Abstract

                                An experiment was conducted during 2016-2017 to assess the efficacy of co-composting technique for generating quality manure out of the noxious aquatic weed, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Locally available organic substrates viz., crop residues and cow dung were mixed with water hyacinth and co-inoculated with the fungal culture, Pleurotus djamor @ 0.05% and the earth worm, Eudrillus eugineae @ 0.2%. The treatment encompassing water hyacinth + crop residue + cow dung (1:1:1) along with P. djamor and E.eugineae showed higher mean values of total “N” (0.93%), “P” (1.00%), “K” (1.10%) content of manure, germination percentage (100 % each) and vigour index of 13.90 and 12.85, respectively for cluster bean and tomato ; whereas, water hyacinth + crop residues (1:1) without the bio-inoculants recorded higher mean total organic carbon of 40.85 %.

Key words : Compost, Water hyacinth, Co-composting, Pleurotus djamor, Eudrillus eugineae.