Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
4.1
Introduction
Compost is the ancient practice of solid waste treatment known since Biblical era
and persists to the present era. Composting was modernized in the 1920s as a tool
for organic farming (Heckman
2006
) in a broadest means that “artificially acceler-
ated complete or partial decomposition of heterogeneous complex organic matter
by microbial populations in aerobic and/or anaerobic environment”. The contribu-
tions in development of this thrust field of composting have been paid by various
scientists. Initially, Howard and Wad (
1931
) conceptualized composting process.
Gaur (
1984
) reviewed an account on composting for scientific conceptualization.
Composting differ from other decomposing processes in respect to its physio-
chemical processes particularly temperature and rate of organic matter decompo-
sition (Crawford
1983
). The microorganisms significantly contribute in process
of compost formation as they multiply and decompose the biomass residue under
aerobic condition for composting. The community of microorganisms alters the
composting process due to variation in temperature, moisture, nutrient levels etc.
The initial decomposition accelerates with due heat generation through oxidation
and respiratory activity that leads to further increase in decomposition process of
compost formation resulting production of uniform fermented dark colored mate-
rial called humus or compost. This context considers on aquatic biomass residue
of two aquatic weed plants
Eichhornia crassipes
and
Ipomoea aquatica
and their
composting process under influences of indigenous microbial community.
4.2
Composting of Aquatic Biomass Residue (ABR)
The “biomass” of the natural resources may be defined as renewable, biodegrad-
able organic matter generated through life processes. It is an attractive and easily
degradable matter. That is enriched with amorphous cellulose, acts as renewable
source of carbon for synthetic fuel and energy. The selection of best technology
and desired biomass as raw materials for compost production permits specific ap-
plications, complicated by the multitude of organic residue and plant species and
the many processing combinations which yield various products for human values
(Klass
1981
). The potential use of biomass residue of aquatic origin has been worth
as animal feed especially in South Asian countries.
The significance of aquatic biomass residue as compost has importance due to
characteristically advantageous to soil ecosystem due to easy mixing and poten-
tially beneficial to strengthen soil fertility. However, high percentage of crystalline
cellulose presents in aquatic weeds and presence of lignin are always hindrance in
bioconversion and composting processes. The lignin is the cementing material that
reduces the accessibility of cellulose (Kirk and Harkin
1973
). The low amounts of
proteins in the aquatic biomass residue also contribute to their low value.
