Effect of Millet Stalks and Shea Nut Shells on Biogas Production

Abstract

Biogas production undergoes decomposition of organic compounds under anaerobic condition. This present work investigated the yield of biogas production from Shea nut shell and millet stalk and their blends with sheep dung. It was revealed that sheep dung (control) had the highest yield with an average production of 187.8 ml of gas for 102 days followed by sheanut shell - sheep dung blends which had 123.3 ml of gas for 102 days. Millet stalk - sheep dung blends recorded 75.9 ml of gas for 79 days. Shea nut shell and millet stalk presented 31.5 ml of gas for 81 days and 7.1 ml of gas for 48 days respectively while the pH for production ranged from 10.1 to 4.6. The moisture contents recorded for millet stalk, Shea nut shell and sheep dung before and after production were 40%, 45%, 65% and 80%, 65%, 85 respectively, and also the recorded ash contents before and after production were, 35%, 45%, 40% and 85%, 75%, 65%, respectively. It was observed that the blending of Shea nut shell and sheep dung greatly improves biogas yield while Millet stalks alone are good material for biogas production at a reasonable pH and moisture content values.