The Role of Local Microorganisms Generated from Rotten Fruits and Vegetables in Producing Liquid Organic Fertilizer

Experiment was conducted in order to find the role of local microorganisms (LoM) generated from rotten fruits and vegetables in producing liquid organic fertilizer (LOF). LoM resulting from rotten fruits and vegetables was dominated by Lactobacillus sp.. Therefore, in this experiment LoM was used to utilize cow urine to be LOF. The LoM was tested based on the composition of rotten fruit (F) and vegetable (V) and LoM consisted of LoM-1 (100% F); LoM-2 (75% F:25% V); LoM-3 (50% F:50% V); LoM-4 (25% F-75% V); and LoM-5 (100% V). In this study other than LoM, EM4 was also used as a source of microorganism and positioned as a control. Cow urine and other materials were mixed and stirred homogenously. After that the LoM was put into the mixture and it then was incubated, respectively, for 6 days (I-6), 12 days (I-12), and 18 days (I-18). At the end of incubation, sample of LOF was taken up and analysis for pH, N, P, K and C. It showed that pH of LOF at all treatments decreased from initial pH of cow urine. The performance of N and K content was different throughout incubation, at I-6, I-12, and I-18. There was no significant differences of C content of LOF among treatments of different LoM at I-6 and I-18 with the exception of I-12. Meanwhile C/N ratio of LOF with different sources of LoM and EM4 at I-6, I-12 were no significant different ranged from 7-12 and 8-11, respectively. There was significantly different of C/N ratio among treatments of different LoM and EM4 at I-18. The C/N ratio of LOF with EM4 as starter showed different performance. The C/N ratio of it increased at I-6 and I-12, but gradually decreased at I-18. The LoM generated from rotten fruits and vegetables was dominated by Lactobacillus sp. and have potential to be a starter in producing LOF. The quality of LOF was determined by the incubation periods, mainly at I-18. Therefore, further investigation on this matter is highly recommended.