Biotic enrichment of organic wastes from ayurvedic preparations
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Date
2003
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Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
The study on the 'Biotic Enrichment of Organic Wastes from Ayurvedic
Preparations' was conducted at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during the period
2001-2003 using ayurvedic wastes from' Oushadhi, the Pharmaceutical Corporation
(Indian Medicines), a Government of Kerala undertaking. The investigations were
undertaken to standardise the substrate controlled' micro-environment as well as to
identify the promising bioagents for the cornposting of Oushadhi wastes and to determine
the effect of the best selected enriched compost on soil and plant.
The standardisation of the best substrate and enrichment techniques were based
on the principle of aerobic composting. The collected wastes were grouped into three
different size categories such as unsieved, 4 mm sieved and 2 mm sieved. The enrichers
used were cowdung, quail manure and their 1: 1 mixtures, each at 5, 10 and 15 percent
levels respectively. As the introduced biotic agents, two types of earthworms (Eudrilus
eugeniae and Eisenia foetida) and two fungal inoculi (Schizophyllus communae and
Pleurotus platypus) were tried. They were compared with native macrofauna and
micro flora so as to monitor their respective role in the composting process.
Analysis of the alkaloid rich Oushadhi wastes with aromatic odour revealed that it
contains the nutrients N, P and K as 2.03, 0.33 and 0.85 percent respectively,
Biochemical composition of the same, included crude protein (12.67%), crude fibre
(3c,.4%), crude lipid (6.3%), cellulose (35.7%) and lignin (37.9%).
The temperature within the tre~tme~ts of compost was recorded daily and the
fluctuations of pH were noted at fortnightly intervals. Based on these parameters, three
distinct stages of ~omposting as mesophilic (upto 10 days), thermophilic (10-30 days)
and maturity (30-60 days) were identified. Dehydrogenase activity was maximum
(3119.3 ug TPF s" soil h-I) at thermophilic stage, followed by maturity and mesophilic
stages. After the thermophilic stage, the earthworms were introduced and the counts with
respect to Eudrilus eugeniae were more than that of Eisenia foetida at the two stages of
sampling.
Based on the C:N rati~ (11.4) and the least time take (48 days) for maturity the
" best treatment was selected, 'which registered manurial contents ofN (3.62%), P (0.85%)
and K (0.89%). In the same material, the biochemical constituents of crude fibre
(13.9%), crude lipid (0.7%), crude protein (12.68%), lignin (28.2%) and cellulose
(18.8%) were determined. The best means of composting involves the use of the
unsieved substrate which must be enriched with 5 per cent mixture of cowdung and quail
manure (1: 1 ratio) and later vermicomposted with Eisenia foetida.
So as to evaluate the effect of the selected enriched compost, the much responsive
crop amaranthus was field tested for a period of two months. The selected enriched
compost was tested at two rates (5 t ha"1 and 2.5 t ha"I), with and without full and half
levels of recommended package of NPK fertilizers, along with FYM and absolute
control. Recording of growth and yield parameters, nutrient uptake studies and
determination of nutrient removal were undertaken during the period of study, April-May
2003. The results indicated that with higher doses (5 t ha"l) of the selected enriched
compost along with 50:50:50 NPK gave the maximum yield followed by the treatment in
which 2.5 t ha"1 of selected enriched compost along with 50:50:50 NPK was applied.
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