Effects of compost and compost water extract derived from agricultural wastes on yield and nutritional composition of Lepidium sativum microgreens

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, and nutritional profile of Lepidium sativum microgreens cultivated with compost, compost water extract, and peat.Method: Control (100% peat), C100 (100% compost), C50 (50% peat+50% compost), C25 (75% peat+25% compost), and WE100 (100% water extract), WE50 (50% water extract), and WE25 (25% water extract) obtained from compost were used for cultivation of L. sativum microgreens under LED (light-emitting diode) light source. Fresh weight of shoot (mg/shoot), fresh yield (kg/m2), dry biomass (g/m2), and chlorophyll, carotenoid, and nutrition element content of microgreens were measured. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of macro- and microelements of microgreens was calculated.Findings: While the highest mean fresh weight of shoot of L. sativum microgreens was measured as 27.65 mg/shoot in media of C50, the highest fresh yield and dry biomass of microgreens were measured as 1.870 kg/m2 and 94.81 g/m2 in media of WE50. Chlorophyll a content of microgreens cultivated in C100, C25, and WE100 was significantly lower than control (P