Bio-degradation of pine litter by a white rot fungus isolated from an inceptisol of garhwal Himalayas

Bio-degradation of pine (Pinus roxburghi) litter by a white rot fungus isolated from an Inceptisol of Garhwal Himalaya was studied. Pre-treatment of the litter with 0.5 per cent solution of urea, lime, molasses, bio-gas slurry, cattle urine and lime + urea + molasses as separate treatment for 48 hours followed by inoculation of fungal isolate PLF-8 significantly improved the manural value of the litter after 75 days of composting. Urea-treated litter had the highest response in lowering C:N ratio and lignin content of the litter in contrast to uninoculated water-soaked litter. Increase in soil microbial bio-mass carbon, available N and P₂O₅ in sterilized soil amended with pretreated litter followed by inoculation of PLF-8 was significant in urea-treated litter. Likewise, pine litter compost prepared by pre-treatment and subsequent inoculation with PLF-8 increased significantly grain yield of crops, microbial biomass carbon (MB-C), available N and P₂O₅ in fingermillet-mustard-Frenchbean cropping sequence. The rate of litter degradation was also highest in urea treated litter followed by lime + urea + molasses with inoculation of the test fungal culture.