Evaluation of Seed Germination and Growth Tests for Assessing Compost Maturity

Experiments involved the comparison of three procedures used to determine compost maturity/phytotoxicity. The three tests evaluated were the CCME germination test (1996), a modified Zucconi et al. (1981) extract and a direct seed procedure. Three different plant species and seven types of 'composts' were used. The species were cress (Lepidium sativum), radish (Raphanus sativus), and Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis). Germination and growth experiments were performed on three types of mature composts: 1) racetrack manure-food waste; 2) two different samples of municipal solid waste; and 3) racetrack manure-sewage sludge), two types of immature composts (farmyard manure-food waste and farmyard manure-yard waste-food waste], and a control (soil or water). Four replicates for each species, 'compost' and test procedure were evaluated. The study concluded that the commonly used compost extract test and the compost-soil germination and growth tests were not sensitive enough to detect differences between mature and immature 'composts', that other test(s) must be used to evaluate compost maturity.