transplant production is an important method of screening and evaluating the constituents of growing media.
  • the use of cellular trays for the propagation of vegetable transplants is a well established procedure for commercial growers in the UK and elsewhere. Because of the small cell volume used with this system and the large amount of nutrients the plant will require over the propagating/growing period, it is difficult, especially when using organic nutrients, to supply all the plant nutrients required by including them in the substrate formulation from the start in an available (water soluble) form, as this would be toxic to the seedlings.
  • the conventional system uses growing media (usually peat-based) which contain all the nitrogen phosphate potassium and macronutrients required for seedling growth. As the seedling becomes a small plant (a transplant) a liquid feeding regime starts which provides the rest of the nutrients required for growth. This avoids nutrient levels reaching phyloloxic proportions at any time during the propagation and seedling growth period.
  • growing media usually peat-based
  • macronutrients required for seedling growth.
  • Organically derived nitrogen has an available component and a reserve component.
  • Nitrogen is transferred from “reserve” to “available” by a process called nitrogen mineralisation. Only when nitrogen is mineralised can it be absorbed and utilized by plants. In an organic growing medium the relative proportions of reserve and available nitrogen and the speed at which mineralisation can take place are more important than levels of total nitrogen.
  • the system of growing is used on an experimental basis as it rapidly gives an indication as to the rale at which organic growing media run out of nutrients, as well as providing a measure of the suitability of the formulations to grow vegetable transplants from seed.
  • growing media made with an organic nutrient base are adversely affected by irrigation or surplus overhead waiering as with the average user applying water with a watering can or hose. All the soluble, in other words available, nutrients, particularly nitrogen, can be flushed or leached out resulting in starved plants and poor growth.
  • the seed germination performance of growing media with an organic nutrient base is poor.
  • the high salt concentration created by the presence of organic nutrients has an inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling root growth. A means of protection from this effect has never before been built into an organic growing medium.
  • the present invention aims to provide an organic peat-free nutrient base, a multi- purpose growing medium and a method of making the same which does not suffer from the above problems.
  • growing medium means a material capable of sustaining plant or root growth.
  • nutrient base is used herein to mean the nutrient-supplying component of a growing medium.
  • the base is normally a synthetic granular composition containing nitrogen, phosphate and potassium salts and trace elements, which usually lakes up less than 1% of the total volume of the medium.
  • the nutrient base is typically a bulky material such as composted animal manure.
  • matrix material is used herein to mean the substrate with which a nutrient base is mixed. This material dictates the physical properties of the growing medium, for example its water permeability [or percolation index (PI)]. and its air to water content [or air-filled porosity (AFP)].
  • a growing medium comprising a nutrient base derived from food processing effluent, mixed with a matrix.
  • a wide variety of food processing effluent materials may be utilised in the invention. Such materials include meat wastes, including abattoir wastes, and vegetable processing wastes. Other suitable effluent materials include wastes from industrial fermentation processes, such as yeast production. Mowevcr, the presently preferred effluent material is dairy waste. Mixtures of such wastes may also be used.
  • the effluent is de-watered to form a sludge.
  • the effluent is biologically activated, by the maintenance of organisms and conditions (preferably aerobic) suitable for the biodegradalion of a sludge waste. Such activation may take place in any conventional reactor/fe ⁇ nenter, eg "fluidised bed", “stirred tank”, “air-lift” or “fixed film” designs.
  • the effluent is subjected, prior to any biological activation, to secondary sewage treatment. For dairy wastes, such treatment may take place in an oxygenated pond in which the particulate and dissolved organic solids arc broken down aerobically. After settling, a sludge is obtained and it is this that is fed to the biological activation reactor.
  • the matrix is bark and/or coir-derived material.
  • the bark is in the form of small chips, granules, or shreds, conveniently derived from coniferous species of trees such as spruce, larch or pine trees.
  • the bark is matured, aged or composted prior to mixing with the effluent material.
  • a nitrogen source such as poultry manure is added to facilitate the maturing, ageing, composting process, prior to mixing with the effluent material.
  • coir-dcrivcd material Advantageously fibres and/or granular dust from the husk of coconuts, or the residue from the production of coconut fibre referred to herein as coir-dcrivcd material, is included. Inclusion of coir improves the handling and composting properties of the nutrient base.
  • dairy waste comprises effluent from cheese and/or whey processing.
  • the effluent is preferably subjected to conventional primary and secondary sewage treatment which preferably includes a biological activation process to produce a nutrient-rich, activated effluent having approximately 2% solids content.
  • the solids content is advantageously increased by de-watering to produce a sludge having a solids content of more than 10% and preferably 14-30%.
  • the effluent material nutrient base of the growing medium comprises dairy waste co-composted with bark, and optionally coir, and/or another peat-free matrix or nutrient material such as chopped straw, leaf litter, paper waste, wool waste, spent mushroom compost etc.
  • the invention provides a method of producing a growing medium comprising mixing a nutrient base of material derived from food processing effluent with a matrix material which is preferably bark and/or coir and/or another peai-free matrix or nutrient material such as chopped straw, leaf litter, paper waste, wool waste, spent mushroom compost etc.
  • a matrix material which is preferably bark and/or coir and/or another peai-free matrix or nutrient material such as chopped straw, leaf litter, paper waste, wool waste, spent mushroom compost etc.
  • the bark is matured, aged, or composted prior to mixing with the dairy waste.
  • the components of the medium are mixed, conditioned and stabilised by co-composting, the composting process advantageously being carried out under aerobic conditions.
  • wetted coir is added prior to composting.
  • the composting process is carried out until the temperature of the material has stabilised. Temperature stabilisation is when the temperature of the material no longer exceeds 43°C within 72 hours of being disturbed as a routine procedure in the composting process. At this point it is deemed to be fully conditioned.
  • a conditioning time of approximately 6 to 8 weeks is typical.
  • the co-composted growing medium produced is utilised as a nutrient base for a growing medium.
  • the nutrient base is mixed with a matrix material, preferably coir or coir-derived material to which may be added other non-peat matrix materials such as sand, loam, perlite, vcrmiculite, zeolite and certain crop-plant residue products such as leaf-litter, straw- products, coffee waste, cocoa shells etc. It can then be milled and screened to standard specifications for a multi-purpose compost and packaged, as desired.
  • the growing media of the invention have an excellent nutrient supplying capacity and do not suffer from the aforementioned disadvantages of known growing media and in particular, those of organic peat-based and sewage-based growing media.
  • Optimising the quantities of nutrients in growing media is a notoriously difficult operation, especially when the growing medium is required for multipurpose use. Too little nutrient and plants starve, too much nutrient and the salinity levels rise rapidly to phytotoxic levels.
  • the present invention permits the addition of unusually high proportions of nutrient with no adverse effect on germination and plant growth at salinity levels (>800 ⁇ S/cm ) that in other growing media would result in severe phytotoxicity.
  • Another major advantage of the growing media of the invention is that nutrients are not susceptible to leaching. This may be due to the fat content of the food processing waste and the particular way in which the composted residue of the fat is integrated with the matrix, preventing nutrients from being flushed out or leached by excessive watering.
  • the growing medium of the invention is suitable for seed sowing, rooting cuttings, container growing, and in general purpose garden use.
  • matrix material such as bark to the food processing waste also has the advantage of eliminating or reducing noxious odours from the waste.
  • matrix material is useful as a means of waste treatment, irrespective of subsequent use of the combined material.
  • Figure 1 shows the results of cabbage and lettuce assessments of growing media of the invention comprising a nutrient base of co-composted dairy waste and bark;
  • Figure 2 shows the results using the same indicators of growing media of the invention comprising a nutrient base of co-composted dairy waste, bark and coir- derived material.
  • Stage 1 Production of Nutrient Base Effluent from cheese processing undergoes standard primary and secondary treatment to produce an activated, nutrient-rich effluent with approximately 2% solids. The solids arc concentrated by a mechanical de- watering process to produce a sludge of approximately 10-35% dry matter.
  • the sludge is combined with bark, at source, as it is removed from the de-watering process.
  • bark has the added benefit of acting as an absorbent and bio-filter to absorb ammonia and noxious putrescent odours such as hydrogen sulphide gas.
  • any handling of the sludge material once it starts to putrefy, and consequent disturbance of the noxious odours poses a serious olfactory pollution threat and, more seriously, a health threat to operatives from ammonia and volatile ammonia-based compounds.
  • the inclusion rate of bark with the dairy-waste-sludge is between 1 :4 and 2:1 parts of bark to parts of dairy-waste-sludge, as measured by volume.
  • the bark and the sludge are mixed at a ratio of 1 : 1.2.
  • the bark and dairy-waste-sludge mix may be augmented, with other non- peat matrix and/or nutrient base materials.
