Assessment of Nutrient Contents of Compost Prepared by Farmers in BunoBedele Zone, South Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

: This study was examined the nutrient content of compost prepared by farmers for soil fertility improvement and crop production. Heavy metal concentration in the compost was also investigated. The specific objectives were to asses and evaluate nutrient contents of farmers practiced composts prepared from diversified material sources and to make data base for composting processes. A total 213 samples were collected from Bedele, Gechi and Dabo district by random sampling methods from a representative sites. The pH, moisture content, OC, TN, C:N ratio, exchangeable Ca and Mg, Available P, EC, Mn, Fe, Cu and Znwere analyzed according to a standard laboratory procedure. An average OC and OM content of farmer practiced composts were 10.1, 13.9 and 12.1% and 18.9, 23.96 and 20.86% in Bedele, Gechi and Dabo Hana respectively. An average Moisture content of compost prepared in the study areas were 7.2, 7.6 and 6.2 for Bedele, Gechi and Dabo Hana respectively. Moisture content of compost prepared in these three districts were below the standard range. This may be caused due to the problem of watering during compost preparation. An average electric conductivity of composts were 1.5, 1.1 and 1.2 in Bedele, Gechi and Dabo Hana disticts respectively. The majority of the macro and micronutrients were analyzed for compost collected from Bedele, Gechi and Dabo Hana district were below the recommended range. This is due to unbalanced substrate during compost preparation especially absence of legume materials or residue from mixing materials.