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Preparation of Compost from Water-hyacinth and Its Effect on the Rice and Jute Emergence and Seedling Growth in Some Soils of Bangladesh

G. H. RASHID
Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

M. K. RAHMAN
Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka,Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Water-hyacinth plants were allowed to decompose in the gunny bags. Within two months the C/N ratio fell to 8. The compost had shown beneficial effects on the germination and seedling growth of rice and jute in most cases in the pot culture experiment. The method of preparing compost in the gunny bags was thus found to be rapid.

Keywords: Compost, Water-hyacinths, Germination and seedling growth of rice and jute

Location: Net house of the Department of Soil Science

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

To prepare compost from these plants and observe its effects on the germination and seedling growth of rice and jute in three different soils of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Three soils, the Brahmaputra alluvium (BAS), the Gangetic alluvium (GAS) and the Madhupur red (MRS) soils were collected from a depth of 0-15 cm., dried in the air, ground and passed through a 2 mm sieve. Water-hyacinth plants were collected from a lake at Maghbazar, Dhaka in mid July, 1989. They were cut into pieces and put in the gunny bags. The bags were tightly filled and the mouths were tied up with ropes, put together (in a heap) and allowed to decompose for a period of 1, 2 and 3 months in the net house of the Department of Soil Science. The gunny bags were used to ensure that the initial fermentation temperature remains high to promote the activity of the thermophiles on the one hand (Stutzenberger et al., 1970) and to destroy the plant pathogens on the other. The bags were watered time to time just to keep them moist. As and when the bags showed sign of rotting the contents were put into new bags. After the stipulated time samples were dried in the air and pulverized. The carbon and nitrogen contents of the compost were determined. Taking into consideration of the C/N ratio the two months' old compost was utilized for the pot experiments. Procedure A pot experiment was set up in the net house of the Department of Soil Science, Dhaka University in the month of April, 1990 to study the effects of the compost on the germination and seedling growth of rice BR3 and jute: 0-2 variety. Three sets of experiment were laid out with four replications for each crop seed in three different soils. The treatment combinations are as follows: Ao = Control; A1 = 500 Kg organic C/ha; A2 = 1000 Kg organic C/ha; A3 = 1500 Kg organic C/ha. Three kgs of soil were spread on a polyethylene sheet and required quantity of powdered compost was distributed over the soil surface uniformly and then mixed thoroughly with the bulk of soil. The mixture was put in the medium size pots and moistened to bring it to field moist condition. The pots were then allowed to stand for seven days for physico-chemical and biological readjustments. Loss of moisture through evaporation was compensated time to time. Hundred seeds of each crop were sown per pot. The germination percentage of rice was recorded on the fourth and eight days and that of jute on the third and sixth days after sowing. The growth of seedlings of rice and jute was recorded on the 14th day after sowing. Analytical: Ammonical, nitrate and total N of soils were determined by following the methods described by Piper (1950). The mechanical composition was determined by the hydrometer method as described by Piper (1950) and organic C by following Walkley and Black's rapid titration method (1934). The pH was measured with a glass electrode.

Source of Information: Proc. Seminar on Research Findings in Some Biotech. Aspects, 1990

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The findings of this report reveal that the decomposition of water-hyacinth plants was very rapid in the gunny bags and only within two months the C/N ratio fell to 8 from 20 and no pathogenic attack on the seedlings was encountered. Though the embryonic reserves support to the initial seedling growth yet the application of compost had shown some favourable effect in most cases on the germination and seedling growth rice and jute in this study.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings