Effects of Organic Materials on Growth,Yield, and Fruit Quality of Honeydew Melon

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and chicken manure compost (ChMC) on growth, yield, and fruit quality of honeydew melon and to determine the most suitable rate of SMS for honeydew melon production. Honeydew melon seedlings grown in four different rates of SMS were planted in the net house with two different organic material rates (M1, M2). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design. The results showed that increasing of organic materials in the net house increased growth, yield, and quality of honeydew melon, due to enhancing of pH, organic matter (OM,) and the nutrient concentrations in the soil. However, growing media with 40 % SMS + 60 % ChMC in the nursery period and the rate of 10 tons SMS + 10 tons ChMC ha^?1 in the net house period gave the best yield and fruit quality of honeydew melon.     

国内外堆肥标准分析及其对中国的借鉴启示

中国农业废弃物产量巨大,堆肥是农业废弃物资源化利用的主要方式之一,也是养分和有机质回收到土壤中的方法。结合国内外堆肥标准制定情况,通过分析对比无害化指标、有机质、总养分、重金属、含水率等指标,指出中国存在就农业废弃物处理缺乏专业化堆肥及有机肥标准推进委员会、对堆肥产品中氮磷钾和有机质含量的最低限值较高及未建立堆肥标准体系等问题。建议国家组建堆肥标准制定专家委员会或堆肥协会,进一步规范有机肥生产运行管理,进一步修订有机肥、生物有机肥、沼肥等标准,建立完善的堆肥标准体系。     

不同改良剂降低矿区土壤水溶态重金属的效果及其长效性

为了解施用不同种类改良剂对降低矿区土壤重金属移动性的长期效果,进行为期6年的模拟试验,用化学提取方法评价磷灰石、农用石灰、坡缕石、钙镁磷肥、沸石、猪粪和水稻秸秆7种常用改良剂对降低土壤重金属溶解性的影响。结果表明,农用石灰、钙镁磷肥、磷灰石、坡缕石和沸石对降低矿区土壤水溶态重金属均有良好的效果,但猪粪和水稻秸秆有机物改良剂的效果较差。降低土壤水溶态Cd的效果以钙镁磷肥为最佳(平均可降至29%),降低土壤水溶态Cu的效果以坡缕石为最佳(平均可降至65%),降低土壤水溶态Pb的效果以磷灰石、石灰和钙镁磷肥3种改良剂为佳(平均可降至27%左右);降低土壤水溶态Zn的效果以钙镁磷肥为最佳(平均可降至48%)。磷灰石和沸石对土壤重金属的稳定性有较长的作用效果,坡缕石、石灰和钙镁磷肥对土壤重金属稳定性随试验时间增加有明显的下降;有机物类改良剂对土壤重金属的稳定效果较差,且随有机物质的降解,其稳定效果显著下降。     

Schwermetallgehalte im Kultursubstrat und Erntegut des Champignons,Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Singer,beim Einsatz von Müllklärschlammkompost

Heavy metal contents in the culture substrate and in the mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, grown in composts mixed with municipal waste and sewage The addition of increasing quantities of municipal waste compost to conventional horse manure compost resulted in a proportional increase in the heavy metal content of the mixture. The increases ranged between 250% (zinc) and 900% (mercury). Ninety-four to ninety-nine percent of the heavy metals in municipal waste compost are bound in compounds from which they can not be extracted using CaCl₂ solution. The amounts extractable from horse manure compost with CaCl2₂ solution are from 1.5 (zinc)- to 33 (mercury)-times higher. The influences of the increasing quantities of heavy metals in municipal waste — horse manure composts are demonstrable in the content of these metals in harvested mushroom. This, in turn, corresponds to the availability of the metals. The relative enrichment is greatest with mercury, and least with cadmium. The quantities found in mushrooms, with the exception of mercury, fall within the normal range detected in vegetable crops.     

