Assessing the Effectiveness of Various Decomposers in Sugarcane Trash Composting

Abstract

Sugarcane produces about 10 to 12 tonnes of dry leaves per hectare per crop. The detrashing is done during its growth period. This trash contains organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. The sugarcane trash incorporation in the soil influences physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. There is a reduction in soil EC, improvement in the water holding capacity, better soil aggregation and thereby improves porosity in the soil. Villupuram district one of the highest sugarcane producing district in Tamil Nadu. The farmers in this district are not aware about the sugarcane trash composting and burning the trashes in the field itself. Burning of sugarcane trash is a hazardous practice which has affected soil health, air, human health etc. leading to massive impact as well as monetary losses. The present study aimed at assessing the various decomposers in sugarcane trash. the average compost yield of TNAU Biomineralizer is 1.04 ton whereas the compost yield of Waste decomposer is 1.23 tonnes and which is 18 % increase over TNAU Biomineralizer. Regarding the duration of composting process, the waste decomposer taken only 63 days in an average to decompose the sugarcane trash whereas TNAU biomineralizer taken 73 days in average to decompose the sugarcane trash. The composting process is faster in waste decomposer applied sugarcane heap than the TNAU Biomineralizer applied heap. The C:N ratio of TNAU bio mineralizer applied sugarcane trash was 28:1 whereas the C:N ratio of waste composer applied sugarcane trash was 25:1. Composting process is faster in waste decomposer applied sugarcane heap than the TNAU Biomineralizer applied heap. The compost yield was also comparatively high in waste decomposer applied sugarcane heap.