Feasibility of vermicomposting for vegetable greenhouse waste recycling

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the feasibility of Eisenia andrei for vermicomposting heterogeneous-plant (HP), tomato-plant (P), and damaged tomato-fruit (T) greenhouse vegetable wastes. Earthworm growth and reproduction were monitored over a 12-week period, and variations in chemical parameters, enzyme activity, phytotoxicity test, and genetic fingerprinting of bacterial communities were evaluated. While high rates of salinity prevented earthworm survival in HP and P (>10 dS m(-1)), T was vermicomposted recording an adequate earthworm growth and cocoon production. The latter waste was successfully stabilized, as indicated by the significant decrease in its TOC content (similar to 13-26%) and C:N ratio (similar to 16-36%) and its high germination indices (similar to 39-72%). The similar enzyme activities levels and bacterial community fingerprintings recorded in diverse vermicomposts obtained from T waste indicate that this type of waste favoured the existence of analogous bacterial communities responsible for the high degree of stabilization and maturity detected. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.