Evaluation of compost stability and maturity of floriculture solid waste in a Windrow System
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Date
2015-05
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
In Ethiopia, huge amount of flower residues are generated in each flower farm and damped into
the environment leading to various problems. This initiated this work to utilize the wastes for soil
amelioration and protection of the environment by composting via mixing the flower cuts with
cow dungs (Pile1) and Effective Microorganisms (EM) plus molasses (Pile2) using Windrow
method of compostingseparately in Ethio-highland and ZK farms. Samples were regularly taken
from three locations of each pile for pyhsico-chemical and microbiological analysis over the 98
days of composting. The data showed three phases of temperature shifts, increase in
macronutrients and TN as well as GI but reduction in C: N and NH4-N: NO3-N ratios and
elimination of Agrobacterium spp. in both farms, in pile 1 and pile 2. In composting better in
cow dung amended than EM plusMolasses added. The final compost products were found to be
good quality in terms of plant nutrient, heavy metal and microbial composition. The composting
activity of the flower cut should be encouraged and continued using cow dung in different flower
farms to overcome environmental problems and use as fertilizer to improve agricultural
productivity.
Key words/phrases: Cow dung, Effective Microorganisms, ETH Flower, Frequent Turning, ZK
flowers
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Keywords
Cow dung, Effective Microorganisms, ETH Flower, Frequent Turning, ZK flowers