Integrated Management of Phosphorus,Organic Sources,and Beneficial Microbes Improve Dry Matter Partitioning of Maize

ABSTRACT

Phosphorus (P) unavailability and lack of organic matter in the soils under semiarid climates are the two major constraints that negatively influence dry matter partitioning and yield in maize. Three field experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of phosphorus, organic sources and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on dry matter partitioning (DMP) of maize during summer 2014 and 2015. The experiments were carried out at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar. The results revealed that application of P at the rate of 75–100 kg P ha^?1 for open pollinated variety and 120 kg P ha^?1 for hybrid maize was more beneficial in terms of higher DMP and accumulation. Application of compost at sowing time along with poultry manure (5 tons ha^?1), 2 weeks before sowing of maize increased DMP significantly. The results further suggested that incorporation of legume (faba bean) residues (10 tons ha^?1) 1 month before sowing significantly increased DMP in maize as compared to the incorporation of garlic and paper mulberry residues. The results confirmed that seed inoculation with PSB increases the availability of calcium bound-phosphorus under calcareous soils in semiarid climates hence increased DMP and accumulation, and total maize biomass.     

Proposed Indices for Assessing Soil Pollution Under the Application of Sludge

The assessment of soil pollution with heavy metals has been studied, based on experimental soil and plant analytical heavy metal data obtained by a pot experiment conducted during 2010?C2011 in a green house. A completely randomized block design was used, including the following sludge treatments (in tons per hectare): 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and (30+treated wastewater) in four replications. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) var. longifolia was used as a test plant. Three indices were proposed, i.e., (1) elemental pollution index, (2) heavy metal load, and (3) total concentration factor. They were found to be linearly and statistically significantly related to the pollution load index, which was used as a reference index, and curvilinearly related to lettuce dry matter yield. It was concluded that the above indices could be used for the assessment of soil pollution level.     

Carbon Footprint of a University Compost Facility: Case Study of Cornell Farm Services

Cornell University Farm Services collects recyclable organics from various locations around the University including the dining halls and other food service establishments, the veterinary hospital, satellite dairy cattle, horse and chicken farms, cropping operations, and greenhouses. In 2013, they diverted approximately 6714 metric tons of organic residuals to the compost facility. A questionnaire was developed to get information from the facility in order to calculate greenhouse gas emissions for each step in this process including savings from carbon sequestration through compost use. It was found that in 2013, Cornell's compost facility emitted 104.6 metric tons carbon equivalent (MTCE) and saved 201.4 MTCE through compost use for a total carbon footprint savings of 96.7 MTCE/year (carbon negative). This equates to 0.0154 MTCE/tonne feedstock emitted and 0.03 MTCE saved through compost use for a total carbon footprint savings of 0.0146 MTCE/tonne fresh matter. These values are specific to this facility, but the questionnaire and calculations can be used by compost facilities to calculate the carbon footprint of composting.     

Regional Inventory of Organic Industrial Wastes: Case Study in New Brunswick,Canada

? This study was undertaken to investigate the possibility of composting organic industrial wastes which are currently being generated in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Four types of this waste stream were identified: Fish wastes; Agricultural wastes; Pulp and paper and sawmill wastes; and Food processing wastes. Other objectives of this study were to establish valid cost estimates of selected solid waste composting approaches and to address the potential of a value-added compost product.

In the past 20 years, fish landings in the province averaged approximately 136,000 metric tons annually. Processing in fish transformation plants leads to fresh and pickled fish wastes that must be either discarded by dumping or processed into usable byproducts.

Animal manure is the principal waste currently being generated by the agricultural industry with 1,333,000 metric tons of manure produced in 1986. There are also approximately 90,000 metric tons of potato culls produced by the potato industry per year. Most of these agricultural wastes are presently being used or applied on land.

The forest industry is the biggest in New Brunswick and as such produces the largest amount of industrial wastes. Wood residues are generated in two sectors of the forest industry: Logging and Wood Processing organizations.

The food processing industry is a diversified enterprise processing items such as fruit products, vegetable products and meat products. Potato processing companies produce one of the most significant vegetable wastes of the province, with about 50,000 metric tons of wastes annually.     

Bioavailability of zinc and lead from a contaminated soil amended with pine bark-goat manure compost

The distribution in soil and plant uptake of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) as influenced by pine bark-goat manure (PBG) compost additions were investigated from the soils artificially contaminated with Zn or Pb ions using maize (Zea mays L.) as a test crop. Soils were amended with four rates of pine bark-goat manure compost (0, 50, 100, and 200 tons ha^?1) and four rates (0, 300, 600 and 1200 mg kg^?1) of Zn or Pb. Maize was planted and grown for 42 days. At harvest, plants samples were analyzed for Zn and Pb concentration. Soils samples were analyzed for pH, extractable and diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable Zn and Pb. Extractable Zn and Pb was lower in PBG compost amended soils than in unamended soils and steadily declined with increasing amount of compost applied. The extractable fraction for Zn dropped by 62.2, 65.0 and 44.6% for 300, 600 and 1200 mg Zn kg^?1, respectively when 200 t ha^?1 of PBG compost was applied. Metal uptake by maize plants were directly related to the rate of applied heavy metal ions with greater concentrations of metals ions found where metal ions were added to non-amended soils.     

