PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF DECOMPOSITION PROCESS AND QUALITY OF COMPOST BASED ON FAECES BEEF CATTLE ENRICHED WITH AZOLLA Sp.
Agustinah Setyaningrum(a*), Najib Amrullah (a) and Pambudi Yuwono (a)
Faculty of Animal Science, General Sudirman University
Abstract
Abstract. The research entitled "Physiological Conditions of Decomposition Process and Quality of Compost Based on Beef Cattle Faeces Enriched with Azolla sp", was aimed to determine the effect of the addition of Azolla sp. on physiological conditions which include the kinetics of temperature and pH, and the quality of compost which includes carbon content, and compost organic matter. The method used was experimental with Completely Randomized Design (CRD). There were three treatments that were the addition of Azolla sp. 0% (P0), 10% (P1), and 20% (P2). Each treatment was repeated 6 times, so that the amount of material was 18 mounds of compost. Variables measured were temperature kinetics, pH kinetics, levels of organic carbon and compost organic matter. Observations of temperature and pH kinetics were carried out on days 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28 at 01.30 – 02.30 pm. The carbon content and compost organic matter of the final compost product were analyzed in the laboratory. Data on the kinetics of temperature and pH were analyzed using Repeated Measure Analysis of variance (RMA), while those of the levels of organic carbon and organic matter compost were analyzed using Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of the variance analysis showed a significant interaction (P < 0.05) between the treatment and the time of observation on the kinetics of temperature and pH. The highest temperature kinetics observed for P2 and P1 were reached on day 4 (54.00˚C and 50.50˚C, respectively), while the highest temperature for P0 was reached on day 8 (50.33˚C). The temperature of P0, P1 and P2 ranged 27.17-50.33˚C; 28.17-50.50˚C and 30.00-54.00˚C, respectively. The lowest pH kinetics for P0 and P1 were reached on day 20 that were 3.10 and 3.38, respectively. While the lowest pH kinetics for P2 was achieved on day 12 that was 3.20. After that, All pH rised to near neutral pH. PH kinetics ranged 3.10 - 6.70 (P0), 3.57 -6.82 (P1) and 3.20 - 6.95 (P2). Least Significance Different (LSD) results have significant variations in temperature kinetics and pH kinetics. Enrichment of compost with Azolla sp had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the levels of organic carbon and compost organic matter.
Keywords: physiological conditions, decomposition, faeces, azolla sp, compost quality
Topic: Post harvest handling and processing of meat, milk, eggs, wools, and by-products