The Fermentation of Liquid Biofertilizer

Sittisak Uparivong1,*, Sirinda Yunchalard1, Thanya Chanprasopchai2, Soontorn Kingsungwal3, Phamornpol Yothasarn4, Piyamet thonglamun1, Samrouy Nangtharat1 and Sirawan Jaimong1
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University 40002, Thailand 2 Department of Production Technology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University 40002 3 Landscape Design and Environment Section, Ground and Building Division, Office of President, Khon Kaen University 40002 4 Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University 40002 *Corresponding author. Tel.&Fax: +66-4336-2121; E-mail address: sittisak@kku.ac.th
1

The fermentation of liquid biofertilizer was aimed to investigate on the potential of liquid biofertilizer for recovery abandon soil land. This research was conducted in Khon Kaen University, Thailand during the fiscal year 2003-2004. The available materials of various residues such as vegetable and fruit residues; food residues from food service centre; some herbal corps etc., were fermented with molasses and the eighteen species of zymogenicsynthetic microorganisms (Liquid Biofertilizer KKU.1). Equipments of general composting tank (GCT) of 20 gallon/each were experimented to compare with a 300-L liquid biofermentor (LBF) and a 500-L microorganism liquid biofermentor (MLBF) of this research project which were designed and constructed in pilot plant scale. Total productivity of liquid biofertilizers were 10,000-L/2-weeks by the bioprocesses with unless chemicals added. Results shown that the biodegradation rate by microorganism in this liquid biofermentor higher than the general composting tanks. Microorganism growth rate in this biofermentor was 40.9-55.5% higher than the control fermentors at the retention time of 2 weeks. For quality tests, the products were qualified as Biofertilizer under the Standard Guideline on the Organic Fertilizer, Biofertilizer, and Natural Mineral Fertilizer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives B.E.2001. On the products determination, liquid biofertilizer were carried out using water convolvulus, marigold, and rice as tested crops by the concentration rate of liquid biofertilizer 1:2000 at local area. The results shown that the highest yield of water convolvulus, marigold flowers and rice were 85105%, 46.9-88.3% and 70.6-83.8%, respectively higher than the control in the pot and fields tests. The production of extracted bioliquid was achieved to call the Liquid Biofertilizer BIOTECH.1.

Keywords: Liquid Biofertilizer; Zymogenic-Synthetic Microorganisms; Liquid Biofertilizer KKU.1; Liquid Biofermentor; Microorganism Liquid Biofermentor

Introduction
The fermentation of liquid biofertilizer was investigated to produce liquid biofertilizer for recovery abandon soil land and nature agricultural products (Chaitat, 1991) for leding Thailand to be kitchen of the world. The liquid biofertilizer could be easily produced by agriculturist themselves at each local area. Because the varieties processes of liquid

biofertilizer were produced at each local area, and especially used the various species of microorganism for the fermentation of liquid biofertilizer. Therefore, this research was aimed to design and construction of a liquid biofermentor and a large scale microorganism biofermentor by using the original microorganism of liquid biofertilizer kku.1 (Liquid Biofertilizer KKU.1 of the research project of Product Improvement on Liquid Biofertilizer of the Theparugse Agricultural Community, KKU). (Sittisak et al., 2003). The quality test and product determination including the retention time of product preservation were determined by the standard laboratory methods. The original products of liquid biofertilizer from the known-how of local thai populations were being biotechnology and to being international accesses.

Material and Methods

Raw Materials Available raw materials such as vegetable and fruit residues; food residues from food service centre; some herbal crops etc., were provided from local area. Molasses was supplied from sugar cane factory in khon kaen province, and using the three types of microorganism as the original microorganism of liquid biofertilizer KKU.1, microorganism in the product of liquid biofertilizer KKU.1, and soil development microorganism SD.1. Equipments The several general composting tanks (GCT) of 20 gallon/each were used for fermentation to compare with the designed and constructed biofermentors of this research as a liquid biofermentor (LBF) of 300-L equipped with a stirrer motor of 1 hp, and a large scale microorganism liquid biofermentor (MLBF) of 500-L equipped with a stirrer motor of hp and aeration system with an air compressor. Total capacities to produce liquid biofertilizer were 10,000 L/2-week. Methods Experiments were determined on the five parameters as 1)Type of fermented materials; 2)Type of microorganism; 3)Retention time of fermentation; 4)Type of liquid biofermentors; and 5)the retention time of products preservation. Therefore, the experiments were unless chemical on nature biomass during fermentation processes. Analysis Methods The quality products of liquid biofertilizer were determined by the various parameters as pH, conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS) and temperature. The mayor nutrients of crop as nitrogen; phosphorus; and potassium, including the minor nutrients as calcium; magnesium; and sodium were determined by using atomic absorption spectrometer and uv/vis spectrometer. Microorganism populations were determined by the standard plate count. The quality test and products evaluation were determined by cultivating the three types of tested crops as water convolvulus, marigold and rice in the pots and fields test. Also, the cells population and total reducing sugar were determined during 6-months of products preservation.

