The Effect of Composted and Un-Composted Date-Palm Waste as a Media on Some Microelements of Tomato Fruit

The experiment was conducted as spilt factorial in a completely randomized block design with 9 treatments and 4 replications under greenhouse condition. Treatments were three composting times (C) and three sizes (S) included: C1S1= (size 0-0.5 cm + 0 month composted), C2S1= (size 0-0.5 cm + 3 months composted), C3S1= (size 0-0.5 cm + 6 months composted), C1S2= (size 0.5-1 cm + 0 month composted), C2S2= (size 0.5-1 cm + 3 months composted), C3S2= (size 0.5-1 cm + 6 months composted), C1S3= (size 1-2 cm + 0 month composted), C2S3= (size 1-2 cm + 3 months composted), C3S3= (size 1-2 cm + 6 months composted). During cultivation, the Papadopolus formula was used as fertigation solution. To compare the effect of plant cultivation, we measured the effects of the same treatments on media without plant. Statistical analysis showed concentrations of Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn were significantly increased at the end of cultivation from culture media without and with plant in compare to before planting (P<0.05). Amounts of Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe in tomato fruit and leaf differed significantly depending on composting time and particle size of culture media (P< 0.05). Maximum concentrations of Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe in tomato fruit and leaf indicated that culture media 6 months composted and size 0.5-1 cm increased microelements of tomato fruit and leaf more than the other treatments. The overall results of this research showed that properties of culture media, media irrigation with nutrient solution and micronutrients absorption by plants were determinant of amounts of available microelements in culture media before and after planting. Also the characteristics of the growing media determined the amounts of microelements in tomato fruit and leaf.