Vol. 7 (1) : January-February 2016 issue
Green Farming Vol. 7 (1) : 50-56 ; January-February, 2016
Efficacy of Azolla as a co-substrate of cow dung for manurial enrichment of biogas slurry
BISHNU PRASAD PAUDEL1 and JAYASREE SANKAR S.2*
Deptt. of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680 656 (Kerala)
Designation : 1Cheif & Sr. Scientist (Nepal Agricultural Res. Council), 2Professor *(jayasreesankars@gmail.com)
Subject : Soil Science & Agric. Chemistry; Soil Health & Soil Conservation Engg.
Paper No. : P-3513
Total Pages : 7
Received : 25 March 2015
Revised accepted : 12 January 2016
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Citation :
BISHNU PRASAD PAUDEL and JAYASREE SANKAR S. 2016. Efficacy of Azolla as a co-substrate of cow dung for manurial enrichment of biogas slurry. Green Farming Vol. 7 (1) : 50-56 ; January-February, 2016
ABSTRACT
The present research work was conducted to study the suitability and potential of azolla (Azolla pinnata) in augmentation biogas and slurry in the Deptt. of Soil Sci. & Agric. Chemistry, College of Horticulture, KAU, Thrissur, during the period 2010-2012. Co-digestion of cow dung and azolla (Azollapinnata) in the ratio 1:0.5 in floating drum plants of 0.5 m3 capacity produced maximum volume of biogas (0.29 m3 kg-1 TS) as against 0.21 m3 kg-1 TS obtained from cow dung alone treatment in 26 days, recording an increase of 27.58%. The Hydraulic retention time, an indication of completion of digestion, could be reduced by six days upon using azolla as co-substrate. Mixing azolla with cow dung in equal ratio increased the nitrogen content of slurry by 50% than in its absence. Response of rice variety Jyothy to the enriched manure revealed that the grain (44.97 g pot-1) and straw (72.73 g pot-1) yield was maximum when the crop was nourished with enriched manure II in association with the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers. Crop uptake of N (4260 mg pot-1) and K (4263 mg pot-1) was also the highest in this treatment.
Key words :
Azolla, Biogas, Cow dung, Physico-chemical properties, Rice crop, Slurry.