Macro-Nutrient Composition and Feasibility of Fruit Wastes as Agricultural Amendments

Fruit waste is an extensive problem, especially in areas where perishable fruits possess a short shelf life, resulting in considerable waste. A method of recycling fruit waste involves using it as a soil amendment, which can reduce the environmental harm caused by artificial fertilisers while supplying essential nutrients to plants from the soil. This study seeks to evaluate the feasibility of particular tropical fruit byproducts as soil amendments. Four diverse fruit varieties were analysed for their nutritional value: pineapple, coconut, watermelon and orange peels. Analysis of nutrient content using ICP-OES revealed that pineapple waste included the highest Magnesium (Mg) concentration at 2420.67 mg/kg, but watermelon rinds displayed the highest Potassium (K) levels at 37426.67 mg/kg and Phosphorus (P) at 2675.33 mg/kg. Concurrently, orange peels had the highest calcium (Ca) concentration at 7756.00 mg/kg among the assessed samples. Nutrient analysis using ICP-OES concluded that pineapple waste contained the highest Magnesium (Mg) concentration, while watermelon rinds exhibited the highest levels of Potassium (K) and Phosphorus (P) in a notable trend. A one-way ANOVA reveals that watermelon rinds have the highest nutritional value and considerable potential as soil amendments, with a p-value<0.05 indicating statistical significance. This indicates the possibility of employing fruit waste as an alternative nitrogen source for soils, thereby alleviating the surplus waste in the market by repurposing it for soil fertilisation.