Waste and Biomass Valorization

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-022-01795-w

ORIGINAL PAPER

Effects and Relationships of Compost Dose and Organic Additives

on Compost Tea Properties, Efficacy Against Fusarium oxysporum
and Potential Effect on Endomycorrhization and Growth of Zea mays L.
Mohamed Ou‑Zine1,2,3 · Rania El Hilali1,4 · Abdellatif Haggoud2 · El Hassan Achbani3 · Rachid Bouamri1

Received: 2 December 2021 / Accepted: 14 April 2022

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2022

Abstract
This work aimed at evaluating the effect of compost to water ratio and nutrient additives on the compost tea (CT) quality
and its efficacy on the maize growth and soil microbial activity and biomass as well as the colonization of maize roots with
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The CT were prepared at two ratios (1/5 and 1/10), and enriched with molasses and
humic acid, date syrup and humic acid, or non-enriched. The oxygen concentration decreased over time in all CT and stabi-
lized after 48 h at 5.1 ppm in non-enriched teas against 0 ppm in enriched ones. The addition of nutrients to CT decreased
its pH on average to 5.1 and increased its organic matter content as well as N, P, K, Mg, Ca, and Mn concentrations as com-
pared to non-enriched teas. Bacterial population was increased by more than 21% and microbial activity by 33% after 48 h
in CT supplemented with additives. All CT inhibited Fusarium oxysporum albedinis with different rate with a maximal one
of 84% attributed to CT supplemented with additives. The CT applied as a fertilizer under greenhouse conditions improved
the maize height, diameter and biomass and increased the rhizosphere bacterial population and microbial biomass, and did
not affect the colonization of roots with AMF. These findings suggest that quality CT prepared at suitable ratio and with
additives could be a sustainable fertilizer and a promising solution to control soil-borne diseases.

* Rachid Bouamri
rbouamri@enameknes.ac.ma
1 3
Department of Environment and Plant Protection, Ecole Laboratory of Plant Bacteriology and Biocontrol, URPP,
Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Meknes, Morocco Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Meknes,
2 National Institute of Agricultural Research, Rabat, Morocco
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive
4
Molecules, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Laboratory of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences
Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco

13
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Graphical Abstract
Keywords Compost valorization · Nutrient additives · Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi · Soil microorganisms
Statement of Novelty
This work lays the basis for further works on the effect of
compost to water ratio and additive nutrients on the qual-
ity of compost teas for agronomic application. Most studies
have investigated the effect of compost tea application on
plant growth. However, its effect on soil and plant-associated
microorganisms, especially AMF is poorly studied. Accord-
ingly, this study highlights the effect of quality compost tea
enriched with date syrup and humic acid on the microbial
biomass and activity, and the colonization of maize roots
with AMF.
Introduction
The compost is currently used widely in sustainable and
organic agriculture to improve the soil fertility, enhance crop
growth, and control plant diseases [1, 2]. However, it is lim-
ited in responding quickly and efficiently to all nutritional
deficiencies and to some plant diseases [3]. Consequently,
13
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Waste and Biomass Valorization
compost tea could be a source of soluble nutrients and active
microorganisms and molecules that may have the capacity to
enhance the plant growth and control plant pathogens [4–6].
The mineral and microbial composition of the compost
teas and thus, their efficiency in fertilization and biocon-
trol depend closely on compost used, aeration, compost to
water ratio, extraction time, and type of nutrient additives
[3, 7, 8]. Investigations on the compost teas prepared from
different sources revealed the relevance of compost used in
the compost tea quality [9]. Generally, the compost used
must be mature, free from pathogens and toxic substances
and characterized by acceptable moisture content of no
more than 45% [10]. The compost tea can be aerobically or
anaerobically. However, various works have revealed that the
aeration of compost teas during extraction improved their
properties such as the microbial diversity and density [7]
and total soluble organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and
humic carbon content, and humification degree [10]. Gener-
ally, a concentration of 5 ppm of dissolved oxygen is con-
sidered by several researchers as the minimal aerobic level
required for supporting a diverse microbial population [12,
13]. Compost to water ratio is an important factor affecting
Waste and Biomass Valorization
the nutritional and microbial status of the tea. Research-
ers have worked with several ratios ranging from 1/1 [14]
to 1/1000 (w/v) [15]. After mixing the compost with water
at suitable ratio, and supplying the system with sufficient
oxygen, the extraction process could be conducted for 18
to 72 h [16, 17]. In addition to these factors, the effect of
addition of nutrient additives to the compost tea was evalu-
ated by several researchers [e.g. 13, 17]. Additives such as
molasses, kelp extract, and humic acid are commonly used
as microbial food sources [7, 17]. Their addition during
extraction of aerated tea was found to enhance the physico-
chemical and microbial properties of the finished product,
and thus, its quality [13, 15]. The fertilizing and biocontrol
effects of compost teas are due to their physico-chemical and
microbial properties [8], hence, the identification of factors
affecting the final product quality is required to exalt the
features of compost teas.
On the other hand, most studies have investigated the
effect of compost tea application on plant growth. However,
its effects on soil and plant-associated microorganisms, espe-
cially arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have not been
widely assessed [18–20]. Indeed, after their penetration in
the plant root system, the AMF provide a variety of benefits
to the host plants such as the improvement of mineral nutri-
ent and water uptakes, the enhancement of plant tolerance to
abiotic stresses and the biocontrol of plant diseases [21, 22].
Consequently, due to the importance of AMF, the evaluation
of the effect of compost tea application on their potential to
colonize root plants is crucial.
This work aimed at studying the effect of compost to
water ratio, extraction time, and nutrient additives (includ-
ing date syrup as inexpensive and available product) on
the compost tea quality. On the other hand, the effects of
a quality compost tea on the plant growth, the colonization
of roots with AMF, and the microbial activity and biomass
were examined for the first time in the current study.
Material and Methods
Laboratory Experiments
Compost Used
The compost used in this study is commercial compost
prepared from the arboreal wood, cattle manure, poultry
manure, and olive pomace by windrow composting with
mechanical turning. The compost used is alkaline (pH 8.8),
and contains 32.4% of organic matter, 1.4% of nitrogen,
3.4% of phosphorus and 2.4% of potassium. It was previ-
ously defined as mature and hygienically accepted since
the human pathogens concentration is below recommended
thresholds [1].
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Compost Tea Preparation
Compost teas were prepared in a 5-L plastic bucket previ-
ously disinfected with sodium hypochlorite. The compost
teas were produced during 48 h by mixing homogeneous
compost samples with tap water previously aerated over-
night to remove chlorine. The brewing buckets were aer-
ated for 48 h, twice per hour for duration of 15 min, with
a bubbler fitted with an electric pump. The compost was
suspended directly in water with two extraction ratios (1/10
and 1/5 w/v corresponding to 400 g and 800 g of fresh com-
post, respectively, suspended in 4 L of water). In addition to
controls (without additives), molasses (0.5% v/v) and humic
acids (0.1% v/v) or date syrup (0.5% v/v) and humic acids
(0.1% v/v) were added.
Therefore, six treatments, replicated randomly four times,
were studied in this experiment and described as follows:
M1/10 (compost + molasses and humic acid, compost/water
ratio of 1/10), D1/10 (compost + date syrup and humic acid,
1/10 ratio), control C1/10 (compost without additives, 1/10
ratio), M1/5 (compost + molasses and humic acid, 1/5 ratio),
D1/5 (compost + date syrup and humic acid, 1/5 ratio), con-
trol C1/5 (compost without additives, 1/5 ratio). Molasses is
a by-product of cane processing contains principally sugars,
and date syrup was prepared from khalt dates (low quality
dates) as a concentrated of date fruits.
Dissolved Oxygen, Physico‑Chemical Properties,
and Phytotoxicity of Compost Teas
The oxygen concentration in the compost teas was evalu-
ated using a dissolved oxygen meter (Hanna Hi 98,193) at
0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 48 h of extraction. Electrical conduc-
tivity and pH of compost teas were measured using a con-
ductivity meter and a pH meter, respectively [11]. Organic
matter content was evaluated by the Walkely-Black method
[23]. Total nitrogen was determined according to Kjeldhal
technique [24], while phosphorus, potassium, magnesium,
calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc were deter-
mined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission
spectrometry (ICP-OES) [13]. The phytotoxicity test was
carried out after 24 h and at the end of the experiment
(48 h) by using cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L.) accord-
ing to the method described by Zucconi et al. [25]. Briefly,
compost teas were separately filtered through 0.45 µm Mil-
lipore membrane filter, and then dilutions prepared using
distilled water (100, 75, 50, 25, 10%, and control 0%) were
used to moisten seeds placed on Whatman N ­ o 1 sterilized
filter paper. Petri dishes were completely randomized and
incubated in darkness at 25 ± 2 °C for 3 days. Germina-
tion index (GI) was calculated with the mean value from
four experiments as follows: GI (%) = [(Gt)/(Gc)] × [­ Lt/
L c] × 100; where ­G t and ­G c are the mean percentage of
13

