Development of Potting Media from Composted Organic Food Waste Supplemented with Trichoderma asperellum and Talaromyces tratensis for Control of Root and Stem-End Rot in Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea)

Abstract

Food waste is a significant factor that directly affects both the environment and human health. Utilizing composted organic food waste to create potting media, especially when supplemented with Trichoderma asperellum and Talaromyces tratensis offers an eco-friendly solution. In this context, the present study aimed to repurpose composted organic food waste into potting media, simultaneously evaluating the efficacy of antagonistic fungi in mitigating root and stem-end rot diseases affecting Chinese kale. For this purpose, 10 distinct formulations of potting mixtures were developed and employed for their efficacy with the aforementioned vegetable. The findings indicated that the media containing composted organic food waste, when used at a ratio of 1 part by volume, notably enhanced its growth. Furthermore, the media composed of an equal blend of composted organic food waste and black chaff exhibited optimal results. This was closely followed by a mixture consisting of composted organic food waste and chopped coconut husks in an identical 1:1 ratio. Moreover, the incorporation of the antagonistic fungus T. asperellum into the potting media was observed to be highly effective against Sclerotium rolfsii, particularly under greenhouse conditions. As an outcome of this intervention, the growth trajectory of Chinese kale mirrored that achieved using chemical fungicides. It is evident from these observations that T. asperellum plays a pivotal role in the biological control of plant diseases.