EVALUATION OF VERMICOMPOSTING POTENTIAL OF PRE-COMPOSTS PREPARED WITH POMEGRANATE PROCESSING WASTES FROM FRUIT JUICE INDUSTRY

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 3, 979 - 989, 30.09.2025

Fevzi Şevik , İsmail Tosun , Kamil Ekinci

https://doi.org/10.21923/jesd.1729610

Abstract

Composting is the process of converting organic wastes into a soil improving product through biological processes.. In this study, the suitability of pomegranate processing wastes from fruit juice industry for vermicomposting was investigated by pre-composting with cattle manure, chicken manure and straw wastes. The vermicomposting process was carried out under laboratory conditions in five separate plastic containers of 38 L volume using Eisenia fetida species earthworms for 150 days. The physicochemical properties and germination index results of the vermicomposts obtained at the end of the application were evaluated. While the initial carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios of vermicompost mixtures were in the range of 11,70-12,50, these ratios decreased at the end of the process and realized in the range of 9,95-10,20. The highest earthworm reproduction was realized in the K4 mixture with 2.563 individuals; the highest mass and volume losses were experienced in the same mixture and these losses were calculated as 13,5% and 24,0%, respectively. The resulting earthworm composts met the criteria of organic matter content (≥40%) and C/N ratio (8-22) as specified in the Türkiye national legislation. This has resulted in a soil amendment that is rich in organic matter and balanced in terms of carbon and nitrogen for plants. Furthermore, according to the germination index test, no phytotoxicity was observed at application doses of 25% and 50%.

Keywords

Pomegranate processing waste compost , Vermicomposting , Eisenia fetida , Germination index

MEYVE SUYU ENDÜSTRİSİNDEN KAYNAKLANAN NAR İŞLEME ATIKLARI İLE HAZIRLANAN ÖN KOMPOSTLARIN VERMİKOMPOSTLAMA POTANSİYELİNİN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Abstract

Kompostlaştırma, organik içerikli atıkların biyolojik süreçler aracılığıyla toprak iyileştirici bir ürüne dönüştürülmesi işlemidir. Bu çalışmada, meyve suyu endüstrisinden kaynaklanan nar işleme atıklarının; sığır gübresi, tavuk gübresi ve saman atıkları ile birlikte ön kompostlanması sonucu elde edilen karışımların solucanlı kompostlaştırmaya (vermikompostlamaya) uygunluğu araştırılmıştır. Vermikompostlama işlemi laboratuvar şartlarında, 38 L hacmindeki beş ayrı plastik kapta, Eisenia fetida türü solucanlar kullanılarak 150 gün süreyle yürütülmüştür. Uygulama sonunda elde edilen vermikompostların fizikokimyasal özellikleri ve çimlenme indeksi sonuçları değerlendirilmiştir. Vermikompost karışımlarının başlangıçtaki karbon/azot (C/N) oranları 11,70–12,50 aralığında iken, proses sonunda düşerek bu oranlar 9,95–10,20 aralığında gerçekleşmiştir. Solucan çoğalması en fazla, 2.563 bireyle K4 karışımında gerçekleşmiş; aynı karışımda en yüksek kütle ve hacim kaybı yaşanmış ve bu kayıplar sırasıyla %13,5 ve %24,0 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Elde edilen solucan kompostları, Türkiye ulusal mevzuatında belirtilen organik madde oranı (≥%40) ve C/N oranı (8–22) kriterlerini sağlamıştır. Bu sayede bitkiler için organik maddece zengin ve karbon-azot açısından dengeli bir toprak iyileştirici elde edilmiştir. Ayrıca, çimlenme indeksi testine göre %25 ve %50’lik uygulama dozlarında fitotoksisite gözlenmemiştir.

Keywords

Nar işleme atığı kompostu , Solucanlı kompostlaştırma , Eisenia fetida , Çimlenme indeksi

Supporting Institution

Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinasyon Birimi

Thanks

Bu çalışma Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinasyon Birimince Desteklenmiştir. Proje Numarası: FDK-2018-5778.

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