Efect of agro industrial wastes compost on soil health and onion yields improvements: study at feld condition

Industries are generating numerous amount and types of organic wastes to the environment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efects of agro industrial wastes compost on soil physicochemical quality, soil microbial population, growth and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) under feld condition .

The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized plot design at feld condition. Allium cepa L. was grown using fve diferent levels of agro industrial wastes compost, three diferent levels of inorganic fertilizers and three controls.

Compost amendment improved the soil pH, TOC, TKN, feld capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), and available water content (AWC), cultivable bacterial count and fungi. But no signifcant efect was found on electrical conductivity (EC), available phosphorus (P) compared to the control. Exchangeable Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Cu increased while Pb, Cr, and Mn value showed no signifcant change with compost application. Field application of compost improved onion shoot numbers, shoot girth, and shoot length. Further, signifcant shoot weight and bulb weight were also obtained after compost treatment.

After compost amendment signifcant improvement in soil fertility and onion yield was obtained. This can be recommended for small scale farmer’s food security improvement and combined with agro industrial wastes management.