Abstract

EVALUATION OF EFFECT OF DECOMPOSED COIRPITH ON PLANT GROWTH AND COIRPITH MATURITY ASSAY

M. Kishnaveni* and G. Krishnakumari

Abstract

Coir pith is a lignocellulosic substrate, decomposes very slowly in soil as it contains 30%-35% of lignin. The Basidiomycetes fungus - Pleurotus sajor caju, slowly degrades lignin, detoxifies phenolic compounds, produces bio-polymersing enzymes. The cellulosic compounds in the coir waste supports the initial growth of fungus and acts as a co-substrate for lignin degradation. The present study was designed to study the effect of Pleurotus sajorcoju, Streptomyces violaceusniger, Urea, Yeast sludge, Ipomoea indica, Eudrilus eugeniae on coirpith. The coirpith was mixed properly along with the different substrates and its physical, chemical properties, maturity, microbial count, germination, plant shoot and root growth was also observed. Considerable changes in physical and chemical properties, enzymes, biochemical components, minerals was identified in the coirpith mixed with different substrate after a period of 90 days, which aids the germination as well as growth of plant shoot, root. Which might be due to the increased humic acid content, CO2 evolution, microbial count etc. The results obtained shows that it might form a better source of manure equivalent to vermicomposting.

Keywords: Coir pith, substrates, physical, chemical, mineral.