germination with compost tea and with the control respec-
tively, and ­Lt and L
­ c are the mean root lengths with com-
post tea and with the control respectively. Seeds with root
lengths less than 2 mm were not considered germinated
[11]
Microbial Population and Enzymatic Activity of Compost
Teas
Compost tea samples were taken after 24 and 48 h and
immediately analyzed. A tenfold serial dilution of each sam-
ple was prepared in sterile distilled water and aliquots of 100
µL were spread in 90-mm Petri dishes amended with YPGA
medium (Yeast extract 5 g L ­ −1, Peptone 5 g L­ −1, Glucose
−1 −1
5 g ­L , Agar 15 g ­L ) supplemented with cycloheximide
(150 mg ­L−1) for bacteria enumeration and PDA medium
(Potato Dextrose Agar) supplemented with streptomycin
(250 mg ­L−1) and rifampicin (50 mg L ­ −1) for fungi enu-
meration. Petri dishes were incubated at 28 °C ± 2 °C for 24
and 96 h for bacteria and fungi, respectively. The microbial
activity was assessed through the evaluation of phosphatase
activity in compost tea after 24 h of extraction and at the end
of the experiment (48 h). The enzyme activity expressed in
µg ­mL−1 of compost tea was calculated based on the amount
of ρ-nitrophenol (ρNP) formed when ρ-nitrophenyl phos-
phate (pNPP) is reduced by microorganisms preexisted in
the compost tea. The methodology was adapted from Taba-
tabai and Bremner [26]; 1 mL of compost tea was incubated
in darkness at 37 °C with a mixture of 4 mL of modified uni-
versal buffer (MUB, pH 11), 0.25 mL of toluene, and 1 mL
of ρNPP. After 1 h of incubation, 4 mL sodium hydroxide
and 1 mL of calcium chloride were added and the mixture
was immediately filtered through Whatman paper ­No 12.
Thereafter, the absorbance of formed ρNP was measured
immediately at λ = 410 nm.
Characterization of Compost Teas by Fourier‑Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
Compost teas were freeze dried and then scanned in the
wavelength range of 4000 and 500 ­cm−1 with 5 ­cm−1 as the
spectral resolution level, using Spectrum FTIR Perkin-Elmer
spectrophotometer [27]. Characteristic peaks and their func-
tional groups were recorded by Spectrum software (Perkin
Elmer, USA, version 2017) and spectra were edited by Orig-
inPro software (OriginLab Corporation, Northampton, MA,
USA, version 2021). Three samples of each compost tea
were analyzed and mean values were estimated. The FTIR
analysis was carried out in the central research laboratory
of the National School of Agriculture of Meknes (ENAM),
Morocco.
13
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Waste and Biomass Valorization
Antifungal Activity of the Compost Teas
The antifungal assay was carried out by using Fusarium
oxysporum f.sp. albedinis (Foa) as soil-borne plant pathogen
indicator as described by [1]. The antifungal activity of com-
post teas against Foa was examined by mixing compost teas
with PDA medium to obtain mixtures with concentrations
of 40, 20, 10, and 5% (v/v) of compost tea and 0% (Control).
The mixtures were cooled into Petri dishes (90 mm of diam-
eter), where an active mycelia disk of pathogen (5 mm of
diameter) was placed. The fungal growth was evaluated after
7 days of incubation at 28 °C ± 2 °C and the inhibition rate
(IR) was calculated as follows: IR (%) = (1 − ­Dt / ­D0) × 100;
where ­Dt and ­D0 are average diameters of Foa in plates con-
taining compost teas and in control plates, respectively.
Greenhouse Experiment
Compost Tea Preparation
The preparation of compost tea was carried out in 200 L
opaque plastic tank by suspending 20 kg of same compost
used in laboratory experiment in 100 L of tap water (1/5
ratio, w/v) supplemented with date syrup and humic acid at
0.5 and 0.1% (v/v), respectively. The compost was placed in
a metallic support covered with a mesh filter. The support
was placed inside the tank previously filled with tap water
pre-aerated overnight to remove chlorine. Two air injections
of 15 min/h were ensured through a bubbler placed at the
bottom of the tank provided by necessary air via an electric
pump. The tea was taken for application through a valve fit-
ted with a nylon membrane.
Experimental Set‑Up and Design
Maize (Zea mays L., local variety) plants were grown in 5 L
pots containing a mixture of sandy soil and peat (1/8, v/v).
Five disinfected maize seeds were sown in each pot. One
week after emergence, the seedlings were thinned to one
plant per pot.
The treatments adopted in this experiment are described
as follows; plants fertilized with compost tea (CT), plants
fertilized with mineral fertilizers (MF), plants inoculated
with AMF (I), plants inoculated with AMF and fertilized
with compost tea (I + CT), plants inoculated with AMF and
fertilized with mineral fertilizers (I + MF), and a negative
control without any fertilization or AMF inoculation (T0).
The mineral fertilizer solution was prepared from urea,
phosphate di-ammonia, and potassium sulfate, as a source
of N, P, and K respectively, by suspending these fertilizers
in tap water at doses of 0.54, 0.18, and 2.1 g L­ −1, respec-
tively to obtain the same composition of compost tea solu-
tion for N, P, and K. The prepared compost tea and chemical
