Effect of Compost from Organic Waste and Fly Ash of Biomass Power Plants together with Organic Waste Materials on Growth of Sunflower Sprouts

Abstract

This research aims to study the physical and chemical properties of compost from organic wastes and fly ash of biomass power plants together with different organic waste materials and to study its efficiency on the growth of sunflower sprouts. The study was conducted by composting household organic waste, fly ash from the biomass power plant, dry leaves, and adding local organic waste materials which were divided into 4 experimental treatments: 1) control treatment, 2) sawdust, 3) coconut coir dust, and 4) rice husks. Molasses was then added to 50-liter plastic tanks. The results showed that after 30 days of fermentation, most of the fermented materials were brown and crumbly except for the control treatment, which did not contain the organic waste material, which was gray-black and wet. All 4 experimental treatments found that the phosphorus and potassium content met the organic fertilizer standard of the Department of Agriculture, Thailand. Hence, the compost could be used as a soil amendment material to increase phosphorus and potassium. After that, the compost was tested for the growth efficiency of sunflower sprouts, it was found that the application of compost containing coconut coir dust resulted in the sunflower sprouts having the highest leaf height and width. While composting with sawdust resulted in sunflower sprouts having the highest leaf length. It can be concluded that the addition of coconut coir dust and sawdust as fermentation materials increased the growth of sunflower sprouts.