Winery distillery waste compost effect on the performance of melon crop under field conditions

The substantial generation of organic waste together with increasing interest in developing sustainable agriculture heralds an opportunity for mobilizing the recycling of these materials as a source of organic matter and nutrients into a viable management strategy option. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the use of compost derived from waste produced by the winery and distillery industries in a drip-irrigated melon crop traditionally grown in the area where these wastes are generated. A randomized complete block design was used with four treatments consisting of three different dose levels of compost: 7 (D1), 13 (D2) and 20 (D3) t ha−1 and a control (D0) without the application of compost. The effects of these treatments on plant growth, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) accumulation as well as fruit yield and quality were studied. The application of compost produced a slight increase in plant biomass accompanied by changes in the relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR). As a result, a significant improvement in fruit yield was observed in the plots amended with D2, which met all the requirements to obtain elevated yields. In terms of environmental correctness applications were below the limits established by a number of impact indexes. Additionally, the application of compost improved fruit quality resulting in an enhancement of Brix degrees. Although the potential effects of N and P derived from compost were partially masked by other inputs of these nutrients into the system (N in irrigation water, P supplied through fertigation), an effect of P was observed resulting in an increase in the number of individual fruits in the plots amended with compost.