Effects of nutrient enriched municipal solid waste compost on soil fertility, crop yield and nutrient content in brinjal

Abstract

Composting is a good option of solid waste recycling, but its use by the farmers is limited because of its low nutrient status. Our study has considered organic amendments to increase nutrient status of MSW compost. We prepared three types of amended compost by mixing 20% mustard oil cake (MOC) and 30% poultry manure (PM) or cowdung (CD) or sugarcane press mud (SPM) with 50% MSW compost. Trichoderma viridi inoculum was used to accelerate the composting process. Different amendments improved the nutrient level of MSW compost. A field experiment was conducted to measure the performances of amended MSW composts alone and with fertilizers on yield and nutrient content of brinjal (Solanum melongena) and soil fertility. The experiment was carried out at Bangladesh Agricultural University research farm having silt loam texture, 6.7 pH and 2.79% organic matter; the soil was Aeric Haplaquept under the order Inceptisols. There were 10 treatments consisting of chemical fertilizers (urea, TSP, MoP, gypsum & zinc sulphate) and four types of MSW compost (3 enriched and 1 unenriched). The nutrient status of soil had increased due to application of composts. Based on the results of fruit (edible portion) yield and N, P, K and S concentrations of brinjal, and soil nutrient availability, the mixture 50% fertilizers +10 t ha-1 of enriched compost (MSW + MOC + SPM in a ratio of 5:2:3) was found as the best treatment. Results of this study have significant value in fertilizer management strategies for brinjal cultivation in sub-tropical countries.