Comparative Analysis of Biochar with Co-composting of Organic Manure

The composting is one of the pre-eminent recycling technologies of biodegradable waste that produces an augmented nutrient source of manure. Further, a carbon-rich product, the biochar, amended in composting with agricultural wastes aids in nutrient enhancement of soil health and microbial taxa in soil. This process is potentially a cost effective, eco-friendly technique that degrades the organic wastes and transform to valuable manure which is used in soil application and thereby a soil nutrient enhancer. In this study, initially the potential Biochar Amended Compost (BAC) was evaluated from various compost treatments. The fungal species, Pleurotus ostreatus stimulated the lignin degradation of the organic wastes which is used in all the treatments throughout compost progression. Among them, the wood biochar compost (Compost bed A) treatment was characterised to be potentially best with nutrients during the initial and final stages of composting followed by Coconut shell biochar compost (Compost bed B) and rice husk biochar compost (Compost bed C). Moreover, the metagenomic study revealed the microbial taxa of the treatment with wood biochar compost with a higher diversity of species in the final compost which extracted the most promising strains of microbial communities that is responsible for the plant growth, plant growth promoting hormones, anti pathogenitic, heavy metal resistance, lignin degradation, degradation of aromatic compounds, biochemical functions (Photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, symbiosis, denitrification etc.,) soil rhizosphere colonisers and other enzymes responsible for soil health and plant growth. Thus, BAC is an appropriately valuable and cost effective approach for soil reclamation and health. Besides, metagenomic study is a unique approach for the study of microbial strains which is the most effective system of studying microbial community.

The addition of biochar improves the microbial taxonomy and soil health by providing nutrients.

The wood biochar compost (Compost bed A) treatment provided the most nutrients during the phases of composting.

The most promising strains of microbial communities were recovered from the final compost by the metagenomic analysis.

The microbial taxa of wood biochar compost with a greater diversity of species through metagenomic study.