Maryam Haghighi - Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Mohammad Reza Barzegar - Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Jaime A.Teixeira da Silva - Miki-cho post office, Ikenobe ۳۰۱۱-۲, P. O. Box ۷, Kagawa-ken ۷۶۱-۰۷۹۹, Japan

Purpose An experiment was conducted to assess theability of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), peat,perlite and vermicompost (VC) to improve the growth oftomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), an important horticulturalcommodity, in hydroponic culture.Methods Organic matter, when used as a substrate, canaffect tomato cultivar ‘Grandella’ plant growth. In thisstudy, we studied the effect of MSWC, either compostedby earthworms (VC), or in an uncomposted form, as wellas conventional substrates peat and perlite, on tomatogrowth when incorporated into hydroponic culture. Growthand physiological attributes were assessed at the fruitingstage.Results Among several ratios of MSWC, peat, perlite andVC, VC with 25 % compost increased the number of redfruits in the harvest period significantly more than thecontrol. The use of VC, peat and perlite increased rootfresh and dry weight, root volume, mean photosynthesis,and the number of fruits at all physiological stages comparedto the control.Conclusion Vermicompost can improve tomato growthphysiology when used as one part of the substrate inhydroponic culture.

Municipal solid waste compost Organic substrates Peat Perlite Vermicompost