Effective management and composting of organic wastes using new developed consortia

Abstract

The process of composting is a feasible biological treatment for the recycling of organic wastes as an amendment or fertilizer. The objective of this study was to qualify an optimum consortium during 120 days composting for different beds (manure, sawdust, leaves and straw) in order to understand the process of composting. Different parameters such as total organic carbon, total nitrogen and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio were measured at the first, middle and end of composting period. The pH widely fluctuated (6.59–9.38) in rotten caw manure (RCM) consortia; but, the same trend has been observed in other consortia during the experiment. There were significant differences among the treatments with increase in organic matter loss (OM loss) and decrease of total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) over time. During composting process, total nitrogen in RCM and Pantoea Agglomerans bacteria (PAB) consortia increased to 2.95% and 3.02%, respectively, which led to significant decrease in carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for some treatments at the end of experiment. Manure treated-consortia recorded numerically higher solution forms of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio normally ranged between standard limit of other studied beds. Manure-composted RCM that reached the standard values to efficiency improves soil and plant properties than other combinations. The new consortia will be able to reduce the required time for decomposition by supplying the nutrient enriched compost products.