Assessment of Fertilizer Quality in Horse Waste-Based Bokashi Fertilizer Formulations

Abstract

Agricultural waste is a type of solid waste that needs to be managed properly. Organic waste can be recycled to produce bokashi fertilizer, which can be used to improve soil health, increase crop production, and sanitize the environment. However, it may contain heavy metals that could be toxic to plants and can pollute the environment if not properly decomposed. This study was designed to evaluate the fertilizer quality of six different bokashi fertilizer ratios (bfrs) over seven- and thirty-day maturation periods. The raw materials used include horse bedding waste (HBW), cow dung (CD), and paddy husk charcoal (PHC) in different ratios, treated with an effective microorganisms (EM4) solution. All the nutrients studied (N, P, K, Mg, and Ca) were significantly affected by the bokashi fertilizer ratios (bfrs). The best bokashi fertilizer ratio was bokashi fertilizer ratio-6 (bfr6), but it was statistically similar to bokashi fertilizer ratio-5 (bfr5). Its N, P, K, Mg, and Ca contents were higher than the control (bfr1) by 133.9%, 225.5%, 196.4%, 105.0%, and 84.7%, respectively. Similarly, all these nutrients were significantly affected by time. N, P, K, and Mg increased by 21.2, 33.0%, 16.4%, and 28.8%, respectively, after 30 days of maturation, with a decrease in Ca only 2.4%, which was not significant A germination index (GI) of 90.1% was obtained using cabbage seeds. The heavy metals result and germination bioassay confirmed the safety and maturity of the bokashi fertilizer. In conclusion, the results revealed that good-quality bokashi fertilizer can be produced within 30 days. Bfrr5 and bfr6 are equally good candidates for producing good-quality bokashi fertilizer for effective crop growth.

Respuesta de la caña de azúcar (Saccharum officinarum) al abonado orgánico en el norte de Belice

“…Similarly, Orozco Corral et al (2016) record that applying 6 t ha 1 of vermicompost lead to an increase of 10% in water storage capacity, 83% in cation exchange capacity, 24% in organic matter, and 113% in microbial biomass. Likewise, Gashua et al (2022) and Pérez et al (2008) carried out a chemical characterization of the bokashi fertilizer and found the following mineral elements: Mo, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Na, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb.…”

Valorizing Degraded Lands Using Innovative Biofertilisersfor Tomato Cropping: Response to Bokashi, Efficient Microorganisms and Compost in the Sudanese Zone of Burkina Faso (Bobo-Dioulasso)

“…Compost provided more carbon, which explains why CEC values and carbon content were relatively better in the compost-amended plots. The Bokashi is enriched with a diversity of materials and microorganisms, which contribute to Burkina Phosphate solubilization and thus to the improvement of phosphorus availability (P Bray I) and exchangeable bases [34]. Indeed, organic fertilizers release organic acids and hormones that contribute to the solubilization and availability of phosphorus as it is strongly bound in tropical soils [35].…”

Productivity of Lembah Palu Local Shallot (Allium cepa L. var. Aggregatum) from Organic Cultivation

“…The bokashi fertilizer contains all organic matter, which is very beneficial for the growth and yield of Palu local shallots. Bokashi fertilizer is an organic fertilizer that can be made independently from a mixture of several fermented organic materials (Gashua et al, 2022) such as straw, husk, rice bran, corn bran, wheat bran, tofu dregs, coconut dregs, grass, and animal manure.…”