Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA)

Co-composting is an effective and environment friendly method of solid waste management to make valuable organic soil amendment which helps to maintain soil fertility in a sustainable way. An experiment was conducted to make co-compost using cattle manure (CM) and sawdust (SD) in different ratios (w/w) for the correct mixing proportion of raw materials to investigate the nutrient status of co-compost, and to evaluate the potential value of co-compost after incorporation into soil to form a nutrient rich growth media for Abelmoschus esculentus L. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and three replications comprising of only SD, only CM, sawdust-cattle manure mixture in the ratio of 1:1 (SD: CM=1:1), 1:2 (SD: CM= 1:2) and 2:1 (SD: CM= 2:1) by weight. Compost samples were collected for nutrient analysis after 75 days of composting. The highest value of total N, P and S were obtained in CM compost. Organic carbon (OC) and C:N ratio were found higher in SD compost. Higher growth and yield of okra were recorded under SD:CM= 1:2 treatment. On the basis of the experimental results, combined application of SD and CM at 1:2 ratio was the right mixing proportion. So, the organic fertilizer mixed with SD and CM at 1:2 ratio would be an efficient soil amendment that would improve soil quality, promote plant growth and increase yield.