Ameliorating Sisal Leaf Wastes in Purveying Plant Macronutrients

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dc.contributor.authorEchessa, A.C. Peter
dc.contributor.authorNyambaka, Hudson
dc.contributor.authorChangamu, Evans
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-01T09:31:42Z
dc.date.available2021-10-01T09:31:42Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.descriptionA research article published in International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR)en_US
dc.description.abstractSisal (Agave sisalana) is extensively grown in Kenya. It is a high waste generating crop. Waste disposal has remained a challenge to the sisal processing set ups. The wastes are used as landfills and or are burned to ashes despite being rich in plant macronutrients. Direct use scorches crops due to high acidity. Though composting takes too long before the biomass can be in use, it remains the recognizable approach, The study sought to establish pH trends of decomposing pretreated SLW with a view of seeking approaches to shorten the otherwise long period. Sisal leaf wastes (SLW) from young, mid old and old leaves were soaked in distilled water fresh, sun or shade dried and corresponding pH monitored. Effects of boiling SLW in lye and sodium hydroxide on deterioration were compared. It was established that natural decomposition of SLW is accompanied with a pH change from ≤ 4.8 (acidic) to > 7.5 (basic). SLW from young sisal leaves as well as shade dried ones deteriorated faster compared to those soaked fresh or after sun drying. Those (SLW) boiled in lye had evolution of the biogas earlier than either the fresh or 2M NaOH treated (boiled) samples. The SLW soaked without pretreatment on average took the longest period before biogas was detected. It is apparent from this study that boiling the SLW in an alkali shortens the decomposition period hence enables an easy access to macronutrient. Utilization of SLW in enhancing crop production would be an economical pathway of their disposal.en_US
dc.identifier.citationA.C. Peter, Echessa and Hudson, Nyambaka and Evans, Changamu, Ameliorating Sisal Leaf Wastes in Purveying Plant Macronutrients (November 6, 2019). IJRAR - International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR), E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138, Volume.6, Issue 4, Page No pp.87-93, NOVEMBER 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3677934en_US
dc.identifier.issnE-ISSN 2348-1269
dc.identifier.issnP- ISSN 2349-5138
dc.identifier.urihttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3677934
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/22718
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherInternational Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR)en_US
dc.subjectSisalen_US
dc.subjectLeafen_US
dc.subjectWastesen_US
dc.subjectDisposalen_US
dc.subjectChallengeen_US
dc.subjectDecompositionen_US
dc.titleAmeliorating Sisal Leaf Wastes in Purveying Plant Macronutrientsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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