PRODUCTION OF BIOFERTILIZER FROM RICE HUSK ASH (RHA) AND NEEM SEEDS (NS)

The utilisation of Rice husk ash (RHA) in combination with Neem seeds (NS) as biofertilizers was studied. The two samples were collected for characterization where ED_XRF and proximate analysis were conducted. The XRF data for the RHA and NS powder indicated the most important elements essential for plant growth that are present, which includes N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn. Pure NS and pure RHA can serve as two different biofertilizers and also when combined, the RHA biofertilizer was produced by shade drying of RHA for 2 days and crushing and sieving into fine powder, the same thing was done to NS but it was shade dried for 10 days. The prepared 3:1 and 1:3 RHA to NS volume ratio served as different biofertilizers with different effects. The biofertilizers produced in this study were 4; pure RHA, Pure NS, 3:1 and 1:3 RHA to NS volume ratio. Their performance was tested by preparing potting media containing maize seeds to be grown. The potting media contained different treatments which were T1_ 100% Absolute control, T2_100% NPK+ 3tsp RHA + soil 15% compost, T3_100% NPK+ 3tsp NS+ soil 15% compost T4_100% NPK+ 3tsp RHA and NS+ soil 15% compost and T5-100% NPK+ 3tsp+soil 15% compost. The maximum value was obtained from treatment containing T2_100% NPK+RHA 3tsp+soil 15% compost with plant height of 35.6cm at 10 DAS followed by treatment containing T4_100% NPK+ RHA and NS 3:1+soil 15% compost with plant height of 34 cm at 10 DAS. The lowest value was obtained from absolute control which found to be 16cm at 1O DAS. Therefore, waste RHA and NS can be transformed into Biofertilizers as the have many essential elements for plants growth.