ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Impact of Exogenous Addition of Sulphur
Powder on the Effectiveness of Kitchen
Waste Compost Seedling Substrates
More details
Hide details
1
Institute of Organic Recycling (Suzhou), China Agricultural University, Suzhou 215100, China
2
College of Marxism, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
3
Xinjiang Institute of Technology,Akesu 843100, China
4
Jiangsu Kunshan Fruit and Vegetable Science and Technology Centre, Suzhou 215300, China
5
Kunshan Yuefengdao Organic Agricultural Products Base Co., Suzhou 215300, China
Submission date: 2023-07-06
Final revision date: 2024-02-08
Acceptance date: 2024-02-29
Online publication date: 2024-07-01
Publication date: 2024-07-25
Corresponding author
Xinyu Liu
Institute of Organic Recycling(Suzhou), China Agricultural University, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(6):6389-6395
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The feasibility of using sulphur powder (SP) to improve physicochemical properties and promote
growth of cucumber seedlings in kitchen waste compost (KWC) was investigated using cavity trays
in the greenhouse. The base substrate used consisted of KWC, peat, rice husk and perlite, in respective
ratios of 15%:35%:40%:10% by volume. Treatments consisted of additions of SP at rates of 0 g (CK),
3 g (T1), 6g (T2), 12 g (T3) and 24 g (T4) per liter of the seedling substrate (SS). The investigation
showed that addition of SP significantly reduced pH of SS and increased its EC values (p<0.05).
The germination index (GI) of cucumber seeds was significantly enhanced with SP addition at T1
(p<0.05). However, other growth indicators (shoot and belowground growth indices) showed maximum
values at T2. Levels of plant nutrients (N, P, K) and organic matter in this SS reflected a trend of
uptake by seedlings in the order T2>T1>CK>T3>T4, while the levels of the growth substances in T3
and T4 were consistent with the deleterious effects of excess levels of SP. Fluorescence analysis of
levels of Fusarium spp. in SS showed significant reductions in copy numbers of the fungi (p<0.05)
as sulfur levels decrease in the order T4>T3>T2>T1>CK. For the SS composition used for this study,
T2 gave the best results for the establishment of cucumber seedlings. Other combinations of substrate
and seedlings must be evaluated to determine appropriate amounts of components to be used under
specific circumstances.