Composting with coirpith
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Coirpith improves rate of water infiltration and increases nutrient availability to crops.
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The compost can absorb water up to eight times its weight
COIRPITH IS an agricultural waste produced from the coir industry.
Approximately 180 grams of coirpith is obtained from the husk of one coconut. Coirpith contains Carbon : Nitrogen in the ratio of 112:1 and contains 75 per cent lignin which does not permit natural composting as in other agricultural wastes.
Mushroom Pleurotus has the capacity to degrade part of the lignin present in coirpith by production of enzymes like cellulases and lactases.
The carbon: nitrogen ratio of coirpith is reduced from 112:1 to 24:1 as a result of composting.
Composting method
Select a shaded place of 5 x 3 m dimension and level it after removing weeds. Spread 100 kg of coirpith uniformly. Spread 300 g of Pleurotus spawn on this and cover with a second layer of 100 kg of coirpith. On the surface of the second layer, spread one kg of urea uniformly.
Repeat this sandwiching of one layer of coirpith with spawn followed by another layer of coirpith with urea up to one metre height.
Sprinkle water to keep the heap moist. Allow the heap to decompose for one month.
Manure conversion
The coirpith is converted into good manure after 30 to 40 days and the lignin content is reduced from 40 per cent to 30 per cent. The nitrogen content is increased from 0.20 per cent to 1.06 per cent.
Coirpith compost contains macronutrients and micronutrients. It can absorb water up to eight times its weight. Coirpith, when added to sandy soil at 2 per cent increases the water holding capacity up to 40 per cent.
It can be applied to a wide variety of crops and can be used to prepare potting mixture and can be applied as organic manure in kitchen gardens.
P.M. AJITH
& P. MANJU
College of Agriculture,
Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram
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