PREPARATION OF COMPOST Large quantity of fresh crop residues, on application directly to soil, causes extremely severe nitrogen immobilization and development of excessive reduced condition in the soil. To overcome such problems organic residues are piled up, moistened, turned occasionally to aerate and allowed adequate time to decompose partially and bring down the carbon nitrogen ratio to about 30. This process is called composting. Compost, is utilized for improving or maintaining soil fertility. The collected organic refuse may be of rural and urban origin and may include straw, leaves, paddy husk, ground nut husk, sugarcane trash, bagasse, cattle dung, urine, crop residues, city garbage, night soil, sewage, kitchen and vegetable wastes, hedge clippings, water hyacinth and all other residues counting organic matter. During composting under thermophilic and mesophilic conditions in windrows, heaps or pits adequate moisture and aeration are essential. The final product is brown to black colored humified material which on addition to soil replenishes plant nutrients, maintains soil organic matter content and helps in improving the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil.
REQUIREMENTS OF COMPOSTING
Ingredients
Quantity
Cow dung
1 truck load
Sheep / goat dung
1 truck load
Coco peat
1 truck load
Coffee pulp
4 tractor load
Black soil
3 tractor load
Rock phosphate
500 kg
Ash
250 kg
Green leaves / dry leaves
2 truck load
Trichoderma & Pseudomonus
25 kg each
Horse gram
1 kg
Live earth worms
10 kg
Water
Required
The above ingredients can be substituted according to the availability of the agricultural wastage’s, animal manure and other raw materials at ones disposa
Preparing the heap : Choose a flat surface with good aeration to prepare compost. Prepare a bed by adding the following ingredients layer by layer in the below mentioned order. Add 70 baskets of cow dung to as the bottom most layer Add 2 bags of rock phosphate Add 2 bags of ash Add 70 baskets of goat / sheep droppings Add 1 tractor of coffee pulp Add a thin layer of dry / green leaves Add 2 bags of rock phosphate Add 2 bags of ash Add 1 tractor load of black soil Add 1 tractor load of coffee pulp Add 70 baskets of coco peat Add 70 baskets of cow dung Add 70 baskets of sheep / goat droppings Add a thin layer of dry / green leaves Add 2 bags of rock phosphate Add 2 bags of ash Add 1 tractor load of black soil Add 1 tractor load of coffee pulp Add 70 baskets of coco peat Add 70 baskets of cow dung Add 2 bags of rock phosphate Add 2 bags of ash Add 70 baskets of sheep / goat droppings Add a thin layer of dry / green leaves Add 2 bags of rock phosphate Add 2 bags of ash Add 1 tractor load of black soil Add 1 tractor load of coffee pulp Add 70 baskets of coco peat
The heap thus formed by adding the above ingredients layer by layer as mentioned will result in a heap of the following dimension: Length – 60 feet; Height – 2 feet; Width – 4 feet This will fetch around 20 tons of compost.
Maintenance : Maintain 60% moisture throughout by spraying water when needed. Maintain 50% shade throughout using shade net or natural shade. Cover the heap using jute mat or agricultural wastes like coconut leaves etc. Add earth worms after 2-3 months of formation of heap. Add horse gram over the entire heap 15 days prior to mulching. Mulching is done by the end of second and fourth month. Shade Maintenance:
Moisture Maintenance :
Enrichment with Nitrogen fixers:
Enrichment with Bio-gas Slurry:
Compost enrichment with AZOLLA:
Well decomposed Compost ready to use
By the end of 5 months when the compost is getting ready add bio control agents like TRICHODERMA and PSEUDOMONUS for enrichment which helps prevent all kinds of soil borne diseases and effectively strengthens immune system of plants. Recommendation: 5-10 kg / Ton After adding Trichoderma and Pseudomonus allow the spores to multiply for 15 days by maintaining moisture up to 20%. The compost thus prepared, enriched with Trichoderma and Pseudomonus can be subsequently applied to desired crops under good moisture condition. Note: Store the compost in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. The process of composting can be accelerated by using COMPOST CULTURE which helps in quick and effective decomposition of raw materials in less than 3 months which otherwise take 5 months.
BASAVARAJ MAGADUM MSC HORTICULTURE RVSKVV GWALIOR COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE MANDSAUR Email : basavarajkkwd@gmail.com mob: 08269795856