PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF VERMICOMPOST OBTAINED FROM DIFFERENT PLANT LEAF LITTERS, CROP RESIDUAL AND ANIMAL WASTES IN TERMS OF NUTRIENT CONTENTS WESTERN PART OF OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The activity was done at Bako Agricultural Research Centre (BARC) on station 2020 – 2021.The experiment was considered to prepare and characterize vermicompost obtained from residual of crops, plant leaflitter and farmyard manure in the area in terms of chemical composition to identify the quality compost from them. Eleven types of feedstock materials mixture were used as a treatment which was converted into vermicompost subsequently two months to give a uniform material. The Laboratory analysis for its chemical composition. The PH of all type of vermicompost were in appropriate range for plant development. The percentage of carbon to nitrogen ratio and organic carbon vermicompost have good. The vermicompost gained from the combination of croton macrostachyus, Faba bean and farmyard manure has higher value of 2.44%. total nitrogen. Some vermicompost were very poor in other primary and secondary plant nutrient elements. The vermicompost produced from the combination of Cordia Africana and farmyard manure recorded a higher value in total phosphorus, total potassium and total magnesium and Cordia Africana , finger millet and farmyard manure the highest score value in calcium content. The result of these study was showed that regardless of providing other important nutrients needed for plant growth, 4.66 tons of this vermicompost can substitute the suggested amount of urea (92 kg N), supplying simultaneously (65.23 kg P205), an amount which surpasses the recommended amount of phosphorus for some crop. Thus, by feature of the availability of raw materials, easiness of its manufacture