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

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Title Physico‑chemical, microbial and phytotoxicity evaluation of composts from sorghum, finger millet and soybean straws
 
Creator Jagadabhi, P.S.
Wani, S.P.
Kaushal, M.
Patil, M.
Vemula, A.K.
Rathore, A.
 
Subject STRAW
COMPOSTS
PHYTOTOXICITY
MATURITY
SEED GERMINATION
 
Description Open Access Journal; Published online: 24 Dec 2018
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.
Peer Review
 
Date 2019-09-04T15:21:12Z
2019-09-04T15:21:12Z
2018
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Jagadabhi, P.S., Wani, S.P., Kaushal, M., Patil, M., Vemula, A.K. & Rathore, A. (2018). Physico-chemical, microbial and phytotoxicity evaluation of composts from sorghum, finger millet and soybean straws. International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture, 1-15.
2195-3228
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103493
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-4.0
 
Format 1-15
 
Source International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture