Utilization of alternative herbs and materials for the production of biodynamic manures and their efficacy on growth of selected plants. (NB large file!)
Arunkumar, J. 2011
6. SUMMARY
Biodynamic agriculture (BD) is a unique organic farming system that utilizes specific field sprays such as cow horn manure (BD500), horn silica (BD501) and fermented herbal preparations such as yarrow (BD502), chamomile (BD503), stinging nettle (BD504), oak bark (BD505), dandelion (BD506) and valerian (BD507) as compost additives. Biodynamic herbal preparations in consolation with cosmic forces enhance soil fertility and plant growth. Most of these herbs are naturally occurring or cultivated in temperate regions, harvested and utilized for the preparation of manures. A lot of sentiment about cow and availability of lactating cow horn in India is issues to produce large scale. Therefore the present investigation focused on identifying locally available herbs and alternative materials for the production of biodynamic herbal preparations, evaluate their physicochemical, biochemical and microbiological properties and study their efficacy on the growth of selected plants.
In order to study the physicochemical properties (pH, EC, moisture, organic carbon, (OC) nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu)), biochemical properties (protein, total sugar, humic acid, protease, cellulase, invertase and alkaline phsphatase) and microbiological studies (total bacteria, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Rhizobium like colonies, Actinimycetes and fungi) of organic and biodynamic manures, different biodynamic manures such as biodynamic compost (BDC), cow pat pit (CPP), BD500, biodynamic herbal preparations (BD 502 - BD 507) and organic manures such as vermicompost, panchakavya, coir pith compost, and farmyard manure were periodically obtained from Kurinji Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd., Genguvarpatti, Nadavan Estate Kodaikanal, Dindugal district, Palani agriclinic, Hosur, Krishnagiri District, Badri, Palani, Dindugal district, Nandana farms, Gudur, Andhra Pradesh and Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
Among the thirty two organic and biodynamic manures, the goat manure and BD 507 contained high amount of nitrogen (2.34 %), potassium (1.20 %), and phosphorus (1.12 %). The lowest amount of nitrogen (0.91 %), phosphorus (0.15%) and potassium (0.17%) were recorded in immature compost and BD503. The lowest C: N ratio (10:1) was recorded in the goat manure and high C: N ratio (11:1-38:1) recorded in BD 500, BD 502-BD507, immature compost and BD compost.
Among the four enzymes tested in manures, BD compost obtained from Kurinji recorded for highest level of protease activity (493.10 μg tyrosine released g12h1) and total bacterial count (30.38 X10 CFU g1).
Enhancement of nutrients and maturation of compost were studied between normal compost heap and compost heap inoculated with biodynamic herbal preparations (BD502-BD507). The compost heap inoculated with BD herbal preparations reduced the time of compost maturity and enhanced the nutrients significantly.
The biodynamic compost such as BDC, BDCV-II and BDCV-I recorded for a significant reduction of C: N ratio (13:1, 14:1 and 12:1) on day 105 whereas the compost without BD herbal preparations recorded for high level of C: N ratio (19:1) on day 105.
The Non-biodynamic (Non-BDC) and biodynamic compost (BDC, BDCV-II and BDCV-I) was further analyzed for its extracellular enzymes such as cellulase, invertase, protease and alkaline phophatase. Significantly high cellulase activity (398.15, 334.12 and 302.71 μg glucose released from compost g1 24h) and protease (421.10, 438.30 and 400.0 μg tyrosine released from compost g1 2h1) were recorded at 120th day and 105th day of BDC, BDCV-II and BDCV-I.
Decrease of total sugar (30.78, 34.44, 39.71 and 52.53 %), and increase of protein (45.44, 50.55, 54.28 and 51.08 %) and humic acid (33.88, 37.04, 41.65 and 33.17%) were recorded on day 105 in biodynamic composts (Non-BDC, BDC, BDCV- II and BDCV-I). Significant amount of IAA (196.38 μg 100 g) and ABA (99.63 μg 100 g), GA (67.93 μg 100 g) in 150th day and zeatin (66.86 μg 100 g1) in days 120th day were recorded in the BDC.
Cow horn manure (BD500) is considered as basal spray enhancing microbial activities by humus formation in biodynamic farms. Cow horn manure was prepared with lactating cow horn, filled with cow dung in the horn, buried under soil for 4 month and periodically evaluated its physicochemical, biochemical and microbiological properties. The cow horn manure contained highest amount of nitrogen (2.08, 2.12 and 2.17%), recorded on 90th 105th and 120th day, whereas the phosphorus (0.64 %) and potassium (0.47%) contents were high on 90th day.
Rudolf Steiner selected the lactating cow horn and cow dung for BD500 preparation whereas the availability of lactating cow horn is limited in India due to ethical and religious reasons. Hence artificial materials such as glass, mud pots and plastic containers were used for the production of cow horn manure and periodically evaluated their physicochemical properties, biochemical properties and microbiological
properties.
