TY - GEN
T1 - Use resources wisely
T2 - Waste management and organic liquid fertilizer use in greenhouse production system
AU - Kacira, M.
AU - Jensen, M.
AU - Robie, T.
AU - Tollefson, S.
AU - Giacomelli, G.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded in part by WISErg Inc., WA, USA (for the comparison of organic vs. inorganic fertilization study with lettuce crop) and University of Arizona GreenFunds Committee (for the greenhouse systems used in the project). The authors thank Jiffy products of America Inc. for providing starter trays and Johnny’s Selected Seeds for the lettuce seeds as in-kind donations. We extend our thanks to Kubota Lab for the bioactive compound analysis, and to the students, volunteers, and staff of Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the University of Arizona.
PY - 2017/6/30
Y1 - 2017/6/30
N2 - Interest in local and organic food production, waste management and sustainable food production in controlled environments are gaining interest. Significant amount of food is wasted in the US. Converting solid food waste into useful products has substantial economic, social and environmental benefits. Therefore, there is a need for technological advancement with innovative technology, solving community problems with local resources, and, ultimately, changing the way of thinking and management of waste, and using resources wisely. This study focused on evaluating the effects of the organic liquid fertilizer obtained from food waste, using a patented technology (WISErg Corp., WA, USA), on overall quantitative and qualitative yield of lettuce crop growing in a sand culture system in a high tunnel greenhouse system. A comparative study was conducted using inorganic fertilizer for production in the control greenhouse while organic liquid fertilizer was used in the treatment greenhouse for the production. The results showed that the fresh weight based yield data indicated no significant differences for all lettuce cultivars grown between the inorganic and organic fertilizer fed group plants. Bioactive content analysis for anthocyanin levels showed that they were slightly higher especially in the colored lettuce cultivars (i.e., 'Cherokee', 'Magenta' and 'Salanova Red Incised') in the organic liquid fertilizer fed group compared to fed with inorganic fertilizer. This preliminary study provided promising results for potential use of liquid organic fertilizer reducing the demand on inorganic fertilizers, improving waste management practices and using resources wisely in controlled environment food production system.
AB - Interest in local and organic food production, waste management and sustainable food production in controlled environments are gaining interest. Significant amount of food is wasted in the US. Converting solid food waste into useful products has substantial economic, social and environmental benefits. Therefore, there is a need for technological advancement with innovative technology, solving community problems with local resources, and, ultimately, changing the way of thinking and management of waste, and using resources wisely. This study focused on evaluating the effects of the organic liquid fertilizer obtained from food waste, using a patented technology (WISErg Corp., WA, USA), on overall quantitative and qualitative yield of lettuce crop growing in a sand culture system in a high tunnel greenhouse system. A comparative study was conducted using inorganic fertilizer for production in the control greenhouse while organic liquid fertilizer was used in the treatment greenhouse for the production. The results showed that the fresh weight based yield data indicated no significant differences for all lettuce cultivars grown between the inorganic and organic fertilizer fed group plants. Bioactive content analysis for anthocyanin levels showed that they were slightly higher especially in the colored lettuce cultivars (i.e., 'Cherokee', 'Magenta' and 'Salanova Red Incised') in the organic liquid fertilizer fed group compared to fed with inorganic fertilizer. This preliminary study provided promising results for potential use of liquid organic fertilizer reducing the demand on inorganic fertilizers, improving waste management practices and using resources wisely in controlled environment food production system.
KW - Bioactive compound
KW - Controlled environment
KW - Food waste
KW - Lettuce
KW - Sustainable
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85028893973&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85028893973&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1164.71
DO - 10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1164.71
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85028893973
T3 - Acta Horticulturae
SP - 541
EP - 548
BT - 3rd International Symposium on Organic Greenhouse Horticulture
A2 - Tuzel, Y.
A2 - Ozetkin, G.B.
PB - International Society for Horticultural Science
ER -