Organic recycling

a) Composting of hardy biomass
Using a special microbial consortium, a technique has been developed for the efficient and early decomposition of hardy biomass like cotton stalks, pigeon pea stalks, Lantana stalks and the like, which are otherwise difficult for decomposition due to the presence of high levels of lignin.

b) Vermiculture and vermicomposting
The vermicomposting technique is being optimised for locally available agro-wastes and urban solid waste. Attempts are being made for using a larger biomass with a comparatively lesser amount of cattle dung as a starter culture. Instead of exotic species, it is also intended to identify and use locally available earthworm species showing high composting performance. Special trials are being made to study the efficacy of ‘Vermiwash’, the body fluid of earthworms as a growth promoting substance, over the growth and yields of commonly grown crops in the region.

c) Enriched composting
Enrichment of compost has been tried with the help of biofertilizers like Azetobactor and Phosphorus solubilizing microbes (PSM). The NADEP method of composting has also been made more efficient and lower in cost.