Waste and Biomass Valorization
fertilizer solutions were diluted immediately before applica-
tion with tap water to obtain fertilizer solutions at 25% (1:4,
v/v). A volume of 250 mL p­ ot−1 of compost tea, chemical
fertilizers, or tap water (control) was applied twice a week
during the experiment. The AMF inoculum, applied below
the seeds before sowing, was a mixture of soil and roots
(50 g ­pot−1) pre-colonized with a consortium of AMF strains
isolated from date palm groves and multiplied in the green-
house before their application. The pots were arranged in
completely randomized block design with 4 replications per
treatment. The trial was conducted in the greenhouse (26 °C
temperature and 60% relative humidity) at the National
School of Agriculture of Meknes, Morocco.
Evaluation of Colonization of Maize Roots with AMF
Colonization of maize roots with AMF was assessed on three
replicates for all seedlings as described by Phillips and Hay-
man [28]. Fresh roots (0.5 g) were sampled, rinsed with tap
water, and then cut to 1 cm fragments. Afterwards, root frag-
ments were cleared with a solution of potassium hydroxide,
neutralized in hydrochloride acid solution, and stained in a
Trypan blue solution. Stained roots were examined under
microscope to evaluate the colonization frequency (F) and
intensity (I) based on the formula of Trouvelot et al. [29];
[(N − N0) × 100
𝐅(%) = ,
N
(95 × n5) + (70 × n4) + (30 × n3) + (5 × n2) + (1 × n1)
𝐈(% ) =
N and Phytotoxicity of Compost Teas
where ­N 0 = number of non-colonized fragments,
N = number of total fragments examined, and n5, n4, n3, n2
and n1 are numbers of fragments noted class 5, 4, 3, 2 and
1, respectively. Class 5: roots are colonized with more than
90%, class 4: from 51 to 90%, class 3: from 11 to 50%, class
2: less than 10%, and class 1: traces.
Soil Microbial Population and Microbial Biomass Carbon
Soil samples were taken randomly from all pots at har-
vest. Immediately, 10 g of each soil sample was suspended
in 100 mL of physiological saline solution and shaken at
150 rpm for 1 h. A tenfold serial dilution of each sample
was prepared in sterile distilled water and aliquots of 100
µL were spread in 90-mm Petri dishes amended with YPGA
medium supplemented with cycloheximide for bacteria enu-
meration and PDA medium supplemented with streptomycin
and rifampicin for fungi enumeration as detailed in evalu-
ation of microbial population in compost teas. Petri dishes
were incubated at 28 °C ± 2 °C for 24 and 96 h for bacte-
ria and fungi, respectively. The microbial biomass carbon
(MBC) was determined by the fumigation extraction method
of Vance et al. [30]. Soil samples of 10 g were fumigated
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with ethanol-free chloroform in vacuum desiccator for 24 h,
and thereafter, the fumigated and unfumigated soil samples
were extracted with ­K2SO4 (0.5 M) for 30 min. Soil extracts
were filtered through sterilized Whatman ­No 1 filter paper,
analyzed for organic C by acid dichromate oxidation using
Walkely-Black method [23] and then the MBC was calcu-
lated as difference between fumigated and non-fumigated
soil.
Agronomic Parameters
The height and stem diameter of the two months old maize
seedlings were measured. After harvest, fresh and dry
weight (70 °C for 72 h) of shoots and roots were measured.
Statistical Analysis
The collected data were analyzed using ANOVA followed
by Duncan’s test at a significance level of 0.05 and correla-
tions were studied using the Pearson test. Data expressed as
percentages were submitted to arcsine transformation before
analysis. Analyses were performed using SPSS statistical
software (version 24.0, IBM, USA).
Results and Discussion
Dissolved Oxygen, Chemical Properties,
,
Monitoring of the oxygen saturation showed that the oxy-
gen concentration decreased during the 48 h of extraction
process in all compost teas (Fig. 1). Statistical analyzes
of ­O2 concentrations in teas revealed a significant differ-
ence between the enriched and non-enriched compost teas
from the 2th hour to the end of the process. Indeed, the
­O2saturation in control compost teas (C1/5 and C1/10) was
decreased and stabilized at 5.13 and 5.46 ppm, respectively.
Commonly, 5 ppm dissolved oxygen is considered by several
researchers as the minimal aerobic level required for sup-
porting a diverse microbial population [12, 13]. However,
the ­O2 was almost zero from 16 h in enriched compost teas.
Similarly, the statistical comparison demonstrated that the
­O2 concentration was decreased more in less diluted com-
post teas (1/5 ratio) compared to more diluted ones (1/10
ratio), and that the compost teas supplemented with date
syrup and humic acid were characterized with less levels
of ­O2 saturation as compared to the compost teas prepared
with molasses and humic acid. According to Shrestha et al.
[15], the ­O2 depletion indicates that the aeration has failed
to ensure the high O ­ 2demand of the culture. This is due
to the high proliferation of preexisting microorganisms in
the presence of nutritional substrates namely humic acid,
13
 Waste and Biomass Valorization

