BIO-COMPOSTING OF SERI-FARM RESIDUES BY TRICHODERMA VIRIDE

Abstract

With a view to minimize the consumption of chemical fertilizers, farming community should beable to produce and apply organic manures as part of Integrated Plant Nutrition System for reducing costof production of their produce. Adequate quantity of farmyard manure could not be produced due todwindling population of cattle wealth in recent years. Hence, bio-composting is the best option to utilize on farmwastes effectively for nutrient recycling and soil health improvement. Hence, a study on compostingof sericultural residues by using Trichoderma viride was undertaken at 6 farm holdings in Avathanapatti and7 farm holdings at Kasiripalli / Gollapalli in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. The objectives were to studymulberry growth parameters by using the compost prepared by mediation of T. viride and its impact onsilkworm rearing. A quantity of 1 kg of inoculum was mixed with one ton of moistened Seri residue. Thedecomposition was completed in 90 days after inoculation. Thus prepared compost was applied to mulberryand observations were made on growth parameters such as plant height, biomass, leaf yield, shoot weightand leaf shoot ratio and silkworm rearing. The results of the present study revealed that application ofcompost prepared by using T. viride resulted in improvement of biomass and leaf yield besides plant heightin the compost treated plots of both the villages when compared to control. The impact on silkworm rearingwas found better with all the rearing parameters like single larval weight, single shell weight, and singlecocoon weight and shell ratio percentage better besides improvement in cocoon yield.