Release of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Compost Charged with Rockphosphate

Compost charged with varying levels af Mussoorie rockphosphate with and without pyrite at different time intervals showed that after 160 days of incubation the release of citric acid and water soluble P was significantly higher with high dose of phosphate as compared to lower dose. In the earlier stages of composting the release of P was greater from the compost charged with rockphosphate alone than that with rockphosphate and pyrite but after 190 days the release was highest from compost charged with lower dose of pyrite. The release of P was only a small fraction of the total P added. Addition of lower doses of P or pyrite significantly increased the N content of charged compost.