  • the nutrient content of the nutrient base may be augmented, when and wherever levels of such nutrients are deemed to be sub-optimal, by the addition of organically-permitted materials such as dried blood, hoof and horn, bonemeal, fish meal, seaweed and trace element supplements etc.
  • organically-permitted materials such as dried blood, hoof and horn, bonemeal, fish meal, seaweed and trace element supplements etc.
  • the dairy-waste-sludge and chipped- shredded/granulated bark combination is co-composted with wetted coir- derived material.
  • the inclusion rale of the coir-derived material at this stage can vary according to inconsistencies from one batch of bark and sludge and the next in their physical and chemical composition (for example moisture content and nitrogen levels respectively). Values for the moisture content of the materials are important, as this directly affects the proportion of air available to initiate the composting process.
  • the inclusion rate of coir-derived material (C) with the dairy-waste-sludge - bark (DB) is between,
  • the inclusion rale is,
  • the coir-derived matrix material may be augmented at Stage 2. with other non-peat matrix materials such as those mentioned previously. The same applies to Stage 3 below.
  • the composting process is aerobic (mechanically turned windrows - although an identical finished product could be obtained with other aerobic composting methods and systems, eg, by using in-vessel compost reactors) and deemed fully conditioned when the temperature of the material has stabilised. Temperature stabilisation is when the temperature of the material no longer exceeds 43°C within 72 hours of being disturbed as a routine procedure in the composting process.
  • the conditioning time should be four to ten weeks, depending on ambient temperature, and preferably the conditioning time is six to eight weeks.
  • Stage 3 Blending, milling, screening and bagging The composted material is blended with a further addition of coir-derived material to create a range of growing media products, or, bagged without any further additions to create a range of soil improver products, nominally styled: "tree and shrub starter”, “rose feed” , “plant feed” , “sports turf top dressing”, “root zone mix” , etc.
  • the latter two products may be mixed with sharp sand at various inclusion rates according to the specifications required.
  • the principal growing medium is a multipurpose compost.
  • the most advantageous formulation for the multipurpose compost is an inclusion rate of coir-derived material (C) with the composted dairy-waste- sludge + bark - coir (CDBC) of between,
  • the inclusion rate is, 1.5(one and a half) : l (one) parts of C to parts of CDBC, as measured by volume.
  • Product from Stage 3 is then milled and screened to standard specifications for a multipurpose compost, then bagged.
  • the dairy waste was produced by an Irish cheese manufacturer during a 38 to 40 week season from the end of February to the beginning of November.
  • the bark comprises matured/aged/composed bark (with or without an inclusion of poultry manure or similar nitrogen-source material included as an aid to the maturing process) derived from the de-barking of coniferous species (spruce/larch) logs.
  • Test methods and analysis for heavy metals are as per the requirements of Directive 86/278/EEC.
  • Bark and Dairy-Waste-Sludge Combination
  • the system uses the cellular Hassay 308 tray, which has a cell volume of approximately 15 mL.
  • the trays are evenly filled with the growing media, any excess being scraped off with a board. Seeds are sown one per cell and lightly covered with the medium. Seeded trays are placed on the glasshouse bench (galvanized wire mesh to encourage air pruning) and watered thoroughly to initiate germination.
  • the nutrient source used in this trial was a compost based on dairy-waste and bark.
  • the material used (ie following sieving - see below) had a total nitrogen content of 2.57% , total phosphorus content of 4. 14 % and a total potassium content of 0.69% .
  • the composted dairy waste/bark (hereafter CDB) was received straight from the composting windrow, and was dark grey in appearance and granular in texture.
  • CDB composted dairy waste/bark
  • the particle size distribution was such that the material required screening (6 mm sieve) before use, which gave rise to two fractions ( 6 mm and > 6 mm) of approximately equal mass. The ⁇ 6 mm fraction was retained for use in trials.
  • Experimental formulations consisted of the CDB (20, 40 and 60% incorporation rales) mixed with pre-welted coir, and a proprietary substance (Dickensons Module Compost) was used as a control. Formulations (including the control) were mixed (on a gravimetric basis) in a concrete mixer on the day of use, al which lime samples were taken for analysis.
  • Fresh, moist substrate is extracted with deionised water at 20°C . pH is determined on the unfiltered extract, EC, ammonium- and nitrate-nitrogen, orthophosphate, potassium, magnesium and calcium on the filtered extract.
  • the sample is spread out on a large tray and is mixed well. Any lumps are broken down, and the sample is pushed through a 6.0 mm sieve if non-homogeneous.
  • This material is used to fill , without compaction, a weighed cylinder, calibrated (and cut-off) to 1 L.
  • the substrate is struck off level with the top of the cylinder, and the net weight of the sample is determined. This procedure is repeated five times and a mean sample density (g L '1 ) is calculated. The weight of 1/15 L of the substrate is calculated. This amount is transferred to an extraction jar, and 400 l deionised water is added. The jar is sealed, and shaken for 1 hour at 20°C.
  • the pH is determined on the unfiltered suspension, which is then filtered through a Whatman No 2 filter paper. Electrical conductivity of the extract is determined, and the filtrate frozen for future analysis.
  • Ammonium-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen and orthophosphate are determined colorimetrically using flow injection analysis, potassium by atomic emission spectroscopy, and calcium and magnesium by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
  • Hassay 308 trays were half filled (ie 154 cells), and lettuce ⁇ Lactuca saliva cv Debby) and cabbage (Brassica olerecea var capitata Spirit) were sown one seed per cell. Seeded trays were lightly covered, and transferred to a glasshouse maintained at a temperature of — 18°C during the day and — 15°C at night. Trays were watered (tap water) as required, and biological control agents used as necessary.
  • Germination rates of the experimental treatments for both lettuce and cabbage were high, although not quite as high as in the control treatment. Similarly, total levels of germination were high, but still slightly lower than the control. No level was so low as to be of cause for concern, and indeed these results suggest that a greater amount of the CDB could have been used without any major effect on germination rate.
  • the nutrient source used in this trial was a compost based on dairy waste, bark and coir.
  • the material used had a total nitrogen content of 1 .49 % , total phosphorus content of 2.03 % and a total potassium content of 0.48% .
  • the composted dairy waste/bark/coir (hereafter CDBC) was received straight from the composting windrow. It was processed by reducing the water content (by spreading the compost out on a plastic sheet in a polyUinncl and leaving for several days), followed by shredding in a garden shredder to reduce the mean particle size. The shredded compost was then thoroughly homogenised before use. Experimental formulations consisted of the CDBC (25, 50 and 75 % incorporation rates) mixed with p c-wctted coir, and a proprietary substrate (Dickensons Module Compost) was used as a control.
  • Formulations were mixed (on a gravimetric basis) in a concrete mixer the day before use, at which lime samples were taken for analysis.
  • Hassay 308 trays were half filled (ie 154 cells), and lettuce ⁇ Lactuca saliva cv Debby) and cabbage (Brassica olerecea var capitata Spirit) were sown one seed per cell . Seeded trays were lightly covered, and transferred to a glasshouse maintained at a temperature of ⁇ 18°C during the day and 15°C at night. Trays were watered (tap water) as required, and biological control agents used as necessary.
  • Germination was assessed for five days following emergence, and the final assessment made six weeks after the sowing date.
  • the water-soluble analyses of the "raw" materials and the trial formulations are presented in Table 4.
  • the CDBC had a pH of 7.0 and an EC of 1031 ⁇ S, and high levels of nitrate (indicating compost maturity) and potassium.
  • the coir had very low levels of water-soluble nutrients with the exception of potassium, confirming its suitability as a substrate diluent.
  • the experimental formulations had pH and EC levels relating to the ratio of source materials, however this pattern was not entirely consistent for the nutrient levels. This is a frequent observation with organic substrates, and is most likely due to the selective extraction of particular nutrients during the extraction procedure.
  • Figure 2 shows the final assessment results for lettuce and cabbage. These showed that fresh and dry weight in both lettuce and cabbage increased as the amount of CDBC in the substrate increased. Although a similar trend was observed for leaf number and rooting index, the differences were not statistically significant at the 95 % level. Compared to any other treatment, Treatment 3 (75 % CDBC) had the highest biomass in both lettuce and cabbage, whether measured as fresh or dry weight. Treatment 2 (50% CDBC) had a higher lettuce dry weight than the control medium, and a slightly lower cabbage dry weight although this was not statistically significant. In all cases Treatment 1 (25 % CDBC) showed the least biomass growth.
  • the CDBC nutrient base of the invention is a high-performance nutrient source in organic growing media.
  • the fact that no inhibitory effects on germination in Treatment 3 were observed suggests that this nutrient base could be used safely for germinating seeds at very high incorporation rates.
  • the media in comparison with the control growing medium, has a very high nutrient supplying capacity, making it suitable for a wide range of growing media uses.
  • the first growing media of the invention tested - co-composted dairy waste and bark - had an exceptional nutrient supplying capacity, producing lettuce growth comparable to the control formulation at a 20% inclusion rate.
  • this compost whilst being an excellent nutrient source, was difficult to handle and mix.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Fertilizers (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to growing media comprising composted de-watered food processing waste, bark and coir, and a method of making the same. The growing media are suitable for use as a multi-purpose compost for plants.