Among three artificial containers used for manure preparation, mud pot contained the cow dung recoded for low content of organic carbon (37.65 %), potassium (0.42%), and high nitrogen (1.95 %) contents, average amount of phosphorus (0.66%) and highest total bacterial count (48.4 X 10 CFU g1) and fungi (13.3 10 CFU g) were recorded on 90th day. The mud pot manure revealed the physicochemical properties, biochemical properties and microbiological properties more or less similar that of cow horn manure whereas glass filled with cow dung recorded for the highest amount of phosphorus (0.80 %) and potassium (0.59%).
Buffalo, goat and lactating cow dung were collected from Taramani, Chennai and used for the production of cow horn manure. The manure maturation was tested periodically by lifting the horn at every 15 days intervals and dungs were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, biochemical properties and microbiological properties.
Among the three dungs, cow horn containing the goat dung recorded for the highest amount of nitrogen (3.07 %) and humic acid (362 mg 100 g1) on 120th day, whereas the highest amount of phosphorus (0.89 %), potassium (0.65% ), total bacterial count (43.8 X 10 CFU g1), fungi (16.7 X 10-6 CFU g1) and actinomycetes (16.9 X 10-6 CFU g1) recorded on 90th day. Average contents of carbon (34.2 %) and protein (255.11 mg 100 g) were recorded on 90th day in cow horn goat dung manure.
The three dungs and four artificial containers were utilized individually for the production of manure. The mud pot with goat dung manure recorded highest potassium (0.86%), IAA (309.8 μg/g), total bacteria count (49.9 X 10 CFU g'), fungi (19.1 X 10 CFU g1), Rhizobium like colonies (18.2 X 10 CFU g1) and Actinomycetes (19.9 X 10 CFU g1) whereas highest kinetin (76.0 and 75.3 μg 100 g) was recorded in goat manure harvested from cow horn and mud pot container. The highest amount of humic acid (407 mg 100 g) and nitrogen (3.34 %) were recorded in goat dung manure harvested from glass container on 90th day. The lowest carbon content (29.28%) was recorded in goat dung manure harvested from cow horn. In case of non availability of lactating cow dung for preparation of BD500, the present investigation supported for the utilization of goat dung in cow horn.
Biodynamic preparations regulate the biological processes and strengthen the life forces on the farm. Five herbs such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium), chamomile (Chamomilla officinalis), stinging nettle (Urtica dioca), oak bark (Quercus robur), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) used for BD preparation (BD502 - BD507) are grown only in tropical regions and processed for the formulating the herbal preparations.
Identification of alternative herbs having similar active ingredients, functions and available in the tropical regions will have significant contribution in biodynamic agriculture in India. The locally available weeds having similar medicinal properties were identified as the alternative herbs such Aerva lanata, Tridax procumbens, Tragia involucrate and Casuarina sp. and utilized for preparation of BD alternative herbal preparation (BDA502-BDA505). The BD alternative herbal preparations were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, biochemical properties and microbiologyproperties. Significant low C: N ratio (6.10) was recorded in BDA502 compared to BD502(34.82). High Amount of nitrogen (2.74 %), phosphorus (0.63 %) and potassium (1.68%) were recorded in BDA 502 than BD 502.
Low amount of total sugar (199.19, 191.56 190.72 and 181.08 mg 100g') in BDA505, BDA504, BDA502 and BDA503 were significantly recorded. High humic acid (300.72, 342.54, 317.79 and 375.26 mg 100 g1) and high protein (204.09, 236.41, 217.44 and 277.96 mg 100 g1) were recorded in BD Alternative herbal preparation (BDA 502, BDA 503, BDA505 and BDA504).
High IAA (115.78 μg 100 g1) was recorded in BDA503 than BD503 (109.05 μg 100 g). The High zeatin (47.78 and 46.22 μg 100 g) was record in BDA505 and BD502 compared to BD505 (29.73 μg 100 g) and BD502 (42.27μg 100 g).
The maximum extracellular enzyme activities such as cellulase (242.66 μg glucose released from manure g1 24h1) were recorded in BDA505 compared to BD505 206.99 μg glucose released from manure g1 24h1).
Effect of different manure (BDC, Non-BDC, BD500 manures (prepared with alternative source and vessels), BD preparations and chemical fertilizers) on growth of Lycopersicon esculentus were investigated. The highest fruit yield was recorded in BDA502 (572.17 g) and lowest yield (319.03g) in soil with Control treatment.
The BDC, Non-BDC, BD 500 manures (prepared with alternative source and vessels) and BD preparation were incorporated in soils and studied leaf biomass of Moringa (Moringa oleifera). Highest yield of dry leaves (10.47g/plant) of M. oleifera was recorded in soil amended with BD 500.
The effect of cow horn manure on soil properties and yield of ground nut was investigated. The field trials were conducted in 25 m2 plot experiment at Extension Centre of Shri AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre, Vadakadambadi.
The influence BD 500, FYM, chemical fertilizers soil treatments and untreated control studied on yield of ground nut (Arachis hypogea L.). The maximum pod yield and biomass (3200 and 6188 kg/ha) were recorded in soil amended with organic manure and BD 500.
The results revealed the mud pot was an alternative artificial contaner production of cow horn manure and local herbs for BD herbal preparation. The result of the invitro and field experiments indicates that there was improvement in soil fertility and growth of the crop using the manures. However, large scale production of manure and long term field experiments in different agro climatic zones are needed for confirmatory results.