Vol. 7, Issue 4 (2019)
Composting technology for Dalbergia sissoo and Grewia tiliifolia leaf litter
Author(s): R Gogulnath and M Prasanthrajan
Abstract: Litter decomposition takes part in nutrient cycling and this phenomena is carried out by disintegration of complex organic matter into a simpler form by the action of microbial community and this process helps in mineralization of soil and also supply vital nutrients to the soil. To utilize litter generated from the tree species; an attempt was made to develop composting technique for the decomposition of Dalbergia sissoo and Grewia tiliifolia leaf litter using fruit based Effective Microorganisms. About 500 kg of leaf litters were collected and placed in a shady area as different compost bed. Initially 10 kg cow dung slurry was added for composting. Urea was applied @ 2 kg/tonne at the start of the composting. Moisture content of the compost bed was maintained at 60% by adding water in every alternate day. EM culture was added @ 5 lit/tonne. Periodical turning was given over in every ten days interval. The compost quality parameters were monitored at every 15 days interval. The pH of the compost remained neutral (7.18 to 7.21) throughout the composting period. There was slight increase in EC during the composting; however the Electrical Conductivity was not increased beyond 0.99 dS m-1. Overall the nutrient content of compost (N, P, K) was increased. The carbon and C/N ratio were decreased with the advancement of composting. The Fruit based Effective microbial formulations are successful in converting the Dalbergia sissoo into compost in 60 days (C/N ratio, 17.6). The Grewia tiliifolia litters were composted in 75 days (C/N ratio, 17.1).
Pages: 1508-1512 | 493 Views 64 Downloads
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How to cite this article:
R Gogulnath, M Prasanthrajan. Composting technology for Dalbergia sissoo and Grewia tiliifolia leaf litter. Int J Chem Stud 2019;7(4):1508-1512.