7 were slightly basic with pH values of 8 and 7.5, respec-

6 tively. Whereas, the other compost teas were acid with low
O2 saturaon (ppm)

5 C 1/5
4 M 1/5
D 1/5
3
C 1/10
2 M 1/10
1 D 1/10
0 tea is interesting, because the application of tea in soil can
0 2 4 8 16 24 48
Time (hours)
Fig. 1  Oxygen saturation in compost teas during the extraction pro-
cess; C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio without additives (Control 1/5), M
1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D 1/5: com-
post at 1/5 ratio + date syrup and humic acid, C 1/10: compost at
1/10 ratio without additives (Control 1/10), M 1/10: compost at 1/10
ratio + molasses and humic acid, D 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + date
syrup and humic acid. Error bars represent standard deviations of four
replications
molasses, and date syrup. Our findings is in agreement with
those of Shrestha et al. [15] who revealed that compost teas
supplemented with kelp and/or molasses showed a quick-
est decrease in the dissolved O ­ 2 level as a response to the
increase in microbial population and activity. Similarly,
Kannangara et al. [12] declaimed that the ­O2 depletion is
due to its consumption by microorganisms. Minimum O ­ 2
saturation is required during the production of compost tea
in order to mitigate the growth and proliferation of pathogen
and anaerobic microorganisms. On the hand, Kannangara
et al. [12] demonstrated that even if the ­O2 concentration was
significantly decreased, but the concentration of pathogen
microbes did not exceed the threshold required by standards.
Results of the physico-chemical properties of compost
teas, presented in Table 1, showed that C1/5 and C1/10
pH values recorded for D1/5, M1/5 and D1/10, and then
M1/10, respectively. This difference could be ascribed to
the low oxygen level in enriched compost teas promoting the
microbial production of organic acids [12] and to the applied
additives known by their acidity [31]. The pH of compost
have a direct impact on the soil alkalinity or acidity, and
thus, it can affect indirectly the nutrients availability which
is strongly related to the soil pH [32–34]. The EC analysis
revealed that less diluted and supplemented compost teas
with additives were characterized with high EC as compared
to more diluted and control compost teas (Table 1). The
salinity estimated by the measurement of the EC is attributed
mainly to the soluble ions and inorganic salts in the compost,
and secondly to organic acids, ammonium and nitrate [35].
The high EC, indicating a high salt content, can limit the
use of compost tea that can affect negatively the germina-
tion of seeds and the plant growth. This effect is negligible
for compost teas with EC values less than 2 mS c­ m−1 [36].
Some crops may be restricted when the EC exceeds 4 mS
­cm−1 [37]. However, Chong et al. [38] observed a normal
growth of several species in substrates supplemented with
compost characterized with EC above 8 mS ­cm−1. Based
on these thresholds, dilution of teas seems to be necessary
before they could be applied. Statistical analysis showed
that the organic matter content in the six teas was different
with high values recorded for M1/5, D1/5, and D1/10 fol-
lowed by M1/10 and finally by C1/5 and C1/10. Generally,
the same trend noted for OM was observed for the mineral
fraction; high concentrations were recorded for less diluted
compost teas especially those prepared with date syrup fol-
lowed by those prepared with molasses and humic acids

Table 1  Physical and chemical properties of compost teas

Unit C 1/5 M 1/5 D 1/5 C 1/10 M 1/10 D 1/10 F ANOVA

pH – 8.0 ± 0.14a 5.1 ± 0.18d 4.5 ± 0.12e 7.5 ± 0.16b 5.7 ± 0.18c 5.1 ± 0.14d 435.47***
EC mS/cm 5.8 ± 0.05c 7.9 ± 0.08a 7.4 ± 0.10b 4.0 ± 0.18e 5.7 ± 20c 5.4 ± 0.12d 682.87***
OM kg/m3 2.0 ± 0.22c 6.0 ± 0.24a 6.0 ± 0.18a 1.0 ± 0.08d 5.0 ± 0.29b 5.1 ± 0.16b 632.29***
N g/m3 290.0 ± 6.88c 530.0 ± 11.20a 540.0 ± 5.23a 100.0 ± 6.58d 450.0 ± 11.55b 460.0 ± 14.14b 1062.65***
P2O5 g/m3 130.0 ± 4.55d 140.0 ± 6.32c 180.0 ± 6.48a 110.0 ± 2.71f 120.0 ± 10.98e 160.0 ± 3.16b 75.79***
K2O g/m3 1700.0 ± 77.03c 2200.0 ± 59.44a 2100.0 ± 14.15 b 1200.0 ± 29.44f 1400.0 ± 40.82d 1300.0 ± 18.26e 440.77***
MgO g/m3 30.0 ± 2.45d 50.0 ± 5.60c 60.0 ± 3.92b 30.0 ± 2.94d 50.0 ± 4.83c 70.0 ± 3.92a 74.28***
CaO g/m3 80.0 ± 7.30d 140.0 ± 2.45b 170.0 ± 2.94a 130.0 ± 3.65c 140.0 ± 4.97b 140.0 ± 7.26b 206.35***
Fe mg/m3 17,020.0 ± 476.93b 14,770.0 ± 267.21c 17,940.0 ± 33.17a 17,670.0 ± 62.18a 12,370.0 ± 35.59d 11,530.0 ± 49.67e 657.78***
Zn mg/m3 2650.0 ± 70.24a 2530.0 ± 39.16b 2670.0 ± 42.43a 2180.0 ± 9.13c 1730.0 ± 27.08e 1830.0 ± 7.07d 540.95***
Cu mg/m3 1270.0 ± 47.61a 1240.0 ± 35.36a 1260.0 ± 21.60a 980.0 ± 6.98b 810.0 ± 9.20c 830.0 ± 8.16c 320.97***
Mn mg/m3 450.0 ± 25.82d 520.0 ± 14.72c 720.0 ± 9.13a 340.0 ± 3.27f 410.0 ± 2.94e 560.0 ± 22.74b 313.72***

C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio without additives (Control 1/5), M 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D 1/5: compost at 1/5
ratio + date syrup and humic acid, C 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio without additives (Control 1/10), M 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + molasses and
humic acid, D 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + date syrup and humic acid. Data with the same letter are not statistically different according to Dun-
can test at P = 0.05, ***p < 0.001. Data represent means ± standard deviations (n = 4)

