Co-composting of invasive weed water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) with organic manures
Abstract
Water hyacinth is an invasive weed causing serious damage to waterbodies of Kerala by way of blockage of water channels, eutrophication, sedimentation, water quality deterioration etc.Various treatment combinations were used to corroborate the bio utilization of water hyacinth infesting the Vellayani fresh water lake as a nutritive manure and its physico-chemical characterization was investigated through aerobic co-composting with organic manures viz. cowdung, pig manure and poultry manure on weight basis (1:1 and 2:1), effective microorganisms or EM (10:1.5), and with Pleurotus sp (1000:1.5). Co-composting of water hyacinth + poultry manure (2:1) recorded significantly higher N (2.557 %), P (1.397 %) and K (2.132 %) contents withlower C: N ratio (7.53:1) at 120 days after initiation (DAI) of composting. Micro nutrients such as Zn (309.00 mg/kg) and Cu (354.33 mg/kg) were higher in water hyacinth + pig manure (2:1). Significantly higher B (41.00 mg/kg), Mn (1839.33 mg/kg) and Fe content (5780.23 mg/kg) were recorded in water hyacinth + poultry manure (2:1), water hyacinth + poultry manure (1:1) and water hyacinth + cow dung (1:1) respectively. The time taken for maturity of compost was the least in water hyacinth + cow dung (1:1)(107 days) which was on par with water hyacinth + poultry manure (1:1) (108 days). The pH range of all the treatments were found to be near neutral (6.7 to 7.2). The EC of the co-composts were in the acceptable range of 1.46 to 2.72 dS/m. The co-compost of water hyacinth + cow dung at both the weight ratios recorded the lowest temperature (26.56 °C and 26.73°C respectively). The highest recovery percentage of compost was recorded in water hyacinth + poultry manure (1:1) (46.89%).
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