Effect of Maturation of Grease Trap Compost On Plant Growth

Abstract

Although it is known that immature composts can depress plant growth, few studies have quantified this effect in real-world scenarios with field-grown crops. Glasshouse and field trials were used to investigate the effect of maturation of grease trap compost (GTC) on plant growth. Grease trap waste was composted for 7-14 d in an in-vessel reactor with shredded green waste, sawdust and chicken manure and matured in windrows for up to 6 weeks. In the glasshouse trial, compost samples were mixed with an equal volume of coarse sand and were compared with a standard mix of 3 parts composted pine bark to 1 part coarse sand (v/v). In these trials, fresh GTC suppressed germination and growth of both..