The production of leaf bokashi in pilot scale to support zero waste initiative of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), Indonesia

Abstract

This research aimed to study the effect of bran and husk addition in a pilot-scale leaf bokashi production to support the zero-waste initiative of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), Indonesia. The bokashi production was carried out in boxes with a capacity of 50 kg raw materials/box, at the waste bank (BSU) of USK. Bokashi was formulated with 70 % leaves, 20 % cow dung, and 10 % additional ingredients (bran or husk). The quality of the bokashi (bran added bokashi or B bokashi and husk added bokashi or H bokashi) was measured based on the total colony counts (TCC), most probable number (MPN), pH, C, N, C/N ratio, and descriptive organoleptic test. Both types of bokashi were applied to grow corn seeds in 500g-sized polybags and compared to soil media as well as leaf compost media produced by BSU. The test was carried out using a randomized design with one factor and ten replications. The study found that bokashi made with bran outperformed bokashi made with husk and leaf compost of BSU, meeting the Indonesian National Standard for compost quality (SNI 19-7030-2004), and supporting plant growth with improved height, biomass, and greener leaves in corn plants. This bokashi has a TCC of 1.1 × 10⁸ CFU/g, pH of 7.4, C/N ratio of 12.2, and very good descriptive properties (loose texture, earthy scent, and blackish color). This research effectively demonstrates a method that could support USK's zero-waste initiative.