Abstract

(Introduction):  The control and management of invasive species generates high volumes of waste material whose management and disposal becomes a problem. The use of this waste material through the composting process could lead to a substrate with potential use as germination and propagation substrate of native species, therefore giving possible solutions to the quantity of mass generated in the control.

(Objective):  Validate the compost produced from invasive species as a potential substrate for propagation and growth of native species within the process of ecological restoration in Bogotá Colombia.

(Methodology):   Fifty seeds of three native species were sown in five treatments with different proportions of black soil and compost. The compost raw materials were Ulex europaeus L and Genista monspessulana (L.) L.A.S. Johnson. To evaluate its use germination, mortality, epigeal and hypogeal growth were measured.

(Results):  Verbesina crassiramea S. F. Blake showed the highest germination in the substrate with 100 % compost followed by 0 % compost, 75, 50 and 25 % respectively. Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq., showed a germination gradient of 75 compost, followed by 50, 100, 0 and 25 %. Duranta mutisii L.f. had an inverse germination gradient. The substrate with 25 % compost caused the lowest germination and highest mortality of Dodonaea viscosa and Verbesina crassiramea. Dodonaea viscosa grew best in substrates with 75 % compost, with the highest germination value, root growth, aerial development and biomass generated.

(Conclusions):  Compost from invasive species, can be used as a substrate for the propagation of native species in early stages, the expression of invasive species was not evidenced, being an alternative to reduce the demand of soil.

Keywords: Biomass; germination; growth; invasive species; mortality