Description

CROWING MEDIA
The present invention relates to growing media and in particular to a nutrient base for plant growing media and a method of making the same.
It is known to make growing media from peat. However, peat-based media arc unsatisfactory in a number of respects. For example, peat's water-holding capacity is poor and there is increasing opposition to peat-extraction from environmentalists.
In view of the above problems with peat-based growth media there has been increasing interest in alternative pcat-frcc growing media.
Organic material such as that derived from sewage and the like is advantageous in that it provides a balanced range of nutrients. I Iowevcr, many such materials have a high pathogen content and heavy-metal contamination. In particular, any material known to contain sewage has a poor public image.
Vegetable transplant production is an important method of screening and evaluating the constituents of growing media. The use of cellular trays for the propagation of vegetable transplants is a well established procedure for commercial growers in the UK and elsewhere. Because of the small cell volume used with this system and the large amount of nutrients the plant will require over the propagating/growing period, it is difficult, especially when using organic nutrients, to supply all the plant nutrients required by including them in the substrate formulation from the start in an available (water soluble) form, as this would be toxic to the seedlings.
The conventional system uses growing media (usually peat-based) which contain all the nitrogen phosphate potassium and macronutrients required for seedling growth. As the seedling becomes a small plant (a transplant) a liquid feeding regime starts which provides the rest of the nutrients required for growth. This avoids nutrient levels reaching phyloloxic proportions at any time during the propagation and seedling growth period.
Organically derived nitrogen has an available component and a reserve component.
Nitrogen is transferred from "reserve" to "available" by a process called nitrogen mineralisation. Only when nitrogen is mineralised can it be absorbed and utilized by plants. In an organic growing medium the relative proportions of reserve and available nitrogen and the speed at which mineralisation can take place are more important than levels of total nitrogen.
The system of growing is used on an experimental basis as it rapidly gives an indication as to the rale at which organic growing media run out of nutrients, as well as providing a measure of the suitability of the formulations to grow vegetable transplants from seed.
Typically, growing media made with an organic nutrient base are adversely affected by irrigation or surplus overhead waiering as with the average user applying water with a watering can or hose. All the soluble, in other words available, nutrients, particularly nitrogen, can be flushed or leached out resulting in starved plants and poor growth.
Typically, the seed germination performance of growing media with an organic nutrient base is poor. The high salt concentration created by the presence of organic nutrients has an inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling root growth. A means of protection from this effect has never before been built into an organic growing medium.
The present invention aims to provide an organic peat-free nutrient base, a multi- purpose growing medium and a method of making the same which does not suffer from the above problems. As used herein, the term "growing medium" means a material capable of sustaining plant or root growth.
The term "nutrient base" is used herein to mean the nutrient-supplying component of a growing medium. In an inorganic growing medium the base is normally a synthetic granular composition containing nitrogen, phosphate and potassium salts and trace elements, which usually lakes up less than 1% of the total volume of the medium. By contrast in an organic growing medium the nutrient base is typically a bulky material such as composted animal manure.
The term "matrix material" is used herein to mean the substrate with which a nutrient base is mixed. This material dictates the physical properties of the growing medium, for example its water permeability [or percolation index (PI)]. and its air to water content [or air-filled porosity (AFP)].
According to the invention, there is provided a growing medium comprising a nutrient base derived from food processing effluent, mixed with a matrix.
A wide variety of food processing effluent materials may be utilised in the invention. Such materials include meat wastes, including abattoir wastes, and vegetable processing wastes. Other suitable effluent materials include wastes from industrial fermentation processes, such as yeast production. Mowevcr, the presently preferred effluent material is dairy waste. Mixtures of such wastes may also be used.
Preferably, the effluent is de-watered to form a sludge. Most preferably, the effluent is biologically activated, by the maintenance of organisms and conditions (preferably aerobic) suitable for the biodegradalion of a sludge waste. Such activation may take place in any conventional reactor/feπnenter, eg "fluidised bed", "stirred tank", "air-lift" or "fixed film" designs. Most preferably, the effluent is subjected, prior to any biological activation, to secondary sewage treatment. For dairy wastes, such treatment may take place in an oxygenated pond in which the particulate and dissolved organic solids arc broken down aerobically. After settling, a sludge is obtained and it is this that is fed to the biological activation reactor.
Preferably, the matrix is bark and/or coir-derived material.
Preferably the bark is in the form of small chips, granules, or shreds, conveniently derived from coniferous species of trees such as spruce, larch or pine trees.
Advantageously the bark is matured, aged or composted prior to mixing with the effluent material. Optionally, a nitrogen source such as poultry manure is added to facilitate the maturing, ageing, composting process, prior to mixing with the effluent material.
Advantageously fibres and/or granular dust from the husk of coconuts, or the residue from the production of coconut fibre referred to herein as coir-dcrivcd material, is included. Inclusion of coir improves the handling and composting properties of the nutrient base.
Preferably dairy waste comprises effluent from cheese and/or whey processing.
The effluent is preferably subjected to conventional primary and secondary sewage treatment which preferably includes a biological activation process to produce a nutrient-rich, activated effluent having approximately 2% solids content. The solids content is advantageously increased by de-watering to produce a sludge having a solids content of more than 10% and preferably 14-30%.
Preferably, the effluent material nutrient base of the growing medium comprises dairy waste co-composted with bark, and optionally coir, and/or another peat-free matrix or nutrient material such as chopped straw, leaf litter, paper waste, wool waste, spent mushroom compost etc.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of producing a growing medium comprising mixing a nutrient base of material derived from food processing effluent with a matrix material which is preferably bark and/or coir and/or another peai-free matrix or nutrient material such as chopped straw, leaf litter, paper waste, wool waste, spent mushroom compost etc. Advantageously the bark is matured, aged, or composted prior to mixing with the dairy waste.
