Development and Statistical Evaluation of Fortified Soil Nutrient Formulation from Sugarcane Leaves Biomass for Soil Amelioration

Abstract

Soil nutrient management is vital to sustainable farming practices and productivity. This study focused on pelletizing sugar cane leaves into granular fortified organic fertilizer for soil amelioration. To achieve this, a hammer mill incorporated with a cyclone was used for size reduction of substrate biomass. This was pelletized and characterized for its proximate and mineral compositions to confirm its potency for enhancing soil quality. Three sample sizes, namely coarse, medium, and fine, were formulated with the addition of NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer using liquid starch as a binder. A pelletizer having a ring die of diameter 6 mm was used for sample production. Proximate analysis established the elemental nutrient composition of the bio-based fertilizer, including nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, carbohydrate, protein, moisture content, crude fibre, fat, and ash. Additionally, sample durability was measured using a tumbling apparatus. At a confidence level of P<0.05, experimental results revealed that all nutrients except nitrogen were present in significant quantities, with nitrogen being less abundant in the plant leaves. Furthermore, particle size influence nutrient composition, with potassium displaying the most pronounced differences. The durability results revealed that the medium sized substrate has the highest durability index (DI) of 76.35% at 10.89 mc, followed by the fine particle size, 65.78% at 11.21 mc and coarse having 56.72% at 11.47 mc. Conclusively, these findings highlight the potential of sugar cane leaves as a fortified biomass organic fertilizer. Addressing the nitrogen deficiency identified in the substrate is crucial, supporting a mixed soil ameliorating protocol for robust soil quality.

Keywords

• Organic farming
• peletized fertilizer
• waste-to-products
• durability index (DI)
• soil quality

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