PRODUCTION OF BIOORGANIC LIQUID FERTILIZER FROM KHAT LEAVES AND ONION BULBS

Abstract

Microbial formulations for producing bioorganic liquid fertilizers are promising technology in the future. Thus, the present study was aimed to produce bioorganic liquid fertilizer from khat leaves and onion bulbs through aerobic fermentation in open containers. Macronutrient composition of bioorganic fertilizer and compost tea solutions indicated that Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na) were found to be significant between bioorganic liquid fertilizer and compost tea (used as a control) solutions. Both compost tea and bioorganic liquid fertilizer solutions fulfills the basic requirements of plant macronutrients with respect to electrical conductivity and C:N ratio as a quality standard for organic fertilizers. Comparison of mineral composition of bioorganic liquid fertilizer and compost tea solutions with the standard for major macronutrients requirement of plants indicated that the composition of both fertilizer solutions in the present study satisfies the standard with bioorganic liquid fertilizer being higher in mean values for most of the studied mineral plant nutrients. The test for bioorganic liquid fertilizer produced as in Table 8 indicated that the performance of lettuce irrigated with bioorganic fertilizer solution was performing better than compost tea solution. It was indicated that most of the measured parameters including above ground biomass per plant (BMW), days to maturity (DM), and head weight per plant (HWP) were found to be significant, between compost tea and biorganic fertilizer solutions, for all soil grown plant. The present study has produced bioorganic liquid fertilizer from domestic wastes. Using such technology will enhance waste disposal and reuse mechanisms at small and large scales. Further studies are required to be conducted on nutritional quality of vegetables grown by using such fertilizers.