Biodegradation of <I>Lantana camara</I> Using Different Animal Manures and Assessing its Manurial Value for Organic Farming

Abstract

The cultivated and barren lands are frequently observed to be occupied by different weeds. This hinders the crop growth in farm lands and overgrowth of the weeds also reduces the growth of native plants that are important for biodiversity. Lantana camara is an alien species found in cultivated and non cultivated lands of Ethiopia. The biomass is huge that could be utilized by the farmers to prepare compost and vermicompost that could be utilized as an organic manure. The organic farming is getting momentum in improving the soil organic matter and nutrient contents of soil. The soil fertility can be improved by the organic resources especially compost and vermicompost that can be a nutrient rich economic material for the resource poor farmers. The present study was an attempt to produce the Lantana vermicompost with farm wastes and different animal manures (Cow dung, Goat manure, Poultry manure and Swine manure) conducted in the research fields of Haramaya University, Ethiopia. The vermicompost was prepared using the earthworm variety Eisenia foetida , the red worm. The resultant product was analyzed for its nutrient content and suitability to be used as manure. The pH, Organic Carbon, Organic matter, Total Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc and Manganese contents were analyzed and found that these nutrient contents are improved after decomposition. This could be a promising technology to improve the soil fertility in an economic way by the farmers of developing countries.