Preferably, the components of the medium are mixed, conditioned and stabilised by co-composting, the composting process advantageously being carried out under aerobic conditions.
Preferably, wetted coir is added prior to composting.
Preferably, the composting process is carried out until the temperature of the material has stabilised. Temperature stabilisation is when the temperature of the material no longer exceeds 43°C within 72 hours of being disturbed as a routine procedure in the composting process. At this point it is deemed to be fully conditioned. When the composting process employs conventional mechanically turned windrows, a conditioning time of approximately 6 to 8 weeks is typical.
In a preferred method the co-composted growing medium produced is utilised as a nutrient base for a growing medium. To make the growing medium, the nutrient base is mixed with a matrix material, preferably coir or coir-derived material to which may be added other non-peat matrix materials such as sand, loam, perlite, vcrmiculite, zeolite and certain crop-plant residue products such as leaf-litter, straw- products, coffee waste, cocoa shells etc. It can then be milled and screened to standard specifications for a multi-purpose compost and packaged, as desired.
The usefulness of food processing waste, such as dairy waste, as a nutrient source in a composted growing medium is unexpected because one would predict that its greasy globular nature would make it very difficult, if not impossible to compost.
The growing media of the invention have an excellent nutrient supplying capacity and do not suffer from the aforementioned disadvantages of known growing media and in particular, those of organic peat-based and sewage-based growing media.
Optimising the quantities of nutrients in growing media is a notoriously difficult operation, especially when the growing medium is required for multipurpose use. Too little nutrient and plants starve, too much nutrient and the salinity levels rise rapidly to phytotoxic levels. The present invention permits the addition of unusually high proportions of nutrient with no adverse effect on germination and plant growth at salinity levels (>800 μS/cm ) that in other growing media would result in severe phytotoxicity.
Another major advantage of the growing media of the invention is that nutrients are not susceptible to leaching. This may be due to the fat content of the food processing waste and the particular way in which the composted residue of the fat is integrated with the matrix, preventing nutrients from being flushed out or leached by excessive watering.
The growing medium of the invention is suitable for seed sowing, rooting cuttings, container growing, and in general purpose garden use.
The addition of matrix material such as bark to the food processing waste also has the advantage of eliminating or reducing noxious odours from the waste. As such, such matrix material is useful as a means of waste treatment, irrespective of subsequent use of the combined material. Thus, according to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the treatment of food processing effluent, which method comprises mixing the effluent with a matrix as described above. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures:
Figure 1 shows the results of cabbage and lettuce assessments of growing media of the invention comprising a nutrient base of co-composted dairy waste and bark; and
Figure 2 shows the results using the same indicators of growing media of the invention comprising a nutrient base of co-composted dairy waste, bark and coir- derived material.
Production of growing media of the invention
Ingredients:
Nutrient base De-watered dairy-waste from cheese processing.
Matrix material Coniferous species bark (Spruce/pine).
Fibre and granular dust from coconuts (coir-dcrivcd material).
Process:
Stage 1 Production of Nutrient Base. Effluent from cheese processing undergoes standard primary and secondary treatment to produce an activated, nutrient-rich effluent with approximately 2% solids. The solids arc concentrated by a mechanical de- watering process to produce a sludge of approximately 10-35% dry matter.
The sludge is combined with bark, at source, as it is removed from the de-watering process. This is because bark has the added benefit of acting as an absorbent and bio-filter to absorb ammonia and noxious putrescent odours such as hydrogen sulphide gas. Without the bark for this purpose, any handling of the sludge material once it starts to putrefy, and consequent disturbance of the noxious odours, poses a serious olfactory pollution threat and, more seriously, a health threat to operatives from ammonia and volatile ammonia-based compounds. Advantageously the inclusion rate of bark with the dairy-waste-sludge is between 1 :4 and 2:1 parts of bark to parts of dairy-waste-sludge, as measured by volume. Preferably the bark and the sludge are mixed at a ratio of 1 : 1.2.
The bark and dairy-waste-sludge mix may be augmented, with other non- peat matrix and/or nutrient base materials.
Similarly the nutrient content of the nutrient base may be augmented, when and wherever levels of such nutrients are deemed to be sub-optimal, by the addition of organically-permitted materials such as dried blood, hoof and horn, bonemeal, fish meal, seaweed and trace element supplements etc. The foregoing also applied to Stage 2 and Stage 3 below.
Stage 2 Conditioning Phase. The dairy-waste-sludge and chipped- shredded/granulated bark combination is co-composted with wetted coir- derived material. The inclusion rale of the coir-derived material at this stage can vary according to inconsistencies from one batch of bark and sludge and the next in their physical and chemical composition (for example moisture content and nitrogen levels respectively). Values for the moisture content of the materials are important, as this directly affects the proportion of air available to initiate the composting process. Advantageously the inclusion rate of coir-derived material (C) with the dairy-waste-sludge - bark (DB) is between,
12(twelve) : l (one) parts of DB lo parts of C and, l (one) : 1 .5(one and a half) parts of DB to parts of C, as measured by volume.
Preferably, and given optimum moisture and other levels, the inclusion rale is,
2(two) : l(one) parts of DB to parts of C, as measured by volume.
The coir-derived matrix material may be augmented at Stage 2. with other non-peat matrix materials such as those mentioned previously. The same applies to Stage 3 below.
The composting process is aerobic (mechanically turned windrows - although an identical finished product could be obtained with other aerobic composting methods and systems, eg, by using in-vessel compost reactors) and deemed fully conditioned when the temperature of the material has stabilised. Temperature stabilisation is when the temperature of the material no longer exceeds 43°C within 72 hours of being disturbed as a routine procedure in the composting process. Advantageously the conditioning time should be four to ten weeks, depending on ambient temperature, and preferably the conditioning time is six to eight weeks.