13

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Waste and Biomass Valorization
(D1/5 and M1/5, respectively) as compared to more diluted
teas indicating the influence of compost to water ratio on
the physicochemical properties of compost teas. This state-
ment is in accordance to the findings of Islam et al. [8] who
have reported that the chemical properties of compost tea,
especially pH and nitrogen content, were significantly influ-
enced by compost to water ratio. The prepared teas could be
applied as fertilizers since the analyses showed clearly their
richness in macro- and micronutrients (Table 1). Therefore,
the compost tea could be suggested as an alternative of the
chemical fertilizers or at least as supplement that will help
farmers to reduce the chemical inputs and ensure them more
returns by reducing the cost of the fertilization. Recently,
González-Hernández et al. [39] analyzed the compost teas
composition and concluded that they could be used as fer-
tilizer with a combination with reduced doses of chemical
fertilizers. The effect of compost tea on plant growth is more
discussed thereunder in the agronomic trial results.
Data of the phytotoxicity test, carried out by the examina-
tion of germination indices (GI) of cress seeds grown in dif-
ferent concentrations of compost teas, showed different lev-
els of phytotoxicity (Fig. 2). To reveal the phytotoxicity level
of tested compost teas, Zucconi et al. [25] suggested that a
GI ≤ 50% indicates high phytotoxicity, GI values between
50 and 80% indicate moderate phytotoxicity and a GI ≥ 80%
indicates the absence of phytotoxicity. Based on these
thresholds, all the teas with concentrations of 100% and 75%
were highly phytotoxic especially tea produced at 1/5 ratio
and supplemented with molasses and humic acid (M1/5) or
date syrup and humic acid (D1/5) as additives. Control teas
at 1/10 and 1/5 ratio (C1/10 and C1/5) applied in 25% and
120
100
d e
Germinaon Index (%)
80 f
60 h
k
j
40 l
n
o
n declared that the bacterial population increased with the use
20 p p
qq qq
0 hand, although the results showed a difference in fungal pop-
C1/5 M1/5 D1/5
Treatment
Fig. 2  Phytotoxicity test of compost teas evaluated by germination
index of cress seeds; C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio without additives
(Control 1/5), M 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molasses and humic acid,
D 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + date syrup and humic acid, C 1/10: com-
post at 1/10 ratio without additives (Control 1/10), M 1/10: compost
at 1/10 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D 1/10: compost at 1/10
ratio + date syrup and humic acid. Data with the same letter are not
statistically different according to Duncan test at P = 0.05. Data repre-
sent means ± standard deviations (n = 4)
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50% concentrations were less phytotoxic (50 < GI < 80%)
than other teas (GI ≤ 50%). At low concentrations (10%),
all teas were not phytotoxic (GI ≥ 80%) except the M1/5 tea.
The compost teas have to be diluted before their applica-
tion. The difference between the six compost teas regarding
their phytotoxicity could be explained by several factors that
intervene in the inhibition of seed germination and plant
growth. The correlations were evaluated between the ger-
mination indexes of the six compost teas and some of their
properties, and results showed, at the 5% threshold, a signifi-
cant positive correlation between germination index and pH
(0,947, p < 0.0001) and significant negative correlation with
EC (r = − 0.696, p < 0.0001). The study of Mohamed et al.
[1] demonstrated the existence of a relationship between GI
and EC with a significant negative correlation (r = − 0.973,
p = 0.027). Similarly, Campitelli and Ceppi [40] mentioned
that germination of cress seeds is influenced by the EC of
the compost teas. Accordingly, saline compost teas need to
be diluted with tap water before their application.
Microbial Population and Enzymatic Activity
of Compost Teas
The main effects of compost to water ratio (1/5 or 1/10),
additives (molasses and humic acid or date syrup and humic
acid), and brewing time (24 or 48 h) on microbial popu-
lation and enzymatic activity of compost teas were gener-
ally significant (Fig. 3). Data showed that at the end of the
experiment (48 h), the bacterial population was higher as
compared to the population recorded at 24 h, with maximal
values recorded in D1/5 compost tea followed by M1/5. The
lowest bacterial population was detected in control treat-
ments with maximal values recorded in C1/5 and C1/10 after
100%
48 h followed by C1/5 and C1/10 after 24 h. This difference
a 75%
could be explained by the difference in the primary inocu-
b 50%
de
c c lum corresponding to the microbial density in compost used
e 25%
10%
to prepare teas. The result obtained is in accordance to the
g
findings of Islam et al. [8] who have found that the microbial
i
j
density was higher in compost teas prepared at 1/5 ratio than
m
those prepared at 1/10 ratio. Scheuerell and Mahaffee [41]
p p
of additives during compost tea production. On the other
q q
C1/10 M1/10 D1/10
ulation between the treatments, with high values recorded
in less diluted teas, but the statistical analysis revealed the
absence of any significant difference between the six teas.
The fungal density was low by more than threefold com-
pared to the bacterial density. González-Hernández et al.
[39] found that the compost tea contained more bacteria than
fungi. Similarly, Li et al. [42] presented similar results con-
cerning the microbial abundance in compost teas, with high
population density attributed to total bacteria, followed by
actinomycetes, and then total fungi. The addition of nutrient
13
 Waste and Biomass Valorization

24h 24h
A 48h 4.0 B 48h

Fungal populaon (log CFU/ml)

a a
Bacterial populaon (log CFU/ml)

14 a
abc ab ab a def bcde cde bcd
3.5
a a a
a a a a
12 3.0 a
ef f a
g
10 2.5
g
8 2.0
6 1.5
4 1.0
2 0.5
0
0.0
C 1/5 M 1/5 D 1/5 C 1/10 M 1/10 D 1/10
C 1/5 M 1/5 D 1/5 C 1/10 M 1/10 D 1/10
Treatment Treatment

600 C 24 h

a 48 h
b
p-nitrophenol (µg/h/ml)

500 c
c
d d d d d
400 e g ef

300

200

100

0
C 1/5 M 1/5 D 1/5 C 1/10 M 1/10 D 1/10

Treatment

Fig. 3  Microbial properties of compost teas after 24 and 48 h of the
extraction process. A: Bacterial population density, B: Fungal popu-
lation density, C: Phosphatase activity. C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio
without additives (Control 1/5), M 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molas-
ses and humic acid, D 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + date syrup and
humic acid, C 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio without additives (Control
1/10), M 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D
1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + date syrup and humic acid. Data with
the same letter are not statistically different according to Duncan test
at P = 0.05. Data represent means ± standard deviations (n = 4)

additives to the compost tea resulted in the increase in bacte-
rial density. The same trend was observed for the microbial
activity assessed by the phosphatase activity (Fig. 3). Data
showed that the microbial activity was higher after 48 h of
extraction than the activity at 24 h. On the hand, the teas pre-
pared at 1/5 ratio were characterized with high activity, and
similarly, the addition of molasses and date syrup increased
the enzymatic activity in correspondent teas. A significant
difference was noted between D1/5 and M1/5 with high val-
ues attributed to teas prepared with date syrup and humic
acid (D1/5). Shrestha et al. [15] found that the enzymatic
activity was higher in compost teas supplemented with addi-
tives and in less diluted ones as compared to non-enriched
and more diluted teas. They also reported that the microbial
activity assessed by using fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis
method increased as the time of the extraction process
increases. In our study, the microbial activity was assessed
via alkaline phosphatase activity, and results of the correla-
tion analysis between the enzymatic activity and bacterial
population (r = 0.777, p < 0.0001 and r = 0.928, p < 0.0001
for analysis conducted at 24 h and 48 h, respectively) con-
firmed that this enzyme is a good indicator of the microbial
activity. Frankenberger and Dick [43] demonstrated that the
alkaline phosphatase is one of the most interesting enzymes
in the evaluation of the microbial activity and population.
The added molasses and date syrup are considered as a
source of nutrients namely sugars such as glucose, fructose,
and sucrose. These sugars could be used rapidly and eas-
ily by microorganisms which explains the high microbial
density in these teas over non-enriched ones. Naidu et al.