Behavior of heavy metals from sewage sludge in a Chernozem of the dry belt in Saxony‐Anhalt/Germany

In a small‐plot trial different doses of sewage sludge (equivalent 82‐330 tons of dry matter per hectare) were incorporated in 0—25 cm depth (1982—1985). The aim of the investigations was to study the fate of the heavy metals Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr, to determine their concentration in different soil fractions using a sequential extraction method and to ascertain their uptake by Zea mays L. plants. Eleven years after the last application the metals supplied with the sludge had moved as far as 50 cm in depth. The concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Cr in the saturation extract of the sampled soil layers were closely correlated with the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). This result suggests that the heavy metal displacement was partly connected with the DOC movement in the soil. Considerable amounts of Zn and Cd coming from sewage sludge were found in the mobile fractions of the soil. Cu, Ni, and Pb were located especially in organic particles, and Cr was obviously bound by Fe‐oxides. Nine years after the last application the binding species of heavy metals were still different compared with those in the untreated soil. The whole withdrawal of heavy metals by plants yielded <1 % of the applied amounts. In the case of Zn the uptake from the sludge amended soil decreased during the experimental period. No similar tendency was observed for the other elements. In any case their annual variations of uptake exceeded the effect of sludge application.     

香茅在砖红壤上的肥料试验

香茅(Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt)是禾本科香茅属多年生草本香料作物,其叶片中的挥发油是化工、医药、食品工业的原料,每年可刈取数次叶片作为蒸油的材料。香茅是一种吸肥力强的作物,据刚果Neybergh A.G.引用季得密斯特的计算结果^[1],每生产50吨香茅鮮叶要消耗60公斤氮,45公斤磷酸,325公斤钾和60公斤生石灰。     

Effects of phosphorus-based application of animal manure compost on the yield of silage corn and on soil phosphorus accumulation in an upland Andosol in Japan

Animal manure contains significant amounts of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) that can be utilized as fertilizer. However, manure application rates are generally set to meet crop N demand, which results in excess P application which increases the risk of P loss into bodies of water. We examined the application method of manure compost based on crop P demand on the dry matter yield of silage corn (Zea mays L. var. indentata), on nutrient uptake and on soil P accumulation in an upland Andosol with a high P-fixing capacity. Cattle and poultry manure composts (CMC and PMC) with different P solubility were applied to meet the crop’s N requirements (N-based application) or P requirements (P-based application) in 3 consecutive years. Supplemental N was applied using polyolefin-coated urea in the P-based treatments. The dry matter yields and nutrient uptakes of silage corn in the P-based CMC and PMC application systems were similar to those in the corresponding N-based systems. The average relative efficiency of N in CMC (33%) was close to the predicted value (30%) during the study. On the other hand, the relative efficiency of N in PMC (42%) was higher than the predicted value (28%). The average relative efficiency of P from CMC and PMC was 109% and 50%, respectively. These were higher than the predicted values based on the available P proportion (the sum of water- and sodium bicarbonate-soluble P) for CMC (78%) and PMC (34%), indicating that the available P fraction in the manure composts was more effective than that in P fertilizer for corn growth or that the other P fractions were also effective for corn. P-based manure compost application lowered the soil P accumulation to between 41 and 43% of the value in the N-based accumulation (versus a value of between 31 and 40% of that value for soil Truog-P). Compared to N-based manure compost application, P-based manure compost application with supplemental N fertilizer produced similar dry matter yields of corn and suppressed soil P accumulation in the upland Andosol field.     

