Agricultural wastes incorporated to commercial substrates in the production of cabbage

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the increase of concentrations of
the coffee processing residue (moinha) on alternative substrates composed of coconut fiber,
eggshell and commercial substrate, in the growth variables of cabbage seedlings. The experiment
was carried out in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and ten replicates,
with the following treatments: T0: commercial substrate (control); T1: 10% by-product of
coffee processing (moinha) (MO) + 15% coconut fiber (CF) + 5% eggshell (ES) + 70% commercial
substrate (CS); T2: 20% MO + 15% CF + 5% ES + 60% CS; T3: 30% MO + 15% CF +
5% ES + 50% CS; T4: 40% MO + 15% CF + 5% ES + 40% CS. The variables evaluated were:
electric conductivity of the substrate, number of leaves, height of plants and total dry mass of
plant. The highest values of the analyzed variables were those in which 40% of the wood was
used + 15% coconut fiber + 5% egg shell + 40% commercial substrate.