Assessing the Nutrient Quality of Biofertilizer Produced from Organic Waste Using Lysinibacillus Macroides and Alcaligens Faecalis

Abstract

Biofertilizers are ecofriendly fertilizers that are produced via degradation of wastes by microorganisms. The efficiency of Lynsibacillus macroides and Alcaligens faecalis in the production of fertilizer from organic wastes was evaluated. The bacterial isolates were isolated from soil samples collected from fallow patch of land in the Rivers State University farm using standard microbiological methods. The test bacteria were identified by conventional and molecular techniques. Organic wastes including cassava peels, elephant grass and poultry droppings used in this study were collected from the Rivers State University Farm. Three experimental treatments were used in this study; treatment 1 contains 300g of the composite substrate without any organisms and served as control, treatment 2 contains 300g of the composite substrate and 200ml of Lynsibacillus macroides while treatment 3 contains 300g of the composite substrate and 200ml of Alcaligenes faecalis. The treatments were allowed to degrade for 10 days. The pH, temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and total organic carbon were determined using standard analytical method. Means of physicochemical parameters in treatment 1, 2 and 3, respectively were: pH 8.3±0.7, 8.6±0.4 and 9.0±0.3; Nitrogen: 2.63±0.08, 1.97±0.03 and 1.51±0.01; phosphorus: 4.71±0.01, 4.43±0.01 and 3.52±0.02; potassium: 604.10±2.12, 591.00±1.41421 and 504.20±2.83; total organic carbon: 31.75±0.78, 23.04±0.04 and 17.56±0.01 mg/kg. The treatment which was supplemented with Lysinbacillus macroides produced more nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and total organic carbon than treatment which was supplemented with A. faecalis. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference (P≤ 0.05) between the quantity of nitrogen produced by L. macroides and A. faecalis. Although the amount of nitrogen produced by both organisms were significantly different from the control. More so, statistical analysis showed that the quantity of phosphorus, potassium and total organic carbon produced by L. macroides was significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) than those produced by A. faecalis and the control. Thus, Lynsibacillus macroides is a better biofertilizer producer than A. faecalis.