生物炭提高花生干物质与养分利用的优势研究

【目的】 以秸秆为原料生产生物炭可用于改良土壤和提高养分利用率,其与秸秆直接还田以及传统的制作堆肥后还田相比是否具有优势需要用试验来验证,本研究可为生物炭的高效利用提供理论依据。 【方法】 以传统猪厩肥和秸秆直接还田为对照,连续进行了8年的花生田间微区 (2 m2) 试验。在氮磷钾总投入量相等的条件下,共设4个处理,分别为秸秆还田 (CS)、猪厩肥 (PMC)、生物炭 (BIO) 和基于生物炭的炭基花生专用肥 (BF),每个处理重复3次,随机区组排列。试验于2016年在花生苗期、开花下针期、结荚期和饱果成熟期进行采样,测定植株茎叶、根和荚果的干物质和氮磷钾养分积累量,并计算对应的分配情况,探讨其对花生产量的影响。 【结果】 生物炭处理的花生产量显著高于其它处理,达到7231.7 kg/hm2;生物炭复合肥和猪厩肥处理则相对较低,分别是生物炭处理的82.4%和83.8%,秸秆处理产量最低,为5623.9 kg/hm2。猪厩肥处理的出仁率显著高于其它处理。生育前期各处理的干物质和养分主要在茎叶中积累,从结荚期开始逐渐向荚果中转移。与对照处理相比,复合肥处理的干物质和氮磷钾养分整株积累量在各时期均较高,尤其在结荚期以前保持了良好的荚果干物质和养分分配系数;生物炭处理则至饱果成熟期时呈现出明显优势,干物质积累量达到6295.0 kg/hm2,分别高出专用肥、秸秆和猪厩肥处理43.1%、36.1%和50.8%,茎叶分配比例高达34.5%,氮、磷、钾积累量持续增长至236.4 kg/hm2、 21.7 kg/hm2、77.8 kg/hm2,显著高于其它处理,但此时期荚果的氮、钾分配系数仅有0.83和0.52,低于对照处理(CS、PMC处理) 0.02～0.03和0.15～0.21。 【结论】 在氮磷钾养分投入量相等、不考虑有机碳投入量的前提下,施用生物炭、炭基复合肥和猪厩肥效果均显著好于秸秆直接还田;生物炭可显著提高花生整株的干物质量和氮磷钾积累量,特别是提高生育后期的干物质和养分分配量,促进产量的提高,对花生高产增效有良好的促进作用;炭基复合肥在花生进入结荚期后,对花生干物质及养分积累分配的促进作用减弱,效果与施用猪厩肥相当。因此,在本试验条件下,生物炭直接施用具有维持其养分长期稳定释放,提高花生产量和肥料养分利用率的作用。      

长期化肥配施不同有机肥对土壤和玉米中重金属累积的影响

  【目的】  明确长期化肥配施有机肥对重金属元素在土壤和农作物籽粒、秸秆中积累的影响及其环境效应,为安全高效施肥提供科学依据。  【方法】  在北京市农林科学院新型肥料长期定位试验站进行了为期10年的田间试验,其种植模式为冬小麦–夏玉米轮作,试验处理为不施肥 (CK)、单施化肥 (NPK)、氮磷钾 + 鸡粪堆肥的有机肥料 (NPKJF)、氮磷钾 + 污泥堆肥的有机肥料 (NPKWN)、氮磷钾 + 垃圾堆肥的有机肥料 (NPKLJ) 和氮磷钾 + 秸秆粉碎还田 (NPKJG) 共6个处理,施肥处理依据等氮量施肥原则,每季作物施 N 180 kg/hm2、P₂O₅ 90.0 kg/hm2、K₂O 90.0 kg/hm2。在玉米收获后测定了玉米秸秆、籽粒和0—20 cm耕层土壤中重金属全量。  【结果】  添加污泥处理显著提高了土壤中Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Zn的含量,单因子污染指数分别比对照提高了45.10%、150.00%、104.00%、44.60%、65.80%。不同施肥处理对土壤中全量Cd、Cr、Hg、Cu、Zn存在一定的富集效果。各处理重金属单项污染指数在0.02～0.46,远小于1,综合污染指数为0.23～0.36,均小于0.7,试验区土壤重金属均为无污染等级。施用有机废弃物堆肥的处理玉米籽粒Cd、Cu、Zn含量比对照显著增加,各处理间Hg、As、Cr、Pb、Ni含量差异不显著,连续10年定位施肥后试验站土壤以及玉米籽粒中重金属含量均未超标。同一作物不同部位对重金属的富集能力不同,玉米秸秆对重金属的富集能力大于籽粒。玉米籽粒中Pb、Cu、Zn含量与土壤Pb、Cu、Zn含量存在正相关性,玉米秸秆中Cd、Hg、Cr、Ni含量与土壤中Cd、Hg、Cr、Ni含量呈正相关或者显著负相关。  【结论】  在施氮总量不变的前提下,连续施用供试有机堆肥10年后,土壤重金属含量均未超标,土壤重金属单项污染指数在0.02～0.46,综合污染指数为0.23～0.36,无污染风险。只有污泥堆肥需要加强土壤Cd的监测。玉米秸秆对重金属的富集能力大于籽粒。玉米籽粒中Pb、Cu、Zn含量与土壤相应重金属含量存在正相关性,秸秆中Cd、Pb、Hg、Zn与Cr、Ni含量与土壤中相应重金属含量呈正相关,而秸秆中Cr、Ni含量与土壤中相应重金属含量呈负相关。     