13

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Waste and Biomass Valorization
[17] declared that the high population of total bacteria was
recorded in compost teas fortified with additives, and con-
cluded that this effect is perhaps attributed to the chemical
composition of the additives. Beside the syrups (molasses
and date syrups), the humic acids could also improve the
microbiological properties of the compost teas since these
substances contain carbon chain acids that provide an essen-
tial nutrient source required for the proliferation of micro-
organisms [17]. The utilization of molasses, date syrup, and
humic acids, as additives, at concentrations of 0.5%, 0.5%,
and 0.1%, respectively was based on previous studies [7, 15,
17]. Low concentrations could be not sufficient for microbial
growth and proliferation. However, high concentration of
additives could induce high proliferation of microorganisms
leading to a quick consumption of oxygen and creation of
anaerobic conditions [7]. The minor difference in the bacte-
rial population and microbial activity between compost teas
prepared with molasses and teas prepared with date syrup
could be explained by the difference in the composition of
the two additives; date syrup may contains more and/or easy
metabolized substances. Unfortunately, the chemical com-
position of these additives was not assessed in our study,
but by referring to previous studies, date syrup contains
more sugar than molasses. Al-Jasass et al. [44] compared
the composition of date syrup and molasses, and found that
date syrup contains more sugars, biotin, and pantothenic
acid than molasses. We cannot conclude in our study that
the chemical nutrients are more abundant in date syrup than
molasses, since their composition changes with the type and
initial composition of raw materials. However, based on its
high capability to improve the microbiological properties of
compost teas, date syrup could be recommended to be used
as additive instead of molasses.
FTIR Analysis
The results of FTIR analysis showed that the spectra are
generally similar and did not show differences among the
analyzed samples (Fig. 4). The major absorption bands were
characterized based on the published research [45–47]. The
absorption bands were recorded at 3300 ­cm−1 characterizing
the H-bonded OH groups of alcohols, phenols and organic
acids, as well as H-bonded N–H groups, and at 2933 ­cm−1
indicating the presence of aliphatic C−H stretching. The
FTIR analysis revealed bands characterizing the aromatic
and C=O vibrations at 1660 ­cm−1, the aromatic C=C and
secondary amides at 1585 ­cm−1, and carboxylic acids, car-
boxylates or alkanes at 1450 ­cm−1. The 1400 ­cm−1 band
characterize the absorbance of the nitrates in freeze-dried
compost teas as revealed by Smidt and Meissl [48]. Gener-
ally, the aromatic primary and secondary amines, and the
tertiary amide or aromatic ethers C–O–C were detected,
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
Fig. 4  FTIR Spectra of the compost teas; C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio
without additives (Control 1/5), M 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molas-
ses and humic acid, D 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + date syrup and
humic acid, C 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio without additives (Control
1/10), M 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D
1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + date syrup and humic acid
respectively at 1315 and 1225 ­cm−1. However, the C−O
stretching of polysaccharides or polysaccharide-like sub-
stances could be detected at a wavenumber of around
1115 ­cm−1. Wang et al. [47] declared that C−O stretching of
secondary alcohols, phenols, and aryl ethers were recorded
at 1103 ­cm−1. A similar peak was detected at 1103 ­cm−1
which could correspond to the same band and functions.
Results showed also the presence of polysaccharides and dif-
ferent mineral compounds at 1041 ­cm−1 in the six compost
teas. The peaks detected at 835, 693, and 618 ­cm−1 indicate
respectively the presence of primary amine groups, second-
ary amine groups, and inorganic sulphates as reported by
Carballo et al. [45]. Carballo et al. [45] characterized differ-
ent compost teas by using the FTIR analysis and found that
the results of FTIR have not showed the influence of studied
factors including temperature and aeration on the composi-
tion of the different compost teas and therefore the spectra
were very similar. Likewise, Xu et al. [11] found that the
compost teas contained similar functional groups, namely
the aromatics, phenols, carbohydrates, and amides, and only
little difference in their intensities was detected [11]. The
same trend was noted in our study where the six compost
teas were characterized by the same functional groups with
only little difference in the intensity, as detected in compost
teas C1/5 and C1/10 characterized by more intense peaks at
693 ­cm−1. We can conclude that the use of FTIR analysis
to compare teas obtained from the same compost is perhaps
less sensible to show probable differences. However, the use
of the FTIR analysis is very useful in studying the stability
of composts [49] or in evaluating the composition and qual-
ity of teas during the composting process [47].
13
 Waste and Biomass Valorization

Antifungal Activity of the Compost Teas
The evaluation of fungal growth diameters after 7 days of
incubation showed that the inhibition rate of F. oxysporum
f.sp. albedinis varied regarding the applied compost tea
(Fig. 5). Statistical analysis confirmed that the teas prepared
at 1/5 ratio and brewed for 48 h with additives were more
effective in the in vitro control of Foa compared to other teas
namely teas prepared at 1/10 ratio and brewed for only 24 h
without additives. The maximal inhibition rate of teas pre-
pared for 48 h (IR > 83%) was recorded with D1/5 and M1/5
teas and the minimal one (IR < 48%) was attributed to C1/5
and C1/10 teas. Similarly, teas taken after only after 24 h of
extraction have showed a maximal inhibition rate of no more
than 74% recorded with D1/5 and M1/5 teas, against 41.25
and 36.25% recorded in C1/5 and C1/10 teas. These results
indicate that compost teas are able to inhibit significantly the
growth of Foa and confirm the previous study carried out on
the same pathogen by Mohamed et al. [1] and other forms
of Fusarium oxysporum as proved by Bernal-Vicente et al.
[50] and El-Masry et al. [51]. Several parameters affect the
effectiveness of compost teas such as the chemical properties
of compost tea, its microbial population and activity, and/or
its preparation process [4, 52, 53].
The effect of compost to water ratio is the principal cause
leading to the differences in the effectiveness of teas; more
teas are less diluted (i.e. 1/5 ratio) more the suppressive
effect is high. This is due to the high microbial density and
activity, and the high concentration of inhibitor substances.
In our study, the correlations analyses showed that the anti-
fungal activity is correlated positively with the bacterial
population (r = 0.846, p < 0.0001), the microbial activity
(r = 0.929, p < 0.0001), and the EC (r = 0.931, p < 0.0001),
and correlated negatively with pH (r = − 0.863, p < 0.0001).
The modes of action of compost in plant disease control are
biotic and/or abiotic. Previous studies demonstrated that the
antifungal activity of compost teas is due principally to the
biotic factor ensured by the compost indigenous microorgan-
isms as found by St. Martin et al. [54] who declared that the
antibiosis effect and competition for nutrients by indigenous
microorganisms of compost teas are the main mechanisms
for inhibition. In our study, the modes of action of com-
post teas have not been assessed, hence further studies are
required to determine the main mechanisms involved in the
inhibition of Foa.
Effect of Fertilizers on Endomycorrhizal Colonization
of Maize
The results of maize endomycorrhization are presented in
Table 2. The colonization frequency has achieved 51% after
two months of inoculation of maize with AMF, and the
intensity was around 25%, indicating that the inoculum used
was active and capable to colonize maize roots easily. The
non-inoculated plants (MF, CT, and T0) were also exam-
ined and results showed that endomycorrhization was not
occurred, indicating the absence of any AMF contamination.
On the other hand, the effect of fertilizers, either mineral fer-
tilizer and compost tea, was neutral; their application did not
affect, positively or negatively, the endomycorrhization as
confirmed by the statistical analysis (p > 0.05). The mineral
fertilizer was a mixture of N, P, and K in form of urea, phos-
phate di-ammonia, and potassium sulfate, applied at definite
doses determined based on the compost tea content in these
elements. The concentration of these elements was low,
which could explain the absence of negative impact of the

