Physico-chemical, microbial and phytotoxicity evaluation of composts from sorghum, finger millet and soybean straws

Autor: P. S. Jagadabhi, S. P. Wani, M. Kaushal, M. Patil, A. K. Vemula, A. Rathore
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture, Vol 8, Iss 3, Pp 279-293 (2018)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2195-3228
2251-7715
DOI: 10.1007/s40093-018-0240-8
Popis: Abstract Purpose Composting is an environmentally sustainable alternative for bioconversion of agricultural residues into a nutrient-rich product that can enhance soil fertility/microbial diversity and thereby improve agricultural productivity. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the decomposition pattern of the agro-residues and assess the maturity and phytotoxicity of the composts obtained using physico-chemical, microbial and statistical analyses. The study also attempted to determine a threshold germination index (GI) to serve as a maturity index for the composts by conducting seed germination assays with tomato, chickpea and soybean seeds. Methods Three agricultural residues/straws of Eleusine coracana (finger millet), Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) and Glycine max (soybean) were subjected to aerobic composting for a period of 60 days to study the impact of saw dust on the decomposition pattern and the ultimate compost quality/characteristics. Results The results showed efficient decomposition pattern of the agricultural residues characterized by high temperature profiles (up to 70 °C), high microbial activity, a sharp decrease in C/N ratio of the composting materials, i.e., from an initial 41–61 to final 10–17. Conclusions Statistical evaluation of seed germination assays showed that only the compost obtained from sorghum straw + saw dust was mature and free from any phytotoxicity as all the tested seeds showed higher and statistically significant GIs. It was difficult to attribute a single threshold GI value to indicate maturity of compost and could not further be applied to different types of composts as different seeds responded differently to the same compost.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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