Author: H. Dalzell

Publisher: Daya Books

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 9788170355045

Contents Chapter 1: Introduction; Composting, Objective, Food production in less developed countries, Agricultural systems, Soil and its structure, Soil formation, Soil minerals, Soil organic matter, Living organisms, Air, Water, Soil structure, Tropical vegetation systems and soil fertility, The Need for composting, Historical background of composting; Chapter 2: Principles of Composting; General, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Process factors, General, Separation, Particle size, Nutrients, Moisture, Aeration, Agitation, Temperature, Additives, Heap reaction, acidity or pH, Optimum process conditions; Chapter 3: Materials For Composting; General, Materials, Unwanted materials, Useful organic waste materials, Home, Garden, Crop wastes, Livestock wastes, Forests, Rivers and the sea, Urban wastes, Agro-industrial wastes, Chemical compositions, Quantities, Collection, storage and preparation, Collection, Storage, Preparation, Additives, Activators, Inoculants, Other materials, Compost product enrichment; Chapter 4: Practical Composting Processes; General, Small heaps, Structures, Aeration, Insulating blanket, Overhead protection, Assembling the heap-ample wastes, Assembling the heap-insufficient wastes, Turning the heap, Monitoring the process, Maturing the product, Large heaps, The Indore heap, The Chinese high temperature stack, The mazibuko trench, Other composting techniques, Composting of brushwood, coffee pulp and seaweed, Brushwood composting, Coffee pulp composting, Seaweed composting, Composting of night soil and refuse, Simple composting techniques, Partly mechanized techniques, Composting of dewatered sewage sludge, Equipment for manual composting, Transport of bulky wastes, Transport of dense materials, Handling of water, Preparation of raw materials, Making and turning heaps, Sieving product compost, Large-scale mechanized composting, Considerations when choosing a process; Chapter 5: Uses of Compost; General, Improving soil fertility, Erosion control, Moisture, Plant nutrients, Soil reaction (pH), Temperature, Compost composition and properties, Compost, Biological aspects, Chemical aspects, Physical aspects, Use of compost for gardens and market gardens, Setting up a new garden, Strip beds, Fertility trenches, Mound cultivation, Mulching, Market gardens, Use of compost for tree planting, The uses of trees, Alley cropping and forest farming, Tree raising, planting out and manuring, The mycorrhizal association, Desert reclamation, Use of compost for field crops, Improved cropping techniques, Intercropping, Single or fixed row cropping, Paired row cropping, Broad based beds and furrows, Rotations, Green manuring, Direct incorporation of manures and wastes, Combined use of mineral fertilizers, organic wastes and composts, Organo-mineral fertilizers, Combined application of compost and mineral fertilizers; Chapter 6: Environmental Aspects; General, Pathogens, Flies and vermin, Odours, Weeds and seeds, Heavy metal contamination, Contamination of drinking water; Chapter 7: Economic and Social Aspects; General, Economic considerations, Social considerations; Chapter 8: Education and Training of Farmers and Extension Staff; General, Requirements of extension services, Timing of the extension programme, Training the extension worker, Farmer training, Preparatory education for farmers, Education on soil fertility, Feasibility of composting, Compost heap construction, Monitoring the use of compost; Chapter 9: Conclusions.