• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.71-81
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• 2009

Food waste has been actively used as a composting material in order to reduce the environmental pollution load and to enhance the recycling of resources. In this study, the longterm effects of continuous application of food waste compost to soils on both the crop production and the soil properties were examined to ensure the safety of food waste compost in agricultural use. In addition, we collected the preliminary data for establishing standard application rate of food waste compost for agricultural utilization. Based on conventional nitrogen application rate of chemical fertilizer for crop cultivation, pig manure compost $(24g\;N\;kg^{-1}$, $8g\;P_2O_5\;kg^{-1}$, and $10.4g\;K_2O\;kg^{-1})$ and food waste compost ($20g\;N\;kg^{-1}$, $20.1g\;P_2O_5\;kg^{-1}$, and $6.5g\;K_2O\;kg^{-1}$) were applied to the upland soil in $2{\times}2{\times}2m$ lysimeter in which lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa), Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris subsp. napus var. pekinensis), red pepper (Capsicum annuum), and potato (Solanum tuberosum) were grown continuously. The crops grown in soils to which food waste compost applied showed better growth responses than the control, whereas some variations were observed in the crops grown in chemical fertilizer treated soils. Continuous application of food waste compost increased the contents of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which resulted in improving soil aeration.