Effects Of Alternative Fertilisers From Food And Household Waste And Clover Based On Yield Of Organic Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Convar. Capitata Var. Alba L.)

Summary

Organic vegetable farms are highly specialized and therefore, the production is very dependent on external nutrient inputs by commercial fertilisers permitted in organic farming, often of conventional origin. Food and household waste and/or clover based fertilisers could replace and/or be additional alternatives to commonly used fertilisers and close rural-urban cycles. The effect of different alternative plant and waste based fertilizers were studied in a field trial using cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. alba L.) in Stuttgart, Southwest Germany. Total yield (head and residues), marketable head yield (> 1 kg) and non-marketable head yield (< 1 kg) were measured. All fertilisers increased the total biomass yield and marketable head yield of cabbage significantly, with horn grit (widely used commercial fertiliser in organic vegetable production) fertilisation showing the highest yields (Total yield: 88.6 Mg fresh matter (FM) ha-1, Marketable head yield: 39.8 Mg FM ha-1) of all treatments. Clover pellets, tofu whey, biogas digestate from organic household waste and clover based biogas digestate showed results comparable to farmyard manure and could be potential new fertilisers for organic vegetable production without compromising the yield.