Aerobic composting and enrichment of ayurvedic waste
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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 "Aerobic Composting of Ayurvedic Waste" was conducted
at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during the period 2001-2003, to investigate
the basic physico-chemical properties of Oushadhi waste material, standardize
formulations of enriched compost from the waste material and also to determine the
effect of compost on plant and soil.
. The waste material for the .study was collected from the manufacturing
unit of Oushadhi pharmaceuticals l6c~d at Kuttanelloor, 8 km east of Thrissur. The
factory produced nearly 1 tonne of waste per day during the manufacture of various
products like Lehyam, Arishtam, Choomam, Kalkam etc. Hence the safe disposal of
these wastes was a serious problem.
A preliminary study was conducted to confirm the basic physico-chemical
properties of the waste material for a period of 6 months by taking composite samples
from the factory at an interval of 10 days. Temperature, pH, microbial count, colour,
odour and consistency as well as the major nutrient contents of the waste material
were analysed during the time period.
Then the waste material were categorised into three substrates namely
unsieved (01), 4 mm sieved (02) and 2 mm sieved (03) fractions. Then each substrate
was enriched with organic and inorganic enrichers at different levels. The organic
enrichers used were cowdung, poultry manure and neemcake each at 5, 10 and 15 per
cent of substrate and also their mixtures. The study involved aerobic composting of
enriched treatment combinations in pots of size 30 x 32 cm2.
Temperature was measured daily and other parameters like pH,
dehydrogenase activity and C: N ratio were monitored at 10 days interval throughout
the composting process. The end phase of the bioprocessing was arrived at through
indications on stabilisation of temperature, pH and the quality of material. Nutrient
quality of the composted waste material was arrived at by analysing the content of N,
P and K at initial and [mal stages of comp 0 sting.
The best selected enriched compost was used to study the effect on plant
and soil. It was field tested using amaranthus (var. Arun) near the vegetable farm of
Department of Olericulture. The selected enriched compost was tried at three levels -
5, 2.5 and 1 t ha". A combination of the selected enriched compost at these three
levels along with full doze and half doze of recommended NPK was also tried. For
comparing the efficiency of the compost over FYM, FYM @ 5 t ha-I and FYM 5 t
ha-I along with full dose of recommended NPK was also tried. An absolute control
was also tried in field.
The pot experiments on composting revealed that the selected enriched
compost was superior in nutrient contents compared to ordinary composts. This
enriched compost contained 3.25, 0.36 and 0.68 per cent N, P and K respectively.
Apart from its nutrient value compost observed was odourless and fme textured near
neutral pH of 6.37. The compost matured within 50 days resulting in a favourable C:N
ratio of 12 at maturity. With respect to organic and inorganic enrichers, eventhough
the nutrient content was' high in inorganic enrichment the time taken for attaining
maturity was low in organic enricher' treatment combinations due to the high
temperature registered by these treatment combinations during all periods of
composting.
. From the field study, it was inferred that with higher doses of selected
compost, there was corresponding increase in growth and yield in test crop. However
the selected compost at the highest level i.e. 5 t ha-I with full dose of recommended
NPK emerged as the best treatment for economic yield return. This treatment also
witnessed the increased build of available nutrient status of soil. This treatment could
bring down expenditure for raising the crop without affecting the yield. The SEC
application also resulted in increased nutrient availability by increasing the CEC and
water holding capacity of soil.
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