Resumen

ZAPATA, Nelson; GUERRERO, Francisca  y  POLO, Alfredo. Evaluation of Pine Bark and Urban Wastes as Components of Plant Growth Media. Agric. Téc. [online]. 2005, vol.65, n.4, pp.378-387. ISSN 0365-2807.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0365-28072005000400004.

Composted pine (Pinus pinea L.) bark, alone and mixed at 15 and 30% with compost of municipal solid wastes, compost of sewage sludge from urban waste water, and granulated dehydrated sewage sludge from urban waste water, were evaluated as plant growth media. To this end, chemical, physical, hydro-physical, phytotoxic properties, as well as pollution potential of their leachates were evaluated. Composted pine bark proved to have very restrictive physical and hydro-physical properties, in order to be used as plant growth media. With the addition of compost from municipal solid wastes, physical and hydro-physical properties were improved, nevertheless, when 30% was added, high phytotoxicity and potentially polluting leachates were considerable. The addition of compost from sewage sludge substantially improved physical and hydro-physical deficiencies, furthermore, no growth inhibitory effect was observed, and reduced levels of potential polluting leachates were detected. The addition of granulated sewage sludge worsened the physical and hydro-physical properties, increased phytotoxicity, and in addition its leachates were the most polluting. According to the evaluations conducted, the substrate formulated with compost of sewage sludge, at 15 and 30%, and compost of municipal solid wastes at 15% turned out to be most recommendabl

Palabras clave : municipal solid wastes; sewage sludge; growth media; leachates.