Flower Waste Degradation Using Microbial Consortium

Abstract

Huge amounts of flowers are offered in temples in India creating a large amount of flower waste. The temple wastes are released in the water bodies or dumped at the available places of land which creates severe environmental pollution and health hazards. Hence present study was under taken to develop efficient microbial consortium for degradation of flower waste. In nature, microorganisms do not live isolated, they coexist with many different microorganisms establishing relationships with each other which help them to degrade highly complex organic compound to simple stable end products. Therefore in the present work instead of individual isolates an attempt is made to develop microbial consortium for degradation of flower waste. Soil samples were collected from the area near the temple. Serial dilutions of soil were prepared. Bacteria were isolated by spreading one ml of each dilution on sterile nutrient agar plates. Soil isolates obtained were tested for its ability to degrade the flower waste. The flower waste was collected from the different temples, it was dried and 1% sterile, dried powder of this flower waste was added in the minimal medium (without carbon source). The soil isolates were streak inoculated on this flower waste agar medium. Isolates showing prominent growth on this medium were selected for consortium development. Various combinations of soil isolates were used. Five percent inoculum of different consortia was spread on flower waste chambers. It was incubated aerobically. Degradation was checked after specific time interval. Microbial consortium helped in reducing the time required for degrading large amount of flower waste. With this approach we can prepare good quality bio manure without causing any harm to the environment.