Heavy metal levels in apple orchards after the application of two composts

Abstract

Two composts were tested in eleven different Malus domestica orchards: one was a sewage sludge and bark compost with a low heavy metal content, the other was a municipal solid waste compost with a higher concentration of metals. For six years the zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) content were monitored in the soil, both in ‘total’ and EDTA extractable form, and in leaves and fruits. The resulting data demonstrate clearly that the sewage sludge and bark compost did not cause any significant increase of heavy metal levels in soil and plants; this compost can thus be used to fertilize the soil with no danger either to the environment or to crops. In contrast, the municipal solid waste compost led to a notable accumulation of all the metals examined in the soil and, above all in the case of Pb and Cd, also in the vegetation and the fruits.     

施肥与土壤健康质量论施肥对环境的影响（3）

就施肥与土壤健康质量而言,有机肥的问题比无机肥的更严重。无机的N肥、K肥是化学晶体,比较洁净,导致污染的可能性不大。国产P矿为原料的P肥和钙镁磷肥的Cd含量也较低,但进口的磷矿粉以进口P矿为原料的P肥的Cd含量较高,是无机肥料对人畜健康的主要危险。有机肥有病原微生物,有机毒物及重金属污染的问题。从生态安全和充分利用自然资源看,有机堆肥、污泥堆肥是必须开发利用的。因其使用量特别大,所含污染物的危险性也就较大。制定相应的法规和有机肥产品的质量标准进行监督和控制是紧要的任务。建议其产品主要应用在林木、草坪、花草及木本经济作物上,蔬菜和一年生的粮食作物上应慎用。     

Compost Effects on Soil Physical Properties And Field Nursery Production

Field production of ornamental shrubs often results in significant topsoil removal and degradation of surface soil physical properties. Building soil organic matter through compost amendments is one way to ameliorate effects from topsoil removal in woody ornamentals production. We amended field soils with three composts to evaluate their effects on soil physical properties and shrub biomass production. Specifically, we applied either duck manure-sawdust (DM), potato cull-sawdust-dairy manure (PC) or paper mill sludge-bark (PMB) composts to a Plano silt loam soil using two application methods: 2.5 cm of compost incorporated into the top 15 cm of soil (incorporated-only) or 2.5 cm of compost incorporated plus 2.5 cm of compost applied over the soil surface (mulched). We grew three shrub species from liners: Spirea japonicum ‘Gumball’, Juniper chinensis ‘Pfitzeriana’, and Berberis thunbergia ‘Atropurpurea’. Shrub species and soil amendment treatments were established in triplicate in a randomized split plot design. Total soil carbon (TC), bulk density (ρb), aggregate stability, soil moisture retention capacity (MRC), volumetric moisture content (θ_v), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) were measured over three years (1998 to 2000). We measured above and below ground shrub dry matter production at the end of the first (1998) and second (1999) growing seasons. Mulched treatments resulted in 15%-21% higher TC than the incorporated-only and no-amendment control treatments. Bulk density decreased with increasing TC contents. Greater aggregate stability and the formation of larger aggregates were related to increased TC. Field moisture retention capacity tended to be higher in the incorporated treatments compared to the mulched and nonamended control treatments. Compost amended treatments increased saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) sevenfold over the nonamended control. There were no compost effects on shrub biomass until the second year of growth. Barberry was the only species to respond significantly and positively to compost application. Specifically, mulched DM compost produced 39-42% greater total Barberry biomass than the other compost treatments and the nonamended control. Our findings showed that compost effects on soil physical properties differed among composts and their subsequent effects on shrub growth were species specific.     

