• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.5-13
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• 2020

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of compressed expansion rice hull (CERH) as bulking agent on physicochemical properties of composting poultry manure (PM) and of its fertilization on lettuce and pak choi growth. Treatments were designed as follows; sawdust treatment (90% PM + 10% sawdust; SP), peatmoss treatment (90% PM + 10% peatmoss; PP), and CERH treatments [PCR1 (90% PM + 10% CERH 1.3 mm) and PCR2 (90% PM + 10% CERH 3.0 mm)]. Physicochemical properties such as temperature, water content, pH, and total carbon of composted poultry piles for 31 days were unaffected by various bulking agents. However, total nitrogen content in compost pile was higher in PP and PCR1 than that of SP or PCR2. After composting for 31 days, content ranges of N, P2O5, and K2O in the composting PM piles were 19.1~19.7%, 47.6~51.6%, 2.76~3.65%, and 2.53~2.90%, respectively. As compared to SP treatment, dry weight of lettuce treated with PP and PCR1 increased by more than 10%, but only in PP for pak choi. These results indicated that CERH 1.3 could be used as bulking agents for composting PM on behalf of peatmoss or sawdust.