Enriched Compost Production Technique from Water Hyacinth

Water hyacinth is an aquatic weed known for causing a series of problems for aquatic life. If utilized properly, it can act as an extremely important alternative source of organic material for the production of nutrient-enriched organic manure by a composting technique. Water hyacinth has remarkable nutritive properties which can not only result in healthy aquatic system but help generation of enriched manure for application to the soil for sustainable productivity. In the present study, different enriched composts were produced from water hyacinth, viz. phospho - compost, phospho - compost with lime, phospho - nitro compost, phospho - sulpho - nitro compost, vermicompost and microbial - enriched compost. Among these composts, the highest percentage of N was found in phospho-nitro compost and phospho-compost. The highest percentage of P and K were noted in phospho-sulpho-nitro compost (P 0.89 and K 1.04%) and the lowest percentage of P and K recorded in control (P 0.56 and K 1.02%). The other compost characteristics were also determined and discussed.