Browsing by Author "Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi"

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    Bioconversion of Paddy and Coffee Husks As organic Manure and its Effect on Plant Growth and Soil Fertility
    (Avinashilingam, 2024-09) Sambana Hema; Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi
    Biocomposting plays an important role in managing the agro based industrial waste in organic farming to minimize the soil hazards, the present work has been designed to investigate the “Bioconversion of paddy and coffee husks as organic manure and its effect on plant growth and soil fertility” using Pleurotus eous, Pleurotus florida, Trichoderma asperelloides and Eisenia fetida. The results of microbial population study revealed significant increase of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in C6 (Raw coffee husk + 6.5g Pleurotus eous, 6.5g Pleurotus florida, 7g Trichoderma asperelloides + Eisenia fetida (5t/ha) followed by C3 (Raw paddy husk + 6.5g Pleurotus eous, 6.5g Pleurotus florida, 7g Trichoderma asperelloides + Eisenia fetida (5t/ha) on 20, 40, 60 and 80 days. Observations with FT-IR and FESEM revealed the morphological structure, maturity and stability of biocomposts as well as physico - chemical parameters clearly showed that among 6 biocomposts, C6 showed significant reduction in lignin, cellulose, EC, organic carbon, C:N ratio and increase in total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in comparison to other biocomposts, raw paddy and coffee husks. The pot culture experiments were conducted with control and 6 treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6) on moth bean, black gram, fenugreek and kalmegh. T6 showed significant growth in all biometric parameters (root length, shoot length, number of leaves, number of nodules, fresh weight and dry weight) and yield parameters (number of pods/plant, length of the pod, number of seeds/pod, weight of the seeds/ pod, fresh and dry weight of the pods) when compared to control and other treatments. Biochemical parameters (protein, carbohydrate, chlorophyll ’a’, chlorophyll ‘b’, total chlorophyll in leaves, leghaemoglobin in nodules, protein and carbohydrate in seeds) of all the four test plants was maximum in T6. Phytochemical screening of methanol seed and leaf extracts of fenugreek and kalmegh grown under treatment 6 showed various phytochemicals when compared to control. Treatment 6 methanol seed (moth bean, black gram, and fenugreek) and leaf (kalmegh) extracts revealed notable antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Fenugreek and kalmegh methanol seed and leaf extracts of best treatment (T6) showed maximum scavenging activity and antibacterial activity. Pre and post-harvest soil analysis showed maximum increase in initial soil pH, electrical conductivity, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in Treatment 6 when compared to control and other treatments of all the four plants. Therefore, biocomposted paddy and coffee husk produced by Pleurotus eous, Pleurotus florida, Trichoderma asperelloides and Eisenia fetida was found to be an efficient organic manure. Application of this biocompost has rejuvenated the depleted soil fertility, enriched the available pool of nutrients enhanced the biometric, biochemical, yield parameters, antioxidant, antibacterial activities and phytochemical contents of the test plants. Hence, it can be concluded that biocomposting of paddy and coffee husk has immense potential for recycling and recovery of plant nutrients from agro industrial wastes.
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    Effect of Biocomposted Sugarcane Trash and Bagasse on Selected Crop Plants and Soil Nutrient Status
    (2024-03) Gnanamani K; Dr. A. Vijayalakshmi
    Organic manures are excellent source of plant available nutrients and their addition to soil could maintain high microbial population. Several methods have been developed to convert agricultural wastes into organic manure to replace inorganic fertilizers. Sugarcane bagasse dumped on road sides pollute air and water which has an impact on environment. Agro industrial waste of sugarcane trash and sugarcane bagasse are rich in cellulose and hemicellulose contents. Insitu composting of cane trash can be a good alternate to mitigate these problem. The bio composted sugarcane trash incorporation in the soil influences physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Bagasse is a lignocellulosic waste from sugar mills and agricultural processing. The aim of the present study is to recycle Sugarcane trash and Sugarcane bagasse waste into compost as manure and analyse its microbial population, physico-chemical and FT-IR in raw and compost sample. The compost was incorporated into different treatments and evaluated its effect on vegetative growth, biochemical, yield, soil status, soil microbial population, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Onion (Allium cepa L.), Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). The study was carried out in four different phases. In phase I, composting was carried out in pit using Pleurotus florida, Trichoderma asperelloides, Microbial consortium and Eudrilus eugeniea. Microbial population composting revealed that treatment C5 noted highest bacterial, fungal and actinobacteria count on 30th day with remarkable increase on 60th day and the microbial population was gradually declined on 90th day respectively. A significant decrease in lignin, cellulose, EC, organic carbon and C:N ratio was noted in C5 treatment when compared to the raw sample. The increasing trend was noted in C5 and C2 treatment for pH, N, P, K, Ca and Mg respectively. The FT-IR spectroscopic analysis showed that raw sugarcane trash and sugarcane bagasse waste sample has a deep peak when compared to the composted sample having a smaller or disappearing peak which may be due to the composting process. The findings of phase II revealed that the biometric character of Onion (Allium cepa L.) is increased in T3 treatment when compared to the control on 30, 60 and 90 DAS. Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) is increased in T4 treatment when compared to the control on 30, 60 and 90 DAS. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is maximum in T3 treatment over the control on 30, 60 and 90 DAS. Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is highest in T5 treatment when compared to the control on 30, 60 and 90 DAS. Maximum number of bulbs, diameter of bulb (cm), bulb length (cm), single bulb weight (g) and bulb yield per plot (kg) content was more in T3 treatment when compared to the control on 90 DAS in onion (Allium cepa L.). A significant increase in number of fruits, diameter of fruits (cm), single fruit weight (g), fruit yield per plant (kg) and fruit yield per plot (kg) in T4 treatment when compared to control on 90 DAS in black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.). Maximum number of fruits, diameter of fruits (cm), single fruit weight (g), fruit yield per plant (kg) and fruit yield per plot (kg) in T3 treatment when compared to the other treatment and control on 90 DAS in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The number of fruits, fruit length (cm), single fruit weight (g), fruit yield per plant (kg) and fruit yield per plot (kg) was increased in T5 treatment on 90 DAS in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). The phase III results revealed that Maximum protein, carbohydrates and chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content in leaves was noted in T3 treatment when compared to the control and other treatment on 30, 60 and 90 DAS in onion (Allium cepa L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The increase in protein, carbohydrates and chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content in leaves was observed in T4 treatment on 30, 60 and 90 DAS in black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.). A significant increase in protein, carbohydrates and chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content in leaves were recorded in T5 treatment when compared to the control and other treatment on 30, 60 and 90 DAS in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). Phase IV results showed maximum initial soil pH, electrical conductivity, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium in T5 treatment over the control. The post-harvest soil crops grown in Onion (Allium cepa L.) is increased in T3 treatment. Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) is increased in T4 treatment. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is maximum in T3 treatment. Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is highest in T5 treatment. Initial soil microbial population of bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria were observed in T3 treatment when compared to the control. Post-harvest soil microbial population of bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria were maximum T3 in onion, T4 in black nightshade, T3 in tomato and T5 in brinjal. Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Allium cepa L. in T3 treatment, Solanum nigrum L. in T4 treatment, Solanum lycopersicum L. in T3 treatment and Solanum melongena L. in T5 treatment showed highest zone of inhibition in best treatments when compared to the control. From the present study it is concluded that the combined application of compost produced from Sugarcane trash and sugarcane bagasse in an eco-friendly way enhanced the growth of the crops investigated.