Browsing by Author "Savithri, P."
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Item Characteristics of coconut coir pith and its utilization in agriculture(1994-06) Savithri, P.; Hameed Khan, H.Coir pith, a highly lignocellulosic material is available in large quantities as a by product of coconut coir industry. Coir pith contains lignin and cellulose in equal quantities. It has a surface area as high as 290 ni2 per gram and is rich in potash and micronutrients such as Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu. Studies to decompose coir pith were started considering the excellent physico-chemical characteristics of the material. Pleurotus sajor-caju, Trichoderma sp., and Aspergillus sp., were found to be potent degraders of coir pith. Technology on degrading coir pith with P. sajor-caju and P. platypus has been standardized to couvert it as an agriculturally acceptable organic manure / amendment. The potential of coir pith to improve the water holding capacity of soil, modify the physical and chemical properties of soil, and as an ameleorallt in problem soils has been discussed. Beneficial effect of coir pith blended with inorganic fertilizers in many field crops viz. groundnut, maize, sorghum, turmeric, sunflower, rice and coconut has been established. There is scope for enriching coir pith with major and secondary nutrients for agricultural use. Indications are that if properly amended coir pith can serve as a substitute for farmyard manure, other organic manures and as a bedding material in poultry farms.