Stage 3 Blending, milling, screening and bagging. The composted material is blended with a further addition of coir-derived material to create a range of growing media products, or, bagged without any further additions to create a range of soil improver products, nominally styled: "tree and shrub starter", "rose feed" , "plant feed" , "sports turf top dressing", "root zone mix" , etc. The latter two products may be mixed with sharp sand at various inclusion rates according to the specifications required. The principal growing medium is a multipurpose compost.
The most advantageous formulation for the multipurpose compost, as indicated from the performance trial evaluations, is an inclusion rate of coir-derived material (C) with the composted dairy-waste- sludge + bark - coir (CDBC) of between,
5(five) : l (one) parts of C to parts of CDBC and, l (one) : 5(five) parts of C to parts of CDBC as measured by volume. Preferably, the inclusion rate is, 1.5(one and a half) : l (one) parts of C to parts of CDBC, as measured by volume.
Product from Stage 3 is then milled and screened to standard specifications for a multipurpose compost, then bagged.
In the following example, the dairy waste was produced by an Irish cheese manufacturer during a 38 to 40 week season from the end of February to the beginning of November.
The bark comprises matured/aged/composed bark (with or without an inclusion of poultry manure or similar nitrogen-source material included as an aid to the maturing process) derived from the de-barking of coniferous species (spruce/larch) logs.
Dairy-Waste-Sludge Specification:
• Dry matter not below 19% .
• N:P:K not below 5.0:2.5 :0.5 (on a dry matter basis). • Chlorine levels not exceeding 0.2% (on a dry matter basis).
• Heavy metal and fluorine levels not exceeding The Soil Association permitted maxima (where stated) for a manurial product (Section 3.503, Revision 5) and preferably not above the following:- g/kg (dry matter)
Zinc 600
Copper 150
Nickel 100
Cadmium 3
Lead 280
Mercury 2 Chromium 280
Molybdenum 4
Selenium 3
Arsenic 14
Fluorine 400
Test methods and analysis for heavy metals are as per the requirements of Directive 86/278/EEC.
Bark Specification:
• Minimal sawdust and white wood content.
Manganese levels not exceeding 0.02 % (200 mg/I) of dry matter. Material is matured/aged/composted for a minimum of six weeks. • Particle size distribution (by volume): Not more than 15 % < 0.4mm. Not more than 2% > 25mm.
Specification for Bark and Dairy-Waste-Sludge Combination:
• Maximum acceptable sand (particle size range 0.25 - 5mm) not more than 2% by weight.
• Product free of:
Gravel and stones (5mm and above). Metal objects and other extraneous material.
Petrochemical contamination, (oil, diesel, etc).
Putrefaction odour at or above levels deemed offensive by competent authority.
Vegetable Transplants Screening Trials Experimental Protocol: The system uses the cellular Hassay 308 tray, which has a cell volume of approximately 15 mL. The trays are evenly filled with the growing media, any excess being scraped off with a board. Seeds are sown one per cell and lightly covered with the medium. Seeded trays are placed on the glasshouse bench (galvanized wire mesh to encourage air pruning) and watered thoroughly to initiate germination.
Once the seeds have begun to emerge, they are assessed daily to determine the germination rale. A seedling is counted as having emerged when it first appears above the soil surface.
During the growing period, the trays are watered as required, and the trial is continued until the plants are deemed ready for transplanting. At this stage the plants are assessed for true leaf stage, by a rooting index (1 = least, 5 = greatest rooting) and fresh and dry weight (mean of 30 plants chosen at random leaving a perimeter guard row).
The data (where appropriate) are statistically analysed using either two- way analysis of variance (continuous data) or Friedmans Fr test (discrete data). In either case, where the analysis shows a significant treatment effect, tests are carried out to isolate treatments which are significantly different, and results are presented graphically. Significant differences arc shown both as a value where this is applicable, and as lower case letters where treatments with the same letter are not significantly different.
Example of the invention
HI - Co-composted Dairy-Waste and Bark. The nutrient source used in this trial was a compost based on dairy-waste and bark. The material used (ie following sieving - see below) had a total nitrogen content of 2.57% , total phosphorus content of 4. 14 % and a total potassium content of 0.69% .
Materials and methods. The composted dairy waste/bark (hereafter CDB) was received straight from the composting windrow, and was dark grey in appearance and granular in texture. The particle size distribution was such that the material required screening (6 mm sieve) before use, which gave rise to two fractions ( 6 mm and > 6 mm) of approximately equal mass. The < 6 mm fraction was retained for use in trials.
Experimental formulations consisted of the CDB (20, 40 and 60% incorporation rales) mixed with pre-welted coir, and a proprietary substance (Dickensons Module Compost) was used as a control. Formulations (including the control) were mixed (on a gravimetric basis) in a concrete mixer on the day of use, al which lime samples were taken for analysis.
Chemical analysis. Fresh, moist substrate is extracted with deionised water at 20°C . pH is determined on the unfiltered extract, EC, ammonium- and nitrate-nitrogen, orthophosphate, potassium, magnesium and calcium on the filtered extract.
Procedure. The sample is spread out on a large tray and is mixed well. Any lumps are broken down, and the sample is pushed through a 6.0 mm sieve if non-homogeneous.
This material is used to fill , without compaction, a weighed cylinder, calibrated (and cut-off) to 1 L. The substrate is struck off level with the top of the cylinder, and the net weight of the sample is determined. This procedure is repeated five times and a mean sample density (g L'1) is calculated. The weight of 1/15 L of the substrate is calculated. This amount is transferred to an extraction jar, and 400 l deionised water is added. The jar is sealed, and shaken for 1 hour at 20°C.
Following shaking, the pH is determined on the unfiltered suspension, which is then filtered through a Whatman No 2 filter paper. Electrical conductivity of the extract is determined, and the filtrate frozen for future analysis.
Ammonium-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen and orthophosphate are determined colorimetrically using flow injection analysis, potassium by atomic emission spectroscopy, and calcium and magnesium by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
Analyses are expressed as g L" 1 of the fresh, moist, substrate.
Hassay 308 trays were half filled (ie 154 cells), and lettuce {Lactuca saliva cv Debby) and cabbage (Brassica olerecea var capitata Spirit) were sown one seed per cell. Seeded trays were lightly covered, and transferred to a glasshouse maintained at a temperature of — 18°C during the day and — 15°C at night. Trays were watered (tap water) as required, and biological control agents used as necessary.
Germination was assessed for five days following emergence, and the final assessment made seven weeks after the sowing dale.
Results. The water-soluble analyses of the "raw" materials and trial formulations are presented in Table 1 . The CDB had a pH of 6.6 and an
