Evaluation Of Compost Stability And Maturity Of Floriculture Solid Waste In A Windrow System

In Ethiopia, huge amount of flower residues are generated in each flower farm and damped intornthe environment leading to various problems. This initiated this work to utilize the wastes for soilrnamelioration and protection of the environment by composting via mixing the flower cuts withrncow dungs (Pile1) and Effective Microorganisms (EM) plus molasses (Pile2) using Windrowrnmethod of compostingseparately in Ethio-highland and ZK farms. Samples were regularly takenrnfrom three locations of each pile for pyhsico-chemical and microbiological analysis over the 98rndays of composting. The data showed three phases of temperature shifts, increase inrnmacronutrients and TN as well as GI but reduction in C: N and NH4-N: NO3-N ratios andrnelimination of Agrobacterium spp. in both farms, in pile 1 and pile 2. In composting better inrncow dung amended than EM plusMolasses added. The final compost products were found to berngood quality in terms of plant nutrient, heavy metal and microbial composition. The compostingrnactivity of the flower cut should be encouraged and continued using cow dung in different flowerrnfarms to overcome environmental problems and use as fertilizer to improve agriculturalrnproductivity.rnKey words/phrases: Cow dung, Effective Microorganisms, ETH Flower, Frequent Turning, ZKrnflowers

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