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Composting of boiler-ash and biogas-sludge from the palm oil industry for using as plantlet growing media
Author(s)
Youngmanee, K.
Date Issued
May 1, 2022
Type
Article
Abstract
Agricultural organic waste is increasing yearly. In Thailand, the palm oil industry generates high amounts of waste 13.71 million ton/year, mainly as boiler-ash and biogas-sludge. This study focused on the basic properties of boiler-ash and biogas-sludge from the palm oil industry after composting and their possible use as growing media for lettuce. Boiler-ash and biogas-sludge from the palm oil industry were pre-treated (composting) and after that evaluated as growing media in comparison with peatmoss under pot experiment conditions. Under the pre-treatment experiment, the results showed that the type of materials affected the pH, EC, OM, total N and the C:N ratio (P<0.05). The pre-treatment method was affected the pH and EC (P<0.05). The type of growing media and porous materials affected germination percentage, germination index, shoot length, and shoot fresh and dry weight (P<0.01). Interaction between the type of treated materials and porous materials affected germination percentage, germination index, shoot length, root length, and shoot fresh and dry weight (P<0.05). The best material was boiler-ash compost with perlite as the porous material which gave 92.6% germination, 23.05 germination index, 39.10 mm in shoot length, 28.67 mm in root length, 0.2 g shoot fw/plant, and 0.0397 g shoot dw/plant but these results were not statistically different from undisturbed boiler-ash with perlite as the porous material. Therefore, boiler-ash compost and boiler-ash left for 90 days were recommended to use as growing media.
Citation
International Journal of Agricultural Technology, 18(3), 1367-1380, 2022