Food Waste Compost-based Bioponics with Vermicompost Leachate Supplementation

In this study, food waste compost (500 g dry wt./system) derived from cafeteria vegetable waste was used as a substrate in bioponics to grow lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) for two consecutive cycles (35 days/cycle) without substrate replacement. Bioaugmentation with vermicompost leachate was applied weekly (1% v/v in cycle 1 and 5% v/v in cycle 2) and compared to the control (without vermicompost leachate).