Effect of biocomposted cocoa shell and jack fruit peel waste on certain crop plants and soil fertility

Abstract

Biocomposting has the potential to provide an environmentally acceptable and cost-effective solution to various environmental issues associated with agroindustrial waste. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the efficiency of biocomposted cocoa shell waste (CSW) and jack fruit peel waste (JFPW), as well as its influence on certain crop plants and soil fertility. Pleurotus eous, Pleurotus florida, and Eudrilus eugenia were employed in biocomposting procedures that lasted 90 days. The results of the microbial population study revealed that the maximum increase in bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes population was noted in C8 (Raw JFPW+10 g P. eous + 10 g P. florida+ E. eugeniae 5 t/ha-1 (T8)) and closely followed by C4 (CSW+10 g P. eous + 10 g P. florida+ E. eugeniae 5 t/ha-1 (T4)) at 30, 60 and 90 days. Physical and chemical characteristics of raw and biocomposted CSW and JFPW showed that, among the eight different biocompost, C8 (T8) had the lowest levels of lignin, cellulose, pH, EC, organic carbon, C: N (6:1) ratio and a considerable rise in N, P, K, Ca and Mg as compared to the other treatments and control. FTIR results revealed significant functional groups in both the raw and biocomposed CSW and JFPW, while SEM findings revealed that C8 has the highest surface alterations, followed by C4. A control with eight different treatments (T1-T8) was used for the pot culture experiments of cowpea, yardlong bean, shankhpushpi and red amaranth. At various development stages of pot culture experiments in test crops, T8 was shown to have increased vegetative and yield attributes as well as biochemical characteristics. Pre and post-harvest nutrient assessments in soil showed the maximum increase when comparing T8 treatment of test crops to other treatments. In all the four plants, methanol seed and leaf extracts showed stronger antibacterial activity. Red amaranth leaf extracts in methanol provided the largest zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, followed by the aqueous extract. The methanol seed extra