Compost Tea

Research and Education Grant: SW07-073, Enhancing Phyto-Nutrient Content, Yield and Quality of Vegetables with Compost Tea in the Tropics, Theodore Radovich, principal investigator, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science, University of Hawaii, 3190 Maile Way, St. John 102, Honolulu, HI 96822, (808) 956-8351, Theodore@hawaii.edu. Western SARE funding: $162,500

Compost teas, which are aerated liquid extracts of compost, have been shown in many areas to improve crop yields and plant nutrient quality. Applying compost teas in Pacific island agriculture could potentially have significant benefits, but little is known about the interactions between the teas and various crops under tropical conditions. The purpose of this Research and Education grant is to engage farmers, researchers and industry professionals to address these knowledge gaps. It will quantify the independent and interactive effects of compost quality and vegetable type, under both conventional and organic systems, on yield and nutrient content of root, fruit and leaf vegetables. It will assess the effect of compost tea applications on yield, nutrient content and profitability on commercial vegetable operations on three Hawaii islands. And it will teach producers how to employ compost tea to increase yields and plant nutrients.