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COMPOSTED POSIDONIA, CHICKEN MANURE AND OLIVE MILL RESIDUES, AN ALTERNATIVE TO PEAT AS SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWING MEDIA IN TUNISIAN NURSERY

RAOUDHA KHANFIR BEN JENANA^1*, MOHAMED ALI TRIKI², RABIAA HAOUALA¹, CHERIF HANACHI³, MOHAMED BEN KHEDHER⁴ AND BELGACEM HENCHI⁵

Abstract: In order to reduce the peat use in Tunisian nurseries, new types of composts were tested for seed germination and seedling growth of tomato. These composts were made at three different combinations from Posidonia (Posidonia oceanica), chicken manure and solid fraction of olive mill residues. These wastes are abundant and therefore considered as a pollution source in Tunisia. Tomato seeds were sown in potting media containing mixtures of three composts (C₁, C₂ and C₃) and peat at increasing ratios (10%, 30% and 50% v/v). Control potting media consisted of using 100% peat. Percentage seed germination and the seedling length were studied weekly and during five weeks. At the end of the experiment, shoot and root dry matter weights were measured. Toxicity test of compost extracts was conducted on tomato and radish seeds. The results showed higher seed germination and seedling growth rates in the media containing the three composts compared to control. Toxicity test showed that compost extracts were not toxic. The tested composts might be used as an alternative to peat and the mixtures compost-peat as a growing media for tomato.

¹Higher Institute of  Biotechnology, Monastir-Tunisia,

²Olive Istitute, Sfax -Tuinisia,

³Higher Institute of Agronomy, Chott Mariem-Tunisia,

⁴Technical Center of Organic Agriculture, Chott Mariem-Tunisia,

⁵Faculty of Science, Tunis-Tunisia.

^*E-mail: bjnkh@yahoo.fr; Tel: +216 340 696; Fax: +216 73 244 624.