Composting of the waste of the heart of palm agroindustry for the cultivation of edible mushrooms

Abstract

The agribusiness of heart of palm (Bactris gasipaes) generates large amounts of waste, causing environmental impacts. Before this waste is returned to crop soil, it can be used in the production of carpophores of Pleurotus sp. in combination with other organic sources. This work characterized, at the physical-chemical level and in terms of the availability of macro- and micronutrients, compost based on the agroindustrial waste of heart of palm and chicken manure. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment (factor 1 = forms of compost; factor 2 = proportion of waste and factor 3 = harvest times) in one completely randomized design of eight treatments with six replicates was applied. The following maximum values were obtained for treatments (T): pH = 6.50 (T5), OM = 11.49% (T5), CEC = 66.77 mEq/100 g (T2); EC = 9.20 dS/m (T8), ash = 50.12% (T4), C/N = 11.71 (T4), N = 0.72% (T7), P = 154.62 ppm (T7), K = 9590.96 ppm (T5), Ca = 25.60 mEq/100 g (T6), Mg = 17.18 mEq/100 g (T6), Na = 1.38 mEq/100 g (T8), cellulose = 23.72% (T1), hemicellulose = 12.50% (T1). Despite the significant differences between treatments, these results are insufficient for the growth and development of these mushrooms. However, T5 (with a proportion of lignin closest to that needed: 43.64%) is the best to use from day 16 of composting, as long as it is complemented with substrates that cover the needs of Pleurotus sp.