Recycling Sprout By-product as Organic Growing Media

Abstract

Sprout by-product is a nutrient-rich organic material but difficult to biodegrade in natural environmental conditions. Sprout by-product includes used media, part of the sprout stems and roots left after harvest. The accumulation of this waste with increasing amounts over time can cause serious environmental pollution in production areas. To reduce waste volume at the resource, this study provided several treatment methods of sprout by-product to effectively recycle it for safe sprout production. The treatment methods proposed for sprout by-product were i) To incubate with microbial product called as EMUNIV for 30 days to create the first organic growing medium - GT2,  pre-treat with 1% lime solution; ii) Mix with dried soybean husk at a ratio of 1:1 to create the second organic growing medium - GT3; or iii) Mix with dried soybean husk in a 1:1 ratio to create the third organic growing medium - GT4. The results showed that the created organic growing media had neutral pH, high organic matter, and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium content. The treated substrates were not contaminated with some heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) and pathogenic microorganisms (E.coli, Salmonella). Raphanus sativus var. radicula sprouts grown on new organic media had the seed germination rate of 95-98%, normal growing with higher productivity than the control from 1.14 to 1.2 times, crude protein, vitamin C content also higher than the control. Sprouts grown using this recycled media were assessed safe because of not being polluted by heavy metals (Pb, Cd), pathogenic microorganisms (E.coli, Salmonella) and nitrate. The treatment of sprout by-product according to the method for creating organic medium GT2 was most suitable and recommended for sprout production areas.