100 A C 1/5
100 B C 1/5

90 M 1/5 M 1/5
90 a a
D 1/5 bc b D 1/5
80 a b 80 de cd cd
cd bcd bc bcd C 1/10 f ef ef e C 1/10
Inhibion rate (%)

cd d ef
Inhibion rate (%)

70 70 g g gh
fg fg e gh hi
60
gh
ij j ij hij ghi M 1/10
60
hi ij jk
M 1/10
k k jk k
k D 1/10 l D 1/10
50 l l 50 m
m
40 n
40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
40 20 10 5 40 20 10 5

Concentraon (%) Concentraon (%)

Fig. 5  Antifungal activity of compost teas against Fusarium oxyspo-
rum f.sp. albedinis; A: Inhibition rate of compost teas of 24 h, B:
Inhibition rate of compost teas of 48 h. C 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio
without additives (Control 1/5), M 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + molas-
ses and humic acid, D 1/5: compost at 1/5 ratio + date syrup and
humic acid, C 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio without additives (Control
1/10), M 1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + molasses and humic acid, D
1/10: compost at 1/10 ratio + date syrup and humic acid. Data with
the same letter are not statistically different according to Duncan test
at P = 0.05. Data represent means ± standard deviations (n = 4)

13

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Waste and Biomass Valorization

Table 2  Endomycorrhizal colonization parameters of maize
I I + MF
Frequency % 51.01 ± 3.34a 50.02 ± 2.80a 49.51 ± 4.27a 0.21 ns
Intensity % 26.62 ± 1.54a 24.03 ± 2.48a 25.42 ± 1.79a 1.38 ns
I: inoculated plants with AMF, MF: mineral fertilizer, CT: compost
tea, I + MF: inoculated plants with AMF and fertilized with mineral
fertilizer, I + CT: inoculated plants with AMF and fertilized with
compost tea, T0: control (non-inoculated and unfertilized plants).
Data with the same letter are not statistically different accord-
ing to Duncan test at P = 0.05, ns: not significant. Data represent
means ± standard deviations (n = 4)
fertilization on AMF. The evaluation of fertilization effects
on AMF has previously investigated [e.g. 55]. Generally,
the fertilizers have negative effects on AMF abundance and
diversity, and thus, on the capability of AMF to colonize the
plant roots [56]. Bakhshandeh et al. [55] found that the AMF
colonization was reduced on average by 60 and 50% in the
fertilized plants with chemical N and P, respectively com-
pared to the unfertilized plants. Harinikumar and Bagyaraj
[57] demonstrated that organic fertilizers are less inhibitory
of the AMF root colonization than mineral fertilizers. The
neutral effect of both chemical and organic fertilizers in our
study could be explained by the low doses of nutrients in the
applied solutions. Indeed, De Graaff et al. [58] declared that
the effect of fertilization on AMF is closely related to the
applied fertilizer rates. Ismael and St. Martin [20] declared
that high nutrients’ level especially P may affect negatively
the AMF and that the continuous application of compost teas
with high Ρ concentration could resulted in the inhibition
of root colonization with AMF. The negative effect of the
fertilizers on AMF is explained also by the duration of their
application; De Graaff et al. [58] reported that fertilizers
impact negatively the AMF when applied for long term.
I + CT F ANOVA
Accordingly, the neutral effect of fertilizers on AMF infec-
tivity in our study could also perhaps due to the short time
of the experiment. Therefore, it is recommended to assess
the effect of the applied fertilizers on root colonization with
AMF for long term.
Effect of Treatments on Soil Microorganism Density
and Microbial Biomass
Data concerning the soil microbial component showed that
bacteria were more abundant in soil receiving compost tea,
either alone or combined with AMF inoculum, compared to
the other treatments (Fig. 6). The evaluation of fungi popula-
tion demonstrated that the six treatments were statistically
similar. The microbial biomass carbon was higher in tea-
treated soils than the soils fertilized with mineral fertilizer.
Inoculation of plants with AMF did not affect the micro-
bial population and biomass. The increase recorded in soils
amended with compost tea could be explained by the supply
of soil with microorganisms preexisted in tea. Indeed, micro-
bial analysis of compost tea revealed the presence of bacte-
ria and fungi with high concentration as showed previously.
Otero et al. [59] reported in their study on Pinus radiata
that the compost tea-fertilized soils were characterized with
high microbial density compared to chemical-fertilized soils
and control (only water). The microorganisms detected were
dominated by Bacillus and Pseudomonas sp. that are known
by their plant growth promoting traits [59]. Molineux et al.
[18] revealed that the application of compost tea resulted
in a significant microbial biomass increase in green roof
soil. Chu et al. [60] examined the effect of different fertiliza-
tion regimes on soil microbial biomass and found that the
organic fertilization resulted in about 450 mg C ­kg−1 soil.

