Quality intensification of compost prepared from agro industrial wastes by phosphate solubilizing fungi.

Author(s): Shrikumar Vijaykumar Mahamuni*, Kavita Kumar Kulkarni, Megha Nivrutti Mulik, Vaishali Shivaji Jadhav, Kajal Pradip Shukla, Kalpana Tukaram Nanaware, Prajakta Baban Nanaware, Savita Bhagwan Deokate, Monali Hambirrao Phadtare, Rajendra Jagannath Marathe

Abstract

Compost, a soil amendment or a growth medium to plants is prepared by combining organic wastes in proper quotients. Efficient decomposing culture accelerates composting process. Present investigation was carried out to assess the composting power of consortium of five phosphate solubilizing fungi isolated from sugarcane and sugar beet rhizosphere including Aspergillus niger (NFCCI 1991), Aspergillus awamori (NFCCI 1992), Penicillium oxalicum (NFCCI 1997), Penicillium rubrum (NFCCI 1998) and Trichoderma viridae (NFCCI 1999), on availability of nutrients along with different kinds of agro- industrial wastes viz., sugar cane trash, farm yard manure, spent wash, press mud cake, molasses and dairy waste. The highest values of available phosphorous and nitrogen were recorded in the fungal consortium inoculated treatments, showing rise by 72.49 to 89.71 per cent and 61.92 to 92.51 per cent, respectively as compared to uninoculated control. In fungal inoculated treatments available potassium, enzyme activities and CO2 evolution rate were also found to be increased. Inoculation of fungal consortium developed mature compost within 60-65 days.

Share this article

International Journal of Bioassays is a member of the Publishers International Linking Association, Inc. (PILA), CROSSREF and CROSSMARK (USA). Digital Object Identifier (DOI) will be assigned to all its published content.