Use of Potato Peelings in Composting Techniques: A High-Priority and Low-Cost Alternative for Environmental Remediation

摘要

Castilla y Leon is the leader among Spanish vegetable producers and consumers, with high cultivation and consumption of cereal and potatoes; and with an important alimentary industry based on these cultures (Gullon and Siro groups), which produces a significant volume of residues such as straw and potato peelings. This paper reports our results on a chips factory remainders composting, under three different experimental conditions: only potato peelings and shavings, potato peelings with sewage sludgecomposting, and potato peelings with low grade meat composting. Tanneries remainders contain utilizable nutrients, but also toxic organic compounds which might affect soil processes and plant growth, and pathogens, which might pose a threat to the localfarming community. Composting processes were monitored through different assays and their respective efficiencies were determined. The composting resulting products were characterized by electrolytic conductivity, pH, C:N ratio, and germination index (based on Zucconi method). Some resulting products were rich in organic matter, free of phytotoxicity, and had a high potassium and organic nitrogen content. We believe that this kind of compost can be useful for recultivation purposes of humus-free soilsfrom old gravels in our geographic area. Consequently, different compost mixtures are being evaluated in order to examine their suitability for the formation of stable soil organic matter.