Bacteria a a
A B
Microbial Biomass Carbon (mg/kg soil)

9 450
Microbial populaon (log CFU/g of soil)

a a Fungi
8 400
b b b b
7 350
6 300
5 250 b b b
a a a
4 a a a 200 b
3 150
2 100
1 50
0 0
I MF CT I + MF I + CT T0 I MF CT I + MF I + CT T0
Treatment Treatment

Fig. 6  Microbial properties of soils, A: Microbial population density lated plants with AMF and fertilized with mineral fertilizer, I + CT:
(bacteria and fungi), B: Microbial biomass in soil: I: inoculated plants inoculated plants with AMF and fertilized with compost tea, T0: con-
with AMF, MF: mineral fertilizer, CT: compost tea, I + MF: inocu- trol (non-inoculated and unfertilized plants)

13

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These researchers demonstrated that the organic fertilizers
increased the microbial biomass compared to the mineral
fertilizer treatments and control [60]. The same statement
was noted in our study; the high microbial biomass car-
bon was 407 mg C ­kg−1 soil recorded in soil amended with
organic fertilization. The improvement of the microbial
population and biomass by compost tea application is per-
haps ascribed principally to the microbial composition of
compost tea, but it could be also attributed to the increased
root biomass and exudates as declared by Chu et al. [60].
Molineux et al. [18] concluded that the compost tea could
be considered as a novel way to apply live microbes to a
substrate. Indeed, generally the compost bacteria act sig-
nificantly as effective microorganisms that contribute in the
plant growth and mineral nutrition [59].
Effect of Treatments on the Agronomic Parameters
Data showed clearly that the effect of treatments on maize
height and diameter, shoot and root fresh weight, and shoot
and root dry weight, was statistically different (Table 3). The
plants inoculated with AMF and/or fertilized with compost
tea or chemical fertilizers have showed highest agronomic
parameters than the non-inoculated and unfertilized plants.
The inoculation of maize with AMF resulted in increasing
the plant height and diameter, and root dry weight by more
than 13, 28, and 41%, respectively compared to the control.
The same trend was noted for the other growth parameters.
This outcome corroborates previous studies that revealed the
positive effect of AMF inoculation on plant growth [e.g. 61].
The mycorrhizal association implicates the mineral nutrient
transfer from the AMF to the colonized plant, which could
explain the improvement of plant biomass as compared to
non-colonized maize. Results showed that, generally, the
effect of chemical and tea compost on maize growth param-
eters was statistically similar (p > 0.05). However, compost
tea was more efficient than chemical fertilizers in increasing
the plant height and root dry weight. The maximal values
Table 3  Effect of treatments on maize growth parameters
Plant height (mm) Plant diameter (mm) Shoot fresh weight (g) Root fresh weight (g) Shoot dry weight (g) Root dry weight (g)
I 80.00 ± 3.56c 9.63 ± 0.48c 49.45 ± 3.32c
MF 81.50 ± 1.29bc 10.45 ± 0.42b 61.43 ± 4.83b
CT 84.75 ± 1.71ab 11.00 ± 0.41b 57.73 ± 4.76b
I + MF 81.75 ± 2.22bc 11.88 ± 0.48a 72.56 ± 2.91a
I + CT 87.75 ± 1.71a 12.13 ± 0.25a 75.91 ± 4.14a
T0 70.75 ± 3.77d 7.50 ± 0.41d 30.04 ± 6.69d
F ANOVA 20.77*** 69.29*** 51.07***
I: inoculated plants with AMF, MF: mineral fertilizer, CT: compost tea, I + MF: inoculated plants with AMF and fertilized with mineral ferti-
lizer, I + CT: inoculated plants with AMF and fertilized with compost tea, T0: control (non-inoculated and unfertilized plants). Data represent
means ± standard deviation. Means followed by the same letter are not statistically different according to Duncan test at P = 0.05, ***p < 0.001
13
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
Waste and Biomass Valorization
were recorded in plants inoculated with AMF and fertilized
with compost tea followed by plants inoculated with AMF
and fertilized with chemical fertilizers. The compost tea
improved the plant height and diameter, and the shoot and
root dry weight by more than 24, 61, 82, and 160%. Sev-
eral studies showed the relevance of compost tea in improv-
ing the growth of several crops [5, 62, 63]. Pant el al. [6]
reported that the compost tea application increased signifi-
cantly total content in N, P, K, Ca, and Mg and growth of
pak choi. Accordingly, the positive effect of compost tea on
plant growth could be explained by its richness in soluble
mineral nutrients assimilated by plant through the root sys-
tem. Our results showed that compost tea was more efficient
than chemical fertilizers in improving the maize length and
root dry weight. Mahmoud et al. [64] noted an improvement
of root development accompanied with better nutrient uptake
in plants fertilized with compost tea than those treated with
mineral fertilizers. This statement revealed that the effect
of compost tea is not related only to the mineral nutrients,
but could also due to other plant growth stimulants. In fact,
according to Eudoxie and Martin [3], some bioactive com-
ponents existed in compost teas could stimulate and improve
plant performance beyond nutrient availability such as phy-
tohormones and humic substances. Likewise, compost tea
is rich in effective microorganisms that could contribute in
the improvement of plant growth.
Conclusion
The preparation of aerated teas from mature compost was
carried out in our study. The nutrient additives improved
significantly the quality of compost tea namely its physico-
chemical and microbial properties, and its effectiveness in
the control of Foa, a soil-borne pathogen. The compost tea
increased the maize growth and the microbial properties
of soil without affecting the colonization of roots by AMF.
Therefore, quality compost teas prepared at suitable ratio and
29.63 ± 1.91b 7.02 ± 0.70b 7.97 ± 0.41d
36.79 ± 2.64a 7.18 ± 0.31b 9.70 ± 0.30c
39.66 ± 2.92a 7.05 ± 0.71b 11.76 ± 0.40b
39.77 ± 1.39a 8.06 ± 0.35a 12.20 ± 0.31b
40.05 ± 2.02a 8.38 ± 0.48a 14.73 ± 0.62a
23.72 ± 2.77c 4.59 ± 0.23c 5.65 ± 0.17e
28.81*** 27.55*** 286.85***
Waste and Biomass Valorization
with additives could be considered as a sustainable biofer-
tilizer and a promising agent to control soil-borne diseases.
Further studies are needed to assess the modes of action
of produced compost tea on Foa inhibition and to evaluate
its effect on AMF abundance and diversity in relation with
plant growth, productivity and protection against soil-borne
pathogens under greenhouse and in field conditions.
Funding This work was partly supported by the R4D project “Appli-
cation of organic bio-fertilizer technology to improve the sustainabil-
ity of date palm production and cultivation” with the grand number
IZ07Z0_160904 funded by the R4D program, the Swiss Program for
Research on Global Issues for Development, a partnership of the Swiss
Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss National Sci-
ence Foundation. The first author wishes to acknowledge the Moroccan
CNRST “Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique”
for a scholarship grant.
Data Availability All data is provided in full in the results section of
this paper.
Declarations
Competing interest The authors declare that they have no known
competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have
appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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