Results and Discussion

Fermentation Processes Type of raw materials Results shown that the combination of the varieties of materials could be fermented by the three types of microorganism and reducing the C/N ratio 10.0355.10% during 2-weeks. Type of microorganism To compare the growth rate of the three types of microorganism, it obtained that the microorganism population of original liquid biofertilizer KKU.1, product of liquid biofertilizer KKU.1, soil development microorganism SD.1, and the control were 1.18 x 108, 2.38 x 108, 8.7 x 107, and 9.20 x 107 respectively during 2-weeks. Retention time of fermentation Result shown that the optimal fermented time was 2-weeks which obtained the maximum microorganism populations (fermented liquid C/N = 9.0211.97, fermented residues C/N = 21.04), and decreased microorganism populations after 2weeks. Type of liquid biofermentors The performance of two types of liquid biofermentors, the result shown that the efficiency of a liquid biofermentor of this research was 40.9155.47% higher than the general composting tanks. Products preservation time Results shown that the liquid biofertilizer products which were contained in the 1-L plastic bottoms, the original cells population decreased from 7.55 x 109 to 6.3 x 106 (reducing sugar 25.49%) during 6-months of retention time, and cells population could be increased more than 108 cells/cc. by adding new molasses for unlimiting products preservation. Properties of physical, chemical and biological of liquid biofertilizer Results shown that the bioextract or liquid biofertilizer in a biofermentor obtained the properties of EC=13.23 mS, pH=4.28, TDS=6.6 ppt, and temperature 33.8C. The mayor nutrients were analyzed as the consists of N=0.24%; P=0.083%; and K=0.20%, and the minor nutrients of Ca=1629 mg/L; Mg=570 mg/L; and Na=303 mg/L. The microorganism populations obtained 2.85 x 109 cfu/mL during 2-weeks of fermentation. The C/N ratios obtained 5.33 for liquid biofertilizer and C/N=25.95 for fermented residues. Performance test of liquid biofertilizer products Bioextract products must been produced to become the liquid biofertilizer products before containing into the bottoms. The performance estimation for the products of liquid biofertilizer BIOTECH.1 were determined by cultivating the three types of crops as water convolvulus, marigold, and rice in the pots and fields at the concentration of liquid biofertilizer of 1:2000 and spraying every 5-7 day (sittisak et al., 2003; suriya, 2001). Results shown that the highest yield of water convolvulus obtained 4.10 kg/m2, 10-23 flowers/tree (diameter of 30-85.9 mm.) for marigold and 0.580-0.625 kg/m2 (928-1,000 kg/rai) for rice after harvesting. Thus, the yield of water convolvulus, marigold flowers, and rice were 85-105%, 46.85-88.29%, and 70.59-83.82% respectively higher than the control test.

Fig.1 Liquid Biofermentor

Fig.2 Microorganism Liqiud Biofertilizer

Fig.3 Liqiud Biofertilizer Products Biotech.1

Fig.4 Field test Marigold

Conclusions
Raw materials for producing liquid biofertilizer The various types of raw materials such as crops and animals, including available residues from each local area could be produced liquid biofertilizer by combining the khown-how of biotechnologiest in the local area. Technology for producing liquid biofertilizer The fermentation technology of biological processes should be supported to be the liquid biofermentor technology for producing the highest quality and highest standard performance on the right direction and on the way. Could be expressed that the standard microorganism populations were more than 10 power 8 cells/cc. Application for the diversity of liquid biofertilizer products The products of liquid biofertilizer should be nearly qualitative chemical fertilizers and low production costs including conveniently apply for general bioprocessing, and could be applied information to the biodiversity of products . Strategy expansion to distribute the liquid biofertilizer products Depending on the government policy, which the objectives are in order to recovery abandon soil land, and led to organic biological unless poison chemical, and led to kitchen of the world and food safety, and led to good healthy care.

Acknowledgments
This research was supported by grants from Khon Kaen University, THAILAND.

References
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