Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use

Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga De Silva; Nalina Gnanavelrajah; Balachandran Ketheesan; Kasthuri Kajeevan; Mahajini Rivenderan

doi:10.18393/ejss.1754913

Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the efficiency of using dairy wastewater-grown Chlorella sp. (C) as a liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) when used in combination with inorganic or organic fertilizer on finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.). The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content of the CLOF was 1.00±0.04, 0.58±0.04 and 0.67±0.005 percentage respectively. A greenhouse pot experiment was arranged with nine treatments and four replicates in CRD design. The treatments included T1 – control, T2- 100% inorganic fertilizer (IF), T3 – 75% IF +25% CLOF, T4 – 50% IF + 50% CLOF, T5 – 25% IF + 75% CLOF, T6 – 100% Vermicompost (VC), T7 – 75% VC + 50% CLOF, T8 – 50% VC + 50% CLOF and T9 – 25% VC + 75% CLOF. T4 (50% IF + 50% CLOF) showed the highest values across most agronomic parameters, including: plant height (95.23±2.21 cm), number of leaves (18±1), leaf length (76.33±4.46 cm), leaf width (1.80±0.10 cm), flower number (13±1.00), ear number (13±1.00), tiller number (10.33±0.58), finger number (52±5), fresh grain weight (11.48±1.13 g/plant), and dry grain weight (6.89±1.04 g/plant) which was comparable to T2. Additionally, T8 and T3 showed comparable values in most growth parameters and yield as that of T2. Nutrient analysis of plant tissues confirmed that the use of CLOF improved the nutrient uptake. Although T2 had the highest N (4.62±0.40 g/plant), it was not significantly different from that of T4 (3.92-±0.30 g/plant). T4 recorded the highest P (0.36±0.01 g/plant) and K (5.24±0.19 g/plant), also with no significant differences from T2, indicating balanced nutrient contribution from CLOF. This study highlights that CLOF, produced from recycled dairy wastewater, is a promising nutrient source that not only enhances crop performance but also reduces reliance on inorganic or bulk organic fertilizers.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga De Silva This is me
0009-0000-5021-0987
Sri Lanka

Nalina Gnanavelrajah ^* This is me
0000-0002-0229-5952
Sri Lanka

Balachandran Ketheesan This is me
0000-0001-9801-7091
Sri Lanka

Kasthuri Kajeevan This is me
0000-0001-9853-9810
Sri Lanka

Mahajini Rivenderan This is me
0009-0006-5964-366X
Sri Lanka

Publication Date

October 1, 2025

Submission Date

December 10, 2024

Acceptance Date

July 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1754913

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA75AJ62XJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

De Silva, A. H. A. T. E., Gnanavelrajah, N., Ketheesan, B., Kajeevan, K., & Rivenderan, M. (2025). Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, 14(4), 376-385. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1754913

AMA

1.De Silva AHATE, Gnanavelrajah N, Ketheesan B, Kajeevan K, Rivenderan M. Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use. EJSS. 2025;14(4):376-385. doi:10.18393/ejss.1754913

Chicago

De Silva, Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga, Nalina Gnanavelrajah, Balachandran Ketheesan, Kasthuri Kajeevan, and Mahajini Rivenderan. 2025. “Production of Chlorella-Based Liquid Fertilizer from Dairy Wastewater to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 14 (4): 376-85. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1754913.

EndNote

De Silva AHATE, Gnanavelrajah N, Ketheesan B, Kajeevan K, Rivenderan M (October 1, 2025) Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 14 4 376–385.

IEEE

[1]A. H. A. T. E. De Silva, N. Gnanavelrajah, B. Ketheesan, K. Kajeevan, and M. Rivenderan, “Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use”, EJSS, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 376–385, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.18393/ejss.1754913.

ISNAD

De Silva, Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga - Gnanavelrajah, Nalina - Ketheesan, Balachandran - Kajeevan, Kasthuri - Rivenderan, Mahajini. “Production of Chlorella-Based Liquid Fertilizer from Dairy Wastewater to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 14/4 (October 1, 2025): 376-385. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1754913.

JAMA

1.De Silva AHATE, Gnanavelrajah N, Ketheesan B, Kajeevan K, Rivenderan M. Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use. EJSS. 2025;14:376–385.

MLA

De Silva, Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga, et al. “Production of Chlorella-Based Liquid Fertilizer from Dairy Wastewater to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, vol. 14, no. 4, Oct. 2025, pp. 376-85, doi:10.18393/ejss.1754913.

Vancouver

1.Aruma Handi Anjalee Tharindi Eranga De Silva, Nalina Gnanavelrajah, Balachandran Ketheesan, Kasthuri Kajeevan, Mahajini Rivenderan. Production of Chlorella-based liquid fertilizer from dairy wastewater to reduce synthetic fertilizer use. EJSS. 2025 Oct. 1;14(4):376-85. doi:10.18393/ejss.1754913