Row Distance and Tree Heights in Apple Trees

Abstract

The apple cultivars ‘Discovery’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Mutsu’ were planted in 1980 at row distances of 3 and 4.5 m. Tree heights of 1.5, 2 and 2.5 m were established at 3 m row distance, and 2.25, 2.75 and 3.25 m at 4.5 m row distance. The tree heights were effective from 1985–86; yield and fruit development were followed during 1982–90. Yield per tree, tree size and fruitfulness were larger at the wider row distance, especially for ‘Mutsu’. Thus, in ‘Mutsu’, yield per hectare at 4.5 m equalled that at 3 m, contrary to ‘Discovery’ and ‘Jonagold’, where yield per hectare was higher at 3 m. Also, dry matter contents and colour development (‘Jonagold’) were improved by 4.5 m row distance in several cases. Reduced tree heights decreased yields and colour development (‘Jonagold’), but with minor reductions at tree heights of 2.0–2.5 m during the first 7–8 years. A tree height of 1.5 m, at 3 m row distance, responded negatively, especially for ‘Discovery’ and ‘Jonagold’.     

Evaluation of Compost for Use as a Soil Amendment in Corn and Soybean Production

The purpose of this research project was to 1) evaluate rate of compost application and 2) to compare compost with uncomposted raw material and inorganic fertilizer N application upon maize and soybean growth and productivity, and upon soil characteristics. During the first three years of the study, the source of uncomposted material and compost was food waste and ground newsprint. During years 4 to 9 of the study, the source of uncomposted material and compost was dairy cow manure and wood chips. Application rates in field site 1 were 0, 11.2, 22.4, 33.6 and 44.8 Mg ha^?1 compost, 44.8 Mg ha^?1 uncomposted material and 140 kg ha^?1 fertilizer N (as urea). Application rates in field site 2 were 0, 22.4, 44.8, 67.2 and 134.4 Mg ha^?1 compost, 134.4 Mg ha^?1 uncomposted manure and 180 kg ha^?1 fertilizer N (dry matter basis). The high rates of compost application significantly raised organic matter levels, and available P and K compared to inorganic fertilizer N. Uncomposted manure and increasing compost application rates significantly increased grain yield, number of kernels per plant and plant weight. Composting significantly reduced pathogen indicator bacteria concentrations. The data of this study suggest that on these high organic matter soils 22.4 Mg ha^?1 to 44.8 Mg ha^?1 are optimal compost application rates.     

Effects of irrigation volumes and organic fertilizers on eggplant grown in Mediterranean environment

A three-year field experiment was carried out in Mediterranean conditions to study the effects of different irrigations and organic fertilizers on yield, quality and nitrogen utilization of eggplant crop and on soil properties. In a split-plot design, two irrigation treatments (re-establishing 100% and 50% of the calculated maximum evapotranspiration) and four fertilizer treatments (mineral fertilizer, commercial stable manure, anaerobic digestate and municipal solid waste compost) were compared. The highest water volume increased significantly the total and marketable yield, the number of marketable fruits, the dry matter of fruits and the nitrogen-use efficiency with respect to the treatment with the lowest irrigation. Nevertheless, the same treatment decreased significantly the fruit dry matter percentage and total soluble solid content. The lowest water volume led to an improvement of fruit quality. Anaerobic digestate increased significantly the total and marketable yield and dry matter compared with compost. Harvest index, nitrogen harvest index, pH, acidity and total soluble solids did not show significant differences among all fertilizer treatments. N translocation ability of plants and fruit quality were not influenced by the type of fertilizer. At the end of experiment, anaerobic digestate and compost reached the highest levels of soil total organic carbon and humic and fulvic acids content. Besides, anaerobic digestate increased the total extractable carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen content compared to all other treatments. Soil copper, nickel and lead content in all treatments enhanced compared to that at the beginning of experiment, but this accumulation did not represent a possible environmental risk. The content of heavy metals in the soil, after 3 years of application, did not exceed the limits imposed by the Italian law. This study showed that the organic wastes, after being adequately processed, could be applied successfully in agriculture especially in arid environments, characterized by quick mineralization and very low organic matter content.