Performance and Microbial Internalization by Tomatoes Grown on Composted Municipal Solid Wastes
Abosede Obafunke Bello
*
Biology Department, Federal College of Education Abeokuta (affiliated to University of Ibadan), Nigeria.
Aderonke K. Akintokun
Microbiology Department, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Caroline A. Akinremi
Chemistry Department, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
For this study, the waste was sorted and composted in 20 L buckets A and B in replicates. A was amended with cow dung collected from Odo-Eran Abattoir in Abeokuta, while B was not. The temperature, pH, microbial succession, heavy metal concentration, and chemical properties of the composts were monitored at weekly intervals for 95 days using standard methods. Planting of test crop was done in a complete randomized block design, while the growth performance were determined by comparing the leaf length, leaf numbers, plant height, and numbers of fruits. Internalization of bacterial and fungal species by the test crops was also determined. Isolates were identified using 16sRNA gene amplification and sequencing for bacteria, and 16sF sequencing for yeasts and molds respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined by disc diffusion method. Temperature of the compost ranged between 22˚C-43˚C, the pH increased over time till termination of the experiment. Microbial counts during composting ranged from 0.8-2.0 CFU/mL in treatment A and B. Amendment of soil with composts improved the growth of crops (leaf length, leaf and fruit numbers, fruit size, and plant height in tomatoes), and also the proximate properties. For example, the organic matter (mg/kg) in CMSW was 20.37 %, while MSW had 13.64 %; average fruit numbers was 13.0 for CMSW, and 8.0 for MSW. Bacteria isolated include; Lysinibacillus fusiformis, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Bacteroides vulgatus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Providencia alcalificiens, Bacillus anthracis (Sterne), Providencia rettgeri, and Enterobacter asburiae. Molds include; Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus sp., Penicillium notatum; while yeasts include; Saccharomyces sp., and Candida sp. This study remarkably showed that direct use of MSW is not safe, hence, composting and amendment of composted wastes helps improve quality of the wastes for Agricultural uses, as well as yield and also reduced the uptake of microorganisms by test crop (Tomato).
Keywords: Performance, municipal solid waste, internalization, amendment