Food waste liquid anaerobic digestates (FWLAD) have received much public attention for its potential as an organic fertilizer source as they are rich in mineral elements. However, FWLAD can contain high salinity and high NH4 concentration, and thus, the optimum application rates need to be determined to deliver required plant nutrients without excessive salt and NH4 level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient solution concentration made from FWLAD on the growth of leafy vegetable seedlings. The seeds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) ‘Rex’, ‘Muir’, and ‘Roxy’, Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) ‘Rhubarb’, bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) ‘Mei Qing Choi’, and kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) ‘White Russian’ were sown in rockwool plug and grown at 22 °C under sole-source LED lighting with an 18-h photoperiod at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 200 µmol∙m-2∙s-1. After germination, the seedlings were sub-irrigated with nutrient solution made with either crude or processed FWLAD at electrical conductivities (ECs) of 1, 2, 3, or 4 dS·m–1. Four weeks after treatment, when using crude FWLAD, shoot fresh mass of three lettuce cultivars decreased by 76-92% as EC increased from 1 to 4 dS·m–1. In contrast, with processed FWLAD, lettuce ‘Adriana’ and ‘Roxy’ showed 68-1080% greater shoot fresh mass at an EC of 2 dS·m–1 compared to an ECs of 1, 3, or 4 dS·m–1. Shoot fresh mass of lettuce ‘Muir’ at an EC of 2 dS·m–1 was similar with that at an EC of 1 dS·m–1 but 380-516% greater than those at ECs of 3 or 4 dS·m–1. In lettuce, the EC of FWLAD had similar effects on leaf area as it did on shoot fresh mass, but it had minimal effects on leaf number, relative chlorophyll concentration, and shoot dry mass. In kale, Swiss chard, and bok choy, the EC of FWLAD had little effects on plant growth attributes. Our results suggest that leafy vegetable seedlings vary in their responses to nutrient solution concentrations derived from FWLAD, with lettuce exhibiting greater sensitivity than Swiss chard, bok choy, and kale. In lettuce, lower concentrations of FWLAD (at an EC ≤2 dS·m–1) increased shoot fresh mass.
Grafting is an effective management strategy in watermelon crop against soil borne pathogens. Carolina strongback (SB) rootstock used for grafting, is resistant to both fusarium wilt and root knot nematodes which are devastating soil borne pests of watermelon. However, recent trials have shown that SB grafted plant bear fruits 7-10 days later than regulate plants leading to farmers losing early market which is more profitable. Further, tissue boron content in SB grafted plants were reported to be lower than regular watermelon nursery plants. Boron is the key micro-nutrient involves in cell wall and cell membrane, pollination, pollen germination, cell division, translocation of carbohydrates and fruit development. We hypothesize that foliar application of boron will cure the boron deficiency in grafted plants and leads to early fruit set similar to regular watermelon nursery. To test this hypothesis, a field experiment was conducted at Edisto Research and Education Centre, SC with the objective to evaluate the impact of foliar boron applications on pollen viability, pollination, fruit set, and periodic fruit yield as compared to regular watermelon nursery. The experiment was comprised of four treatments including a regular watermelon nursery control, in randomized complete block design. The soils had medium to low boron content of 0.1 pounds/acre. The soils were medium in potassium (133 pounds/acre), zinc (5.2 pounds/acre) and manganese (13 pounds/acre). Within first 25 days of transplanting, we did not observe any difference in the watermelon aboveground growth and biomass accumulation, in different treatments. Further, we will evaluate the impact of foliar boron application on pollen viability, pollination, watermelon fruit set, fruit yield and quality in SB grafted nursery.
