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Sustainable nutrients: Vermicompost, a tool to additivate aquaponic systems

Inês M. Franco1, Emanuel Faustino1, Alexandra Mota1 and Raul J. Bernardino1, 2*
  • 1 Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (IPLeiria), Portugal
  • 2 Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Portugal

One of the primary goals of aquaponics is to promote sustainable and renewable farming practices. Aquaponic systems need nutrient rich water in order to promote vegetable growth. In this work, vermicompost will be evaluated as an alternative to commercial scale nutrient solutions. Vermicompost, and its liquid effluent, Vermicompost tea, are the product of a composting procedure that utilizes worms (Eisenia fetida) to produce a natural fertilizer. Vermicomposting has shown to improve plant and root growth and overall culture productivity (Pant et al. ,2009). In contrast with regular composting, vermicomposting is a result of an accelerated bio oxidation of organic matter through the use of high densities of worm populations, without a thermophilic stage, giving it a thin structure and a wider area, providing a strong absorption and nutrient retention (Zaller, 2007). The main goal of this project consists on evaluating the growth of different plants using different quantities of vermicompost added to small-scale aquaponics system, in order to obtain adequate concentrations. This assay will simulate a decoupled aquaponics system (Goddek et al., 2016). Three replicates were used for each concentration with three specimens of each plant. The species used were basil (Ocimum basilicum), Chard (Beta vulgaris) and Chives (Allium schoenoprasum). After 30 days the plants were measured (leafs and roots) and weighted. The dry content weight and humidity levels of 10 randomly selected specimens were checked on the beginning and ending of the assay, in order to assess the gains in humidity and mass. The water quality was analyzed throughout the course of the experiment, to understand and characterize nutrient absorption by the plants. This work will give insight to understand the growth rates of each plant species with the presence of different concentrations of vermicompost added to the natural aquaponics system. Some information about the effluent filtration capacity of each species will also be available.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the research project "HOMEGREENS: Household Aquaponics - Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)" POCI-01-0145-FEDER-023397, (AAC N.º 02/SAICT/2016) cofounded by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program under the "COMPETE 2020" Program. Also this study had the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE.

References

Fox K., Tamaru B. K., Radovich T., Klinger-bowen R., Mcgovern-hopkins. 2012. Beneficial Use of Vermicompost in Aquaponic Vegetable Production. The Food Provider: 1-5.
Goddek, S., Espinal, C. A., Delaide, B., Jijakli, M. H., Schmautz, Z., Wuertz, S., & Keesman, K. J. (2016). Navigating towards decoupled aquaponic systems: A system dynamics design approach. Water (8, 303).
Pant, A.P., Radovich T.J.K., Hue N.V., Talcott S.T., Krenek K.A. 2009. Vermicompost extracts influ- ence growth, mineral nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidant activity in pak-choi (Brassica rapa cv. Bonsai, Chinensis group) grown under vermicom- post and chemical fertiliser. J. Sci Food Agriculture (89): 2383-2392.
Zaller J. 2007. Vermicompost as a substitute for peat in potting media: Effects on germination, biomass allocation, yields and fruit quality of three tomato varieties. Scientia Horticulturae (112): 191-199.

Keywords: vermicompost, Decoupled aquaponics, Ocimum basilicum, Beta vulgaris var. cicla, Allium schoenoprasum, Plant Growth, water quality.

Conference: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018, Peniche, Portugal, 5 Jul - 6 Jul, 2018.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Aquaculture

Citation: Franco IM, Faustino E, Mota A and Bernardino RJ (2019). Sustainable nutrients: Vermicompost, a tool to additivate aquaponic systems. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2018.06.00076

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Received: 30 May 2018; Published Online: 07 Jan 2019.

* Correspondence: PhD. Raul J Bernardino, Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (IPLeiria), Peniche, 2520-641, Portugal, raul.bernardino@ipleiria.pt