Organic Fertilizer

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Sugarcane by-products as Organic Fertilizer

1.       Press mud

Press mud is a soft, spongy, amorphous, and dark brown to brownish material. It is generated during the purification of sugar by carbonation or sulphitation process. Both processes separated clear juice on top and mud at the bottom.

 In general, when 100 t of sugarcane is crushed, about 3 t of press mud are produced as a by-product. Press mud supplies a good amount of organic manure.

 It contains 50–70 % moisture, which is most favorable for soil micro-organisms, especially earth[1]worms. The integrated use of SPM with nitrogen fertilizers has enhanced the dry matter, cane, and sugar yield.

Bagasse

 It is the by-product of sugarcane industries during the extraction of juice from cane. 

It is dry pulpy residue and fibrous in nature. 

It contains sugar, which is responsible for fast bio-degradable within 3 months. 

The application of bagasse in agricultural crop production systems can reduce the application rate of fertilizers. It produced organic acids, which mobilized the insoluble P from soil to soil solution in labile form. During application, it is suggested that these bagasse properly chopped; and applied one month prior to seed sowing in the field for proper decomposition. Rate of decomposition is also affected by temperature, moisture, and population and diversity of soil micro-organisms.

Spentwash

 

Bio methanated spentwash, a plant extract and microbial residue is rich in plant nutrients and can be utilized in agriculture as liquid manure.