The Evaluation of Composted Food Waste Effects in Conserving and Enhancing Growth Performance of Azolla Pinnata

Abstract

Compost has a significant conservation benefit for soils by increasing organic matter levels and enhancing soil fertility, thus positively influencing plant growth. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of utilizing different types of composted food waste to improve the growth performance of Azolla Pinnata. Composting mixed food waste (MFW), vegetable waste (VW), and fruit waste (FW) was conducted using the Takakura Composting Method, incorporating effective microorganisms (EM). Analysis of pH, temperature, moisture content, nutrient content (TN, TP, K), and heavy metal concentrations were done throughout the 30-day composting process. The Germination Index (GI) and Compost Quality Index (CQI) were employed to evaluate compost quality and phytotoxicity levels. Results demonstrated that all composted food waste samples met the criteria for high-quality compost, except for slight residual phytotoxicity observed in FW (GI of 79.3%). Notably, the integration of Azolla Pinnata with composted food waste significantly influenced the growth performance (biomass, relative growth rate and doubling time), with the most substantial enhancements of doubling time achieved using MFW treatments (1.94 days), followed by FW (2.02 days) and VW (2.07 days). This research underscores the potential for Azolla Pinnata integrated with composted food waste as a chemical-free fertilizer, offering promise for conservation efforts and sustainable agricultural practices.