Utilization of organic compost as substrate for vegetable seedling production

The viability of the organic compost utilization as a substrate for vegetable seedlings production, obtained from Crotalaria juncea L. and Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), was determined. The research was developed with lettuce (leaf vegetable), beetroot (root vegetable) and tomato (fruit vegetable). The organic composts were produced from: 100% Crotalaria Juncea; 66% Crotalaria Juncea + 33% Napier; 33% Crotalaria Juncea + 66% Napier; 100% Napier; 33% Crotalaria Juncea + 66% Napier, inoculated with 5% of the mass with cattle manure; 33% Crotalaria Juncea + 66% Napier, inoculated with 100 L of 5% diluted Agrobio; 100% Napier, inoculated with 100 L of 5% diluted Agrobio. We evaluated the height, leaf number, aerial green weight and aerial dry weight. A commercial substrate Plantmax HT(R) was used as control. The compost produced from the mixture of 66% Crotalaria Juncea and 33% Napier presented the best results, being adequate for the production of lettuce, bectroot and tomato seedlings.