EC of 1259 μS, and very high levels of water-soluble nutrients, and this was in contrast to the coir which had low levels of nutrients. The experimental formulations had pH and EC levels relating to the ratio of source materials, however this pattern was not entirely consistent for the nutrient levels. This is a frequent observation with organic growing media, and is most likely due to the selective extraction of particular nutrients during the extraction procedure.
Germination rates of the experimental treatments for both lettuce and cabbage (Tables 2 and 3 respectively) were high, although not quite as high as in the control treatment. Similarly, total levels of germination were high, but still slightly lower than the control. No level was so low as to be of cause for concern, and indeed these results suggest that a greater amount of the CDB could have been used without any major effect on germination rate.
The final assessment results for lettuce and cabbage are shown in Figure 1. In the experimental treatments (1 , 2 and 3) there was a general pattern of an increase in biomass as the amount of CDB increased in the formulation. This was particularly the case for lettuce (fresh or dry weight) and cabbage (fresh weight only). Of particular note was the performance of the experimental formulations compared to the control treatment, in that the latter only achieved growth in terms of fresh weight comparable to Treatment 1 (20% CDB).
Although the CDB nutrient source required screening before use and had a high moisture content making it "heavy" to use, the results of these experiments clearly demonstrate the potential of the dairy waste as a component of a composted growing medium nutrient source. The high levels of nutrients in this waste are, following composting, clearly available to plants in quantity over the growing period, but at the same time do not cause inhibition of seed germination.
Example 2 of the invention
#2 - Co-composted Dairy-Waste, Bark and Coir. The nutrient source used in this trial was a compost based on dairy waste, bark and coir. The material used had a total nitrogen content of 1 .49 % , total phosphorus content of 2.03 % and a total potassium content of 0.48% .
Materials and methods. The composted dairy waste/bark/coir (hereafter CDBC) was received straight from the composting windrow. It was processed by reducing the water content (by spreading the compost out on a plastic sheet in a polyUinncl and leaving for several days), followed by shredding in a garden shredder to reduce the mean particle size. The shredded compost was then thoroughly homogenised before use. Experimental formulations consisted of the CDBC (25, 50 and 75 % incorporation rates) mixed with p c-wctted coir, and a proprietary substrate (Dickensons Module Compost) was used as a control. Formulations (including the control) were mixed (on a gravimetric basis) in a concrete mixer the day before use, at which lime samples were taken for analysis. Hassay 308 trays were half filled (ie 154 cells), and lettuce {Lactuca saliva cv Debby) and cabbage (Brassica olerecea var capitata Spirit) were sown one seed per cell . Seeded trays were lightly covered, and transferred to a glasshouse maintained at a temperature of ~ 18°C during the day and 15°C at night. Trays were watered (tap water) as required, and biological control agents used as necessary.
Germination was assessed for five days following emergence, and the final assessment made six weeks after the sowing date.
Results. The water-soluble analyses of the "raw" materials and the trial formulations are presented in Table 4. The CDBC had a pH of 7.0 and an EC of 1031 μS, and high levels of nitrate (indicating compost maturity) and potassium. In contrast, the coir had very low levels of water-soluble nutrients with the exception of potassium, confirming its suitability as a substrate diluent. The experimental formulations had pH and EC levels relating to the ratio of source materials, however this pattern was not entirely consistent for the nutrient levels. This is a frequent observation with organic substrates, and is most likely due to the selective extraction of particular nutrients during the extraction procedure.
Germination rates for both lettuce and cabbage (Tables 5 and 6 respectively) were high for all treatments, as were the total levels of germination. The slightly lower total germination levels achieved in the cabbage were most likely a characteristic of the seed batch. Of particular interest was the germination in Treatment 3, which despite having a high EC showed no effect in terms of reducing germination.
Figure 2 shows the final assessment results for lettuce and cabbage. These showed that fresh and dry weight in both lettuce and cabbage increased as the amount of CDBC in the substrate increased. Although a similar trend was observed for leaf number and rooting index, the differences were not statistically significant at the 95 % level. Compared to any other treatment, Treatment 3 (75 % CDBC) had the highest biomass in both lettuce and cabbage, whether measured as fresh or dry weight. Treatment 2 (50% CDBC) had a higher lettuce dry weight than the control medium, and a slightly lower cabbage dry weight although this was not statistically significant. In all cases Treatment 1 (25 % CDBC) showed the least biomass growth.
From these results, it is clear that the CDBC nutrient base of the invention is a high-performance nutrient source in organic growing media. The fact that no inhibitory effects on germination in Treatment 3 were observed suggests that this nutrient base could be used safely for germinating seeds at very high incorporation rates. At the same time, it is clear that the media (in comparison with the control growing medium) has a very high nutrient supplying capacity, making it suitable for a wide range of growing media uses. The first growing media of the invention tested - co-composted dairy waste and bark - had an exceptional nutrient supplying capacity, producing lettuce growth comparable to the control formulation at a 20% inclusion rate. However this compost, whilst being an excellent nutrient source, was difficult to handle and mix.
These problems were absent from the second embodiment of the invention, formed by co-composting dairy waste sludge with bark and coir-derived material. This nutrient base exhibited improved physical properties, and an exceptionally good (albeit slightly reduced compared to the co-composted dairy waste sludge plus bark (CDB) nutrient base) nutrient supplying capacity. In addition, although this nutrient base readily supplies nutrients for plant growth, it does not (at the 75 % inclusion rate in a growing medium) have inhibitory effects on seed (lettuce or cabbage) germination.
r.FGFND TO FIGURES
Figure 1 : Lerruce and Cabbage Assessment - Example I
(i) Lettuce mean fresh weight (g) vs % CDB
(ii) Lettuce mean dry weight (g) vs % CDB
(iii) Lettuce mean leaf number vs % CDB
(iv) Lettuce mean rooting index vs % CDB
(v) Cabbage mean fresh weight (g) vs % CDB
(vi) Cabbage mean dry weight (g) vs % CDB
(vii) Cabbage mean leaf number vs % CDB
(viii) Cabbage mean rooting index vs % CDB
CON = control
Figure 2 : Lettuce and Cabbage Assessment - Example 2
(i) Lettuce mean fresh weight (g) vs % CDBC
(ii) Lettuce mean dry weight (g) vs % CDBC
(iii) Lettuce mean leaf number vs % CDBC
(iv) Lettuce mean rooting index vs % CDBC
(v) Cabbage mean fresh weight (g) vs % CDBC
(vi) Cabbage mean dry weight (g) vs % CDBC
(vii) Cabbage mean leaf number vs % CDBC
(viii) Cabbage mean rooting index vs % CDBC
RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) CON = control

