Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production
Interest among consumers in the availability of organically produced fruits and vegetables is increasing. Seafood demand is increasingly being met by fish raised using aquaculture methods that provide fish excretory products that can meet organic standards for nutrient sources for organic vegetables...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| author | Cicely Schembri Nicholas Kaczmar John Osborn Michael B. Timmons Neil S. Mattson |
| author_facet | Cicely Schembri Nicholas Kaczmar John Osborn Michael B. Timmons Neil S. Mattson |
| author_sort | Cicely Schembri |
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| description | Interest among consumers in the availability of organically produced fruits and vegetables is increasing. Seafood demand is increasingly being met by fish raised using aquaculture methods that provide fish excretory products that can meet organic standards for nutrient sources for organic vegetables. We conducted an experiment in a glass greenhouse to evaluate fish biosolids as a substrate amendment for organic tomato transplant production. We compared the fish biosolids treatment to several different organic fertilizers, along with a commonly used inorganic slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote). All treatments used a target N concentration of 400 mg/L incorporated into the substrate and we also included fish biosolids treatments of 200 and 800 mg N/L. Plant performance was monitored for 4 weeks starting with commercially available 2-week-old seedlings. The results showed that the 800 mg N/L fish biosolids treatment compared very favorably with the conventional Osmocote treatment at the conclusion of the trial. The 800 mg N/L fish biosolids treatment exceeded the Osmocote treatment for chlorophyll content and for leaf number for the first 3 weeks of the 4-week trial. Grower management protocols could further improve seedling performance by providing additional top dressings of fish biosolids or fish effluent waters as plants age. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b7380fb5c09a4550acfb655ee0717dfa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj-art-b7380fb5c09a4550acfb655ee0717dfa2025-01-24T13:34:38ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-01-011115710.3390/horticulturae11010057Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant ProductionCicely Schembri0Nicholas Kaczmar1John Osborn2Michael B. Timmons3Neil S. Mattson4School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USASchool of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USASchool of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USADepartment of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USASchool of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USAInterest among consumers in the availability of organically produced fruits and vegetables is increasing. Seafood demand is increasingly being met by fish raised using aquaculture methods that provide fish excretory products that can meet organic standards for nutrient sources for organic vegetables. We conducted an experiment in a glass greenhouse to evaluate fish biosolids as a substrate amendment for organic tomato transplant production. We compared the fish biosolids treatment to several different organic fertilizers, along with a commonly used inorganic slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote). All treatments used a target N concentration of 400 mg/L incorporated into the substrate and we also included fish biosolids treatments of 200 and 800 mg N/L. Plant performance was monitored for 4 weeks starting with commercially available 2-week-old seedlings. The results showed that the 800 mg N/L fish biosolids treatment compared very favorably with the conventional Osmocote treatment at the conclusion of the trial. The 800 mg N/L fish biosolids treatment exceeded the Osmocote treatment for chlorophyll content and for leaf number for the first 3 weeks of the 4-week trial. Grower management protocols could further improve seedling performance by providing additional top dressings of fish biosolids or fish effluent waters as plants age.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/57organic nutrientstomato seedlingssupplementationfertilizer |
| spellingShingle | Cicely Schembri Nicholas Kaczmar John Osborn Michael B. Timmons Neil S. Mattson Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production Horticulturae organic nutrients tomato seedlings supplementation fertilizer |
| title | Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production |
| title_full | Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production |
| title_short | Evaluation of Fish Biosolids as a Fertilizer for Organic Tomato Transplant Production |
| title_sort | evaluation of fish biosolids as a fertilizer for organic tomato transplant production |
| topic | organic nutrients tomato seedlings supplementation fertilizer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/57 |
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