The adoption of intensive agricultural practices has led to a depletion of organic matter in the soil and a consequent reduction in its fertility. Among the solutions to counteract this loss, organic-based fertilizations stand out, traditionally carried out with solid livestock manure. However, in recent years, there has been growing interest in alternative resources from the agro-industry, such as the use of compost, anaerobic digestates, and Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). Spent Mushroom Substrate is a by-product of mushroom cultivation, usable only for a limited period during the production process. Its application to agricultural soils represents an integration of organic matter, promoting microbial activity and its mineralization, thereby enhancing nutrient cycling and making nutrients more available to crops. Moreover, it is a solution to improve the circularity of agro-food resources, reducing waste and promoting a sustainable use of by-products. The main focus of the experiment is the comparison between mineral and organic nitrogen inputs, examining whether the spent mushroom substrate can partially or fully meet the nitrogen needs of crops, while adhering to the constraints set by the Nitrates Directive. The goal of the present experiment is to characterize the spent mushroom substrate derived from Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation and assess its potential as an organic matrix in horticulture, a sector characterized by intense crop rotations and frequent soil tillage. Over the course of 3 years, at the Experimental Farm of the University of Padua, the use of the substrate as an organic fertilizer was tested in open-field trials on several widely grown vegetable species (lettuce, pumpkin, savoy cabbage, tomato), taking into account seasonality and the crop cycle duration. The effectiveness was evaluated through both vegetative and productive measurements and the assessment of nitrogen use efficiency indices (NUE, Nitrogen Use Efficiency). Moreover, the experiment included soil analysis monitoring, with results that were not statistically significant. The study highlighted that the mineral control treatment achieved the highest yields. Good results were also obtained with combined treatments. The soil is continuously evolving, and the positive trends generated by the use of organic fertilizers require medium to long-term periods to become evident. Current trends suggest that initially combining organic and mineral fertilization, and subsequently transitioning to organic fertilization alone, can ensure yields comparable to those achieved with mineral fertilization alone, while promoting the use of waste products and fully respecting the environment.
L’adozione di pratiche agricole intensive ha determinato un impoverimento della sostanza organica nel suolo e una conseguente riduzione della sua fertilità. Tra le soluzioni per contrastare questa perdita, spiccano le concimazioni di matrice organica, tradizionalmente effettuate con reflui zootecnici solidi. Tuttavia, negli ultimi anni è cresciuto l'interesse verso risorse alternative provenienti dall'agroindustria, come l’uso del compost, dei digestati anaerobici e dei substrati esausti di fungaia (SMS, Spent Mushroom Substrate). Il substrato esausto di fungaia è un sottoprodotto della coltivazione dei funghi, utilizzabile solo per un periodo limitato nel processo produttivo. L’applicazione nei terreni agrari rappresenta un’integrazione della sostanza organica, promuovendo l’attività microbica e la sua mineralizzazione, rendendo il ciclo dei nutrienti più efficace e quindi con nutrienti più disponibili per la coltura. Inoltre, è una soluzione per migliorare la circolarità delle risorse agroalimentari, riducendo gli scarti e promuovendo un uso sostenibile dei sottoprodotti. L'interesse della sperimentazione è basato principalmente sul confronto tra l'apporto di azoto in forma minerale e organica, esaminando se il substrato esausto sia in grado di soddisfare parzialmente o completamente il fabbisogno azotato delle colture, rispettando i vincoli imposti dalla Direttiva Nitrati. L'obiettivo della presente sperimentazione è la caratterizzazione del substrato esausto derivante dalla coltivazione di Pleurotus ostreatus e la valutazione del suo potenziale come fertilizzante organico in orticoltura, un settore caratterizzato da intense successioni colturali e frequenti lavorazioni del terreno. Durante i 3 anni di prove, presso l’Azienda Sperimentale dell’Università di Padova, l’utilizzo del substrato come fertilizzante organico è stato testato in pieno campo su diverse specie orticole diffuse (lattuga, zucca, verza, pomodoro), tenendo conto della stagionalità e della durata del ciclo colturale. L’efficacia è stata valutata sia attraverso l’analisi dei rilievi vegetativi e produttivi, sia attraverso la valutazione degli indici di efficienza azotata (NUE, Nitrogen Use Efficiency). Inoltre, la sperimentazione ha previsto il monitoraggio delle analisi del terreno con risultati non statisticamente significativi. Lo studio ha evidenziato che il testimone minerale risulta essere il trattamento con rese maggiori. Buoni risultati sono stati ottenuti anche con trattamenti combinati. L’elevata inerzia del terreno richiede in ogni caso tempi prolungati per rendere evidenti le tendenze positive generate dall’utilizzo di questo fertilizzante organico. Le informazioni attuali suggeriscono un iniziale impiego combinato della fertilizzazione organica combinata a quella minerale ed in seguito della sola fertilizzazione organica. Tale approccio potrà garantire rese paragonabili alla sola fertilizzazione minerale, valorizzando l’uso dei prodotti di scarto, nel pieno rispetto dell’ambiente.
Fertilizzanti organici alternativi: applicazione del substrato esausto da coltivazione di Pleurotus ostreatus nella concimazione di specie orticole in pieno campo
PELLEGRINO, ANNABRUNA
2023/2024
Abstract
The adoption of intensive agricultural practices has led to a depletion of organic matter in the soil and a consequent reduction in its fertility. Among the solutions to counteract this loss, organic-based fertilizations stand out, traditionally carried out with solid livestock manure. However, in recent years, there has been growing interest in alternative resources from the agro-industry, such as the use of compost, anaerobic digestates, and Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). Spent Mushroom Substrate is a by-product of mushroom cultivation, usable only for a limited period during the production process. Its application to agricultural soils represents an integration of organic matter, promoting microbial activity and its mineralization, thereby enhancing nutrient cycling and making nutrients more available to crops. Moreover, it is a solution to improve the circularity of agro-food resources, reducing waste and promoting a sustainable use of by-products. The main focus of the experiment is the comparison between mineral and organic nitrogen inputs, examining whether the spent mushroom substrate can partially or fully meet the nitrogen needs of crops, while adhering to the constraints set by the Nitrates Directive. The goal of the present experiment is to characterize the spent mushroom substrate derived from Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation and assess its potential as an organic matrix in horticulture, a sector characterized by intense crop rotations and frequent soil tillage. Over the course of 3 years, at the Experimental Farm of the University of Padua, the use of the substrate as an organic fertilizer was tested in open-field trials on several widely grown vegetable species (lettuce, pumpkin, savoy cabbage, tomato), taking into account seasonality and the crop cycle duration. The effectiveness was evaluated through both vegetative and productive measurements and the assessment of nitrogen use efficiency indices (NUE, Nitrogen Use Efficiency). Moreover, the experiment included soil analysis monitoring, with results that were not statistically significant. The study highlighted that the mineral control treatment achieved the highest yields. Good results were also obtained with combined treatments. The soil is continuously evolving, and the positive trends generated by the use of organic fertilizers require medium to long-term periods to become evident. Current trends suggest that initially combining organic and mineral fertilization, and subsequently transitioning to organic fertilization alone, can ensure yields comparable to those achieved with mineral fertilization alone, while promoting the use of waste products and fully respecting the environment.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/77885