Thermal properties of compost bulking materials affect temperature and biodegradation during the composting process. Well determined thermal properties of compost feedstocks will therefore contribute to practical thermodynamic approaches. Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and volumetric heat capacity of 12 compost bulking materials were determined in this study. Thermal properties were...

Transitioning farmland to certified organic vegetable production can take many paths, each varying in their costs and benefits. Here, the effects of four organic transition strategies (i.e., tilled fallowing, mixed-species hay, low-intensity vegetables, and intensive vegetable production under high tunnels), each with and without annual compost applications for 3 years prior to assessment, were...

The effect of ventilation rate (VR) on ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from composting piles of dead hens mixed with hen manure was quantified by measuring the gaseous concentrations and airflow rate through the compost bins. Three VR levels of 0.9, 0.7 and 0.5 m3/hr/bin (equivalent to the air exchanges per hour of 0.9, 0.7 and 0.5) were evaluated, each with three replicates. T...

This paper reviews the sources, bioavailability and fate of heavy metals and organic contaminants in compost manure and in soils of which the manure is applied. The toxicity of heavy metals and organic compounds in soil of which would have come from applied compost is also discussed. Type of materials, their background and where collected for use in composting contribute to the sources of heavy...

Biowaste composting at several plants in Scandinavia has been troubled by low pH in the collected waste as well as after the composting process. Our hypothesis was that increased aeration would give a higher and faster rise in pH during the composting process, and that this would give a higher decomposition rate. The objective was to test this hypothesis by experiments in full scale, with an em...

We previously showed that the females of the mushroom sciarid, Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour, 1839) (Diptera: Sciaridae), one of the most severe pests of the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Emil J. Imbach (Agaricales: Agaricaceae), are attracted to the mushroom compost that mushrooms are grown on and not to the mushrooms themselves. We also showed that females are ...

We measured Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform numbers in soil and on fresh potato skins after addition of solid dairy manure and dairy compost with and without alum (Al(2)(SO(4))(3)) treatment 1, 7, 14, 28, 179 and 297 days after application. The addition of dairy compost or solid dairy manure at rates to meet crop phosphorus uptake did not consistently increase E. coli and...

Nitrification potential is the maximum capacity of a soil’s population of nitrifying bacteria to transform NH4+-N to NO3−-N. Time of season and the effect of several management practices on nitrification potentials were measured via an amended slurry method, shaken for 24 h at 25 ◦C. Management strategies that reduce potential nitrification rates without limiting plant N uptake may increase the...

Manure or compost application based on N needs of corn (Lea mays L.) may result in soil accumulation of P, other ions, and salt because the manure or compost N/P ratio is usually smaller than the corn N/P uptake ratio. This study was conducted from 1992 to 1996 to evaluate effects of Pand N-based manure and compost application on corn yield, N and P uptake, soil P level, and weed biomass. Compo...

In a country like Iran, where soil organic matter is less than 1% and in most cases even less than 0.5 %, Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a permanent and inexpensive source of organic matter. Various experiments have indicated that applications of compost improve plant health, yield and nutritional quality. However, the quality of the compost determines the growth and the development of plants. ...