Enriched Compost Production Technique from Water Hyacinth

Abstract

Water hyacinth is an aquatic weed and is known for causing a series of problems for aquatic life. If targeted properly, it can act as an extremely important alternative source of organic material for production of nutrient enriched organic manures by composting process. Water hyacinth has remarkable nutritive properties which not only result in healthy aquatic system but also add manure in the soil for sustainable productivity. Composting refers to the conversion of organic waste into organic manure. Composting is the biological decomposition and stabilization of organisms under condition that allows development of the thermophilic temperature because of biologically produced heat; with a final product sufficiently stable for storage and application to field without any adverse environmental effect .Keeping the above in mind then experiment was conducted at the farm of Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal (geographical location 23° 18 . N latitude, 77° 2l' E longitude, altitude 485m ams). Water hyacinth collected .from Kaliasot river passing by Danish Kun) Bhopal and Cow dung as a raw material .from Lamba Kheda village near IISS, Bhopal. Rock phosphate, lime and urea amendment, arranged .from Soil Biology Division, IISS, and Bhopal for production of different types of enriched composts prepared from water hyacinth. Result of the study revealed that water hyacinth has remarkable nutritive properties that can be used to produce nutrient enriched compost which not only result in healthy aquatic system but control act as soil amendments. Different enriched composts .from water hyacinth viz; phospho compost, phospho compost with lime, phospho nitro compost; phospho nitro compost, vermicompost and microbial enriched composts. Among these composts, the highest percentage of N was evaluated in phospho nitro compost and phospho compost. The highest percentage of P and K were also recorded in phospho nitro compost (P 0.89and K 1.04) and the lowest percentage of P and K being recorded in control (P 0.56 and K 1.02).