EDAFOLOGÍA, Vol. 10 (3), pp. 139-144, 2003


BIODIGESTION DE RESIDUOS VITIVINÍCOLAS MEDIANTE VERMICOMPOSTAJE: RESULTADOS PRELIMINARES


R. NOGALES, R. MELGAR, C. PAGOLA, E. BENÍTEZ


Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, c/Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008-Granada, e-mail: rnogales@eez.csic.es.


 

Abstract

The aim of this study was to bidigest spent pomace and vinasse biosolids, two wastes produced by the winery industry, throughout a vermicomposting process. For this purpose a laboratory experiment was conducted, which wastes alone or mixed rooted vine, were inoculated with earthworms (Eisenia andrei) and maintained under controlled conditions for 18 weeks. Earthworm growth was optimal in the different substrates, therefore, the agricultural quality of the both winery wastes improved appreciably. The final products (vermicomposts) had higher humification rate, nutrients contents and pH, lower conductivity and phytotoxic, fulfilling the Spanish guidelines for compost. Therefore, these vermicompost can be used as organic amendments in degraded soils.


Key words: Winery agroindustry, spent pomace, vinasse biosolids, rooted vine, Eisenia andrei, vermicomposting, chemical changes, phytotoxicity, amendments, organic substrates.