Claims

1. Growing medium comprising a nutrient base derived from food processing effluent, mixed with a matrix material.
2. Growing medium as claimed in claim I . wherein the food processing effluent is dairy waste, meat waste, vegetable processing waste, waste from an industrial fermentation process, or a mixture of any thereof.
3. Growing medium as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the nutrient base comprises dairy waste and bark.
4. Growing medium as claimed in claim 3, wherein the nutrient base further comprises coir-derived material.
5. Growing medium as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the effluent is sludge comprising de-watered effluent from cheese processing.
6. Growing medium as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sludge has a solids content of more than 10%.
7. Growth medium as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the components of the nutrient base are co-compostcd.
8. Growing medium as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the matrix material comprises bark and/or coir derived material.
9. A method of making a nutrient base for a growing medium comprising mixing food processing waste and a matrix material.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the components are co-compostcd.
1 1. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the co-composting process is aerobic.
12. A method as claimed in claims 10 or claim 1 1 wherein the composting process is carried out until the temperature of the mixture does not exceed 43°C within 72 hours of being disturbed.
13. A method of producing a growing medium comprising mixing a nutrient base prepared in accordance with any of claims 9 to 12 with at least one matrix material.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13. wherein the nutrient base is mixed with coir in an amount of at least 20% by volume of the total growing medium mixture.
15. Growth medium comprising a mixture of a food processing waste nutrient base and a matrix material substantially as described herein with reference to one or more of the accompanying examples and figures.
16. A method of making a food processing waste nutrient base or a growing medium substantially as described herein with reference to one or more of the accompanying examples and figures.
PCT/GB1995/002451 1994-10-19 1995-10-18 Growing media WO1996012687A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU36593/95A AU3659395A (en) 1994-10-19 1995-10-18 Growing media

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9421068.9 1994-10-19
GB9421068A GB9421068D0 (en) 1994-10-19 1994-10-19 Growing media

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996012687A1 true WO1996012687A1 (en) 1996-05-02

