Perspective

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 71

Compost(’s)ability

Fred Michel, Jr.

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An Assessment of the Suitability of Backyard Produced Compost as a Potting Soil

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 74-84

P.D. Alexander

Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom

e-mail: paulalexander@rhs.org.uk

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The Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Compost And Compost Tea on Mineral Element Uptake And Fruit Quality of Strawberries

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 85-94

J.C. Hargreaves(1), M.S. Adl(1) and P.R. Warman(2,3)

(1) Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
(2) Coastal BioAgresearch Ltd., Boutiliers Point, Nova Scotia, Canada
(3) Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

e-mail: j.hargreaves@dal.ca

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Topdressing Kentucky Bluegrass with Compost Increases Soil Water Content and Improves Turf Quality During Drought

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 95-102

G.A. Johnson(1), Y.L. Qian(2) and J.G. Davis(3)

(1) Former graduate student, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
(2) Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
(3) Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

e-mail: Yaling.Qian@colostate.edu

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The Effect of Amendment of Vegetable Waste Compost Used as Substrate in Soilless Culture on Yield and Quality of Melon Crops

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 103-107

Pilar Mazuela(1) and Miguel Urrestarazu(2)

(1) Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
(2) Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universidad de Almería, Spain

e-mail: pmazuela@uta.cl

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Effects of Different Composts on Soil Nitrogen Balance and Dynamics in a Biennial Crop Succession

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 108-116

M. Passoni and M. Borin

Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Produzioni Vegetali, Legnaro, Italy

e-mail: matteo.passoni@unipd.it

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Compost, Manure and Synthetic Fertilizer Influences Crop Yields, Soil Properties, Nitrate Leaching and Crop Nutrient Content

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 117-126

Paul Hepperly, Don Lotter, Christine Ziegler Ulsh, Rita Seidel and Carolyn Reider
The Rodale Institute®, Kutztown, Pennsylvania

e-mail: paul.hepperly@rodaleinst.org

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The Influence of Aeration System, Temperature and Compost Origin on the Phytotoxicity of Compost Tea

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 2, 127-139

T. Carballo, M.V. Gil, L. F. Calvo and A. Morán

Natural Resource Institute, León, Spain

e-mail: t.carballo@unileon.es

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Potential Pollutants from Farm, Food and Yard Waste Composts at Differing Ages: Leaching Potential of Nutrients Under Column Experiments. Part II

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 6-17

R.B. Confesor, Jr.(1)*, J.M. Hamlett(2), R.D. Shannon(2) and R.E. Graves(2)

(1) National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, Ohio

(2) Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering,

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania

*e-mail contact: rconfeso@heidelberg.edu

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Dairy Manure Compost Quality Effects On Corn Silage and Soil Properties

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 18-24

Twain J. Butler(1), David C. Weindorf(2)*, Kun J. Han(3) and James P. Muir(4)

(1) The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma

(2) School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Science, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

(3) Louisiana State University AgCenter, Franklinton, Louisiana

(4) Texas AgriLife Research, Stephenville, Texas

*e-mail contact: DWeindorf@agcenter.lsu.edu

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Cumulative Sediment, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Losses From Bare and Compost-Amended Fill Slopes

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 25-30

M.J. Curtis, D.E. Rider, A. Fristensky and V.P. Claassen*

Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Davis, California

*e-mail contact: vpclaassen@ucdavis.edu

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Replacement of a Peat-Lite Medium with Municipal Solid Waste Compost for Growing Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Transplant Seedlings

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 31-39

F. Herrera(1), J.E. Castillo(1), R.J. López-Bellido(2) and L. López Bellido(1)*

(1) Departamento de Ciencias y Recursos Agrícolas y Forestales, University of Córdoba,
Campus de Rabanales, Córdoba, Spain

(2) Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, University of Huelva, Spain

*e-mail: cr1lobel@uco.es

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Effect of Maturation of Grease Trap Compost On Plant Growth

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 40-47

Kevin Wilkinson(1)*, David Beardsell(1), Graham Hepworth(2), Emily Tee(1), Vanessa Hood(1) and Craig Hudson(3)

(1) Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia

(2) The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

(3) CR Hudson and Associates, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia

*e-mail contact: Kevin.Wilkinson@dpi.vic.gov.au

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Emission of N2O from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Contaminated Soil at Different Water Contents Added with Vermicompost

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 48-54

Dioselina Álvarez-Bernal(1), Silvia M. Contreras-Ramos(1), Joaquín A. Montes-Molina(1), Oswald Van Cleemput(2) and Luc Dendooven(1)*

(1) Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Department Biotechnology and Bioengineering, México

(2) Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory of Applied Physical Chemistry-ISOFYS, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

*e-mail: dendoove@cinvestav.mx

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Bioremediation with Compost of a Diesel Contaminated Soil: Monitoring by Dehydrogenase Activity and Basal Respiration

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 55-60

A. Saviozzi*, R. Cardelli and M. Cozzolino

Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Italy

*e-mail contact: asaviozzi@agr.unipi.it

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Vermicomposting of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch And its Potential in Supplying of Nutrients For Crop Growth

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 61-67

D.T. Sabrina(1), M. M. Hanafi(2)*, T.M.M. Mahmud(2) and A.A. Nor Azwady(3)

(1) Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

(2) Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

(3) Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

*e-mail contact: mmhanafi@agri.upm.edu.my

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Current Research Projects

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 4

Materials and Methods

Nitrogen and Sulphur Transformations in Composts Containing Chicken Feathers
Investigators: Justyna Bohacz, Teresa Korniowicz-Kowalska
Chair of Agricultural Microbiology, Laboratory of Mycology, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
Objectives: Estimation of nitrogen and sulphur transformations, with special emphasis on forms available to plants, in composts containing keratin wastes (chicken feathers). Chicken feathers

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Perspective

Compost Science & Utilization, (2009), Vol. 17, No. 1, 3

No Shortage of Research Needs

RECENTLY, we received a call from a solid waste district in Vermont inquiring about any current composting-related research on benzo(a)pyrene, which was found in the district’s yard trimmings compost at 192 parts/billion. Benzo(a)pyrene is one of a family of compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Officials suspect the source of the PAHs is from leaves raked up by

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