Effect of biomass ash vermicompost on Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr under hot and dry agro ecological condition

Abstract

Generation of the huge amount of bio-waste and their residues, including incineration ash, is a major technical and sustainability problem. To solve this problem, incorporating nutrient-rich residues into crop production has become an efficient practice to increase crop production. Vermicomposting of these wastes could be a viable option to manage both biowastes and their products in an environmentally friendly manner and close the material loop in bioenergy production. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vermicompost from biomass ash under hot and dry climatic conditions in summer on growth, yield and yield components of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr). The high photosynthetic activity of sweet sorghum is important for biofuel production under conditions of high solar energy and water scarcity. This study provides a general overview of the feasibility of biomass ash vermicomposting processes and their potential use as a nutrient source for C4 sorghum under Bitlis ecological conditions of high solar potential and low water availability. Under Bitlis climatic conditions, the best yield was obtained when vermicompost was applied with a biomass ash content of 10.0% (T3). Plant height, plant weight, sugarcane and juice yields were reported as 133 cm, 146 g, 180 kg/da and 105 L/da, respectively.