Family

ID=10763080

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1995/002451 WO1996012687A1 (en) 1994-10-19 1995-10-18 Growing media

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU3659395A (en)
GB (2) GB9421068D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1996012687A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997022569A1 (en) * 1995-12-18 1997-06-26 Dairygold Technologies Limited Base material, growing medium and fertilizer all containing dairy waste products and processes for the manufacture thereof
WO2009107660A1 (en) 2008-02-25 2009-09-03 味の素株式会社 Prophylactic or therapeutic agent for diabetes or obesity
US9756798B2 (en) 2004-11-19 2017-09-12 Patti D. Rubin Burrow filling compressed growing medium

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NZ547722A (en) * 2003-11-20 2009-02-28 Condit Internat Ltd Biological fertilizer
WO2016210211A1 (en) * 2015-06-25 2016-12-29 The Procter & Gamble Company Compositions for in-home waste management
CN105000931A (en) * 2015-07-07 2015-10-28 大新县科学技术情报研究所 Dendrobium candidum matrix manufacture method

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2995434A (en) * 1957-12-13 1961-08-08 Union Lumber Company Process of preparing a soil conditioner from subdivided bark
EP0445530A1 (en) * 1990-02-05 1991-09-11 MFE "Marienfelde" GmbH Granulate containing waste from fruit juice pressing, spent grains and/or wood and use thereof
EP0535544A1 (en) * 1991-10-04 1993-04-07 MANEKO, spol. s r.o. Process for treating sewage
DE4211013A1 (en) * 1992-04-02 1993-10-07 Natur Technik Verwertung Gmbh Granulate matter - is a liquid waste mixed with absorbent waste material and adhesive to give granules
GB2272903A (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-06-01 Puwakdandawe Narayan Nandadasa Organic material

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IE38804B1 (en) * 1974-05-29 1978-06-07 An Foras Taluntais A method of treating human and animal waste products and products obtained by the method
US4311511A (en) * 1976-07-07 1982-01-19 Gernot Graefe Method for producing high-grade fertilizer
JPS5398267A (en) * 1977-01-27 1978-08-28 Nippon Beet Sugar Mfg Method for producing compost
DE3139756C1 (en) * 1981-10-06 1983-03-10 Labofina S.A., 1040 Bruxelles Composting composition and its use in the production of compost
FR2541669B1 (en) * 1983-02-24 1986-03-28 Multibio PROCESS AND PLANT FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS AND AGRICULTURAL AMENDMENTS FROM SOLID WASTE AND LIQUID WASTE
JPH0222191A (en) * 1988-07-08 1990-01-25 Kazuo Moriaki Compost and production thereof
JP3171592B2 (en) * 1990-09-06 2001-05-28 古河サーキットフォイル株式会社 Electroplated drum

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2995434A (en) * 1957-12-13 1961-08-08 Union Lumber Company Process of preparing a soil conditioner from subdivided bark
EP0445530A1 (en) * 1990-02-05 1991-09-11 MFE "Marienfelde" GmbH Granulate containing waste from fruit juice pressing, spent grains and/or wood and use thereof
EP0535544A1 (en) * 1991-10-04 1993-04-07 MANEKO, spol. s r.o. Process for treating sewage
DE4211013A1 (en) * 1992-04-02 1993-10-07 Natur Technik Verwertung Gmbh Granulate matter - is a liquid waste mixed with absorbent waste material and adhesive to give granules
GB2272903A (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-06-01 Puwakdandawe Narayan Nandadasa Organic material

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997022569A1 (en) * 1995-12-18 1997-06-26 Dairygold Technologies Limited Base material, growing medium and fertilizer all containing dairy waste products and processes for the manufacture thereof
US9756798B2 (en) 2004-11-19 2017-09-12 Patti D. Rubin Burrow filling compressed growing medium
WO2009107660A1 (en) 2008-02-25 2009-09-03 味の素株式会社 Prophylactic or therapeutic agent for diabetes or obesity

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2294257A (en) 1996-04-24
GB9421068D0 (en) 1994-12-07
GB9521355D0 (en) 1995-12-20
AU3659395A (en) 1996-05-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Landis et al. Growing media
Atiyeh et al. Pig manure vermicompost as a component of a horticultural bedding plant medium: effects on physicochemical properties and plant growth
Schmilewski The role of peat in assuring the quality of growing media.
Raviv Production of high-quality composts for horticultural purposes: A mini-review
Jayasinghe et al. Evaluation of containerized substrates developed from cattle manure compost and synthetic aggregates for ornamental plant production as a peat alternative
Wilson et al. Plant growth in potting media containing worm-worked duck waste
Ingram et al. Growth media for container grown ornamental plants
Kala et al. Composting oil palm wastes and sewage sludge for use in potting media of ornamental plants.
Sharma et al. Bioconversion of flowers waste: Composting using dry leaves as bulking agent
Mahboub Khomami et al. Cow manure and sawdust vermicompost effect on nutrition and growth of ornamental foliage plants
Mami et al. Substitution of municipal solid waste compost for peat in cucumber transplant production
MX2007005076A (en) Process of improved semi-static composting for the production of a humectant substrate of low density of use thereof in nurseries and greenhouses.
WO1996012687A1 (en) Growing media
JP2002001260A (en) Method for fermenting plant material
WO1992000942A1 (en) A natural and renewable organic compost/fertilizer
Purman et al. Influence of compost aging and fertilizer regimes on the growth of bedding plants, transplants and poinsettia
JPH04295084A (en) Fermented organic compost and its production
DE4137171C2 (en)
JP2002300813A (en) Artificial culture soil
Dickinson et al. The storage properties of wood-based peat-free growing media
Gautam et al. Evolution of the municipal solid waste compost phytotoxicity and maturation for eco-friendly organic farming systems
JP2000192038A (en) Soil conditioner, seedling medium, and their preparation
KR100924071B1 (en) Composition of the composted fertilizer using the dam&#39;s float wood and sewage sluge, and the manufacturing method
Devitt et al. Response of tall fescue to composted sewage sludge used as a soil amendment
EP0868414B1 (en) Base material, growing medium and fertilizer all containing dairy waste products and processes for the manufacture thereof

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AM AT AU BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CZ DE DK EE ES FI GB GE HU IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LK LR LT LU LV MD MG MN MW MX NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK TJ TM TT UA UG US UZ VN

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): KE MW SD SZ UG AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN ML MR NE SN TD TG

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase