Abstract
Compost tea is widely recognized for its beneficial effects on crop growth and soil health. However, its efficacy varies depending on the composition of the feedstock and brewing conditions. This study investigates the chemical composition and agronomic impact of compost tea prepared from a commercial mixture of plant residues and animal manure. Standard chemical analyses, combined with solid-state 13 C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy, were employed to characterize the organic chemistry of the feedstock. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial and eukaryotic rRNA gene markers was used to profile the microbiota. Compost tea was applied to three crops, Allium cepa , Beta vulgaris , and Lactuca sativa , grown in protected Mediterranean environments on volcanic soils. The 13 C CPMAS NMR analysis revealed that the feedstock is predominantly composed of plant-derived tissues, including grass straw, nitrogen-fixing hay, and animal manure, with a significant presence of O-alkyl-C and di-O-alkyl-C regions typical of sugars and polysaccharides. Additionally, the chemical profile indicated the presence of an aliphatic fraction (alkyl-C), characteristic of lipids such as waxes and cutins. The compost tea microbiome was dominated by Pseudomonadota , with Pseudomonas , Massilia , and Sphingomonas being the most prevalent genera. Compost tea application resulted in significant yield increases, ranging from +21% for lettuce to +58% for onion and +110% for chard. Furthermore, compost tea application reduced slug damage and enhanced the shelf life of lettuce. These findings highlight the bio-stimulant potential of this standardized compost tea mixture across different vegetable crops.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Compost tea increased lettuce yield by 21%.
- Taxon
- lettuce
Lactuca sativae0 - Treatment
- Compost tea applicatione0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- +21%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compost tea application resulted in significant yield increases, ranging from +21% for lettuce to +58% for onion and +110% for chard”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost tea increased onion yield by 58%.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae0 - Treatment
- Compost tea applicatione0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- +58%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compost tea application resulted in significant yield increases, ranging from +21% for lettuce to +58% for onion and +110% for chard”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost tea increased chard yield by 110%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Compost tea application resulted in significant yield increases, ranging from +21% for lettuce to +58% for onion and +110% for chard”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost tea reduced slug damage.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae1
- Treatment
- compost tea applicatione1
- Interactor
- sluge1pest
- Outcome
- slug damagee1
- Direction
- reducede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“compost tea application reduced slug damage and enhanced the shelf life of lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost tea enhanced the shelf life of lettuce.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae1
- Treatment
- compost tea applicatione1
- Outcome
- shelf lifee1
- Direction
- enhancede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“compost tea application reduced slug damage and enhanced the shelf life of lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
The compost tea microbiome was dominated by Pseudomonadota, with Pseudomonas, Massilia and Sphingomonas the most prevalent genera.
- Outcome
- compost tea microbiomee2
- Qualifier
- Pseudomonadota , with Pseudomonas , Massilia , and Sphingomonas being the most prevalent generae2
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e2“The compost tea microbiome was dominated by Pseudomonadota , with Pseudomonas , Massilia , and Sphingomonas being the most prevalent genera”
Claim · model-written summary
The feedstock is predominantly composed of plant-derived tissues.
- Material
- grass straw, nitrogen-fixing hay, and animal manuree3
- Outcome
- feedstock is predominantly composed of plant-derived tissuese3
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e3“the feedstock is predominantly composed of plant-derived tissues, including grass straw, nitrogen-fixing hay, and animal manure”
Claim · model-written summary
The compost tea feedstock contains an aliphatic fraction characteristic of lipids such as waxes and cutins.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e4“Additionally, the chemical profile indicated the presence of an aliphatic fraction (alkyl-C), characteristic of lipids such as waxes and cutins”
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