A pot experiment was conducted on a low-fertility calcareous soil in order to evaluate the effect on ryegrass growth and nutrient uptake of an organic fertiliser obtained by composting "alperujo" and cotton gin waste. Compost, alone and combined with nitrogen fertilisation, was added to the soil at three rates and three harvests were obtained. The compost application enhanced plant growth in the first and third harvest. However, the additional nitrogen fertilisation clearly improved soil productivity due to the scarce availability of this nutrient in the compost. Also, a general increase in the plant contents of phosphorus and potassium in the first two harvests was recorded, whereas treatments with the maximum compost rate showed the highest plant content of copper in the last two harvests. Decreases in calcium in the last two harvests, in magnesium in all of them and in iron and manganese in the last harvest were also observed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.