Effect of Method of Preparation and Enrichment on the Quality of Manure

Manures using cow dung and waste fodder, enriched with fertilizers (urea, single superphosphate and rock phosphate) were prepared to improve their quality by pit and heap methods. The results showed that total nitrogen percentage was higher in manures prepared in pits than in heaps. Carbon: nitrogen ratio of decomposing mixtures narrowed down with time. Phosphorus enrichment (rock phosphate or superphosphate) conserved nitrogen in manures. Water solubility of P from rock phosphate tended to increase while, in general, water solubility of P (from other sources) decreased with decomposition. Organic P in all enrichment treatments increased with time and it was the highest in case of rock phosphate at 45 and 90 days of decomposition. The pH, organic carbon and ammonium recorded a decline while there was a rise in nitrate level. Nitrate was also more under P enrichment than in control. Different manures had significant effect on shoot and root yields of maize and also on N and P uptake.