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Volume 6 Part 1 Article 16
Year 1967
Title: Some Thoughts about Composting
Author: F.M. Muller

Abstract:

Composting is defined as 'incomplete microbial degradation of organic waste', in preparing mushroom compost leading to a loss of half the original organic matter and a narrowing of the C/N ratio from 25 to 15. An analysis is given of straw, comprising the determination of ether and hot water solubles, insoluble ash and protein, lignin, pentosan, alpha cellulose, and CO2 from uronic acids and acetyl. The sum of these components is about 99% of the dry matter. The main constituents are alpha cellulose, pentosan and lignin (38, 26 and 17%), pentosan + C02 from uronic acids 4- acetyl represent the hemicellulose fraction (29%). A scheme of the mutual relationship of the three mam constituents is given in the figure. Lignin of cereal straw contains less than 1% N, but during composting it increases to over 3% (the 'nitrogen-rich hgnm-humus complex'). A suitable compost should contain both a large amount of this complex and sizeable amounts of hemicellulose (pentosan) and alpha cellulose, any special nutrients will be provided by the remains of the microbes active during composting.

For composting studies a determination of water solubles, water-insoluble ash, hgnin, pentosan and alpha cellulose, covering 85-95 % of total dry matter, will generally be sufficient.

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