IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

Research article
erdSuitable Timing of Compost Application and Its
Effectiveness on Mung Bean in the Crop Station of Royal
University of Agriculture
SOPHARK TIP*
Institute of Environment Rehabilitation and Conservation, Cambodia Branch
Email: tip.sophark@gmail.com

BUNTHAN NGO
Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

EANG KHUONRoyal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

SOKHA PEL
Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

MACHITO MIHARA
Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, JapanLALITA SIRIWATTANANON
Association of Environmental and Rural Development, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Received 15 December 2011

Accepted 12 March 2012(*: Corresponding Author)

Abstract Agriculture is one of the main sectors for Cambodian economy since 85% ofcitizens live in the countryside, and among which 75% are farmers. They use the same soil
every year for farming, which causes the soil to become infertile. To solve this problem,
adding organic fertilizer is the best method to improve the stability of soil fertility.
Compost is one type of organic fertilizers which can be applied to improve soil properties
such  as  the  soil’s  physical, chemical and biological properties. Because of these reasons,an experiment on suitable timing of compost application and its effectiveness on mungbean was conducted. The experiment aimed to determine which kind of organic fertilizers
is appropriate for mung bean growth and yield, and to identify the suitable timing ofcompost application for the mung bean crop. There were 4 kinds of compost for
conducting the experiment: conventional compost, pellet compost, neem conventional
compost and neem pellet compost, and two different timings of compost application (oneweek before seeding and during seeding of mung bean). Plots were designed as
randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three blocks. In each block there werenine treatments including the control. As a result, there was no significant difference
between different timings of compost application (one week before seeding, and whileseeding). We had the highest yield by application of neem compost one week before
seeding, which was 2.056 t/ha. The next was neem compost during seeding=1.850 t/ha,and the lowest yield was found in the control treatment=1.341 t/ha. According to theresults above, application of neem compost one week before seeding is suitable to gethigher yield of mung bean though there was not a significant difference between timingsof compost application.
Keywords conventional compost, pellet compost, neem conventional compost, neempellet compost, timing of applicationⒸ ISERD90

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

INTRODUCTION
To produce rice and other crops from year to year, it is necessary to apply nutrients continually. So,
organic fertilizers have been applied into the soil in order to keep the soil fertility and ensuresustainable agriculture. Compost is one type of organic fertilizer which is made from plant residues,that can offer nutrients to soil, decrease the level of compacted soil, and improve chemical andphysical properties of soil (soil quality) (Mihara and Fujimoto, 2009; Aero Sun Time, 1990).
According to the experiment of Ungsa (1990-1991) about the effectiveness of fertilizer and spacing
on quality and mung bean yield, it was concluded that the application of chemical fertilizer did not
improve the quality of mung bean significantly, but the applied compost increased mung bean yieldsignificantly.
Pellet compost or granular compost was developed by Institute of Environment Rehabilitation
and Conservation (ERECON) and Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA) (Mihara and Fujimoto,2007). Pellet compost is made of conventional compost, clayey soil, and molasses in the proportionof 10:1:0.01 (Mihara and Fujimoto, 2007). 0.01 units of molasses is the most suitable proportion
for making pellet compost (Mihara, et al, 2005). Between conventional compost and pellet compost,
conventional compost is more likely to be prone to erosion than pellet compost, as the molasses
plays roles as connectors for compost aggregate. It means that nutrient losses of farm land appliedwith pellet compost can be reduced compared to the conventional compost (Mihara and Fujimoto,2007). Siriwattananon and Mihara (2008) concluded that pellet compost application is an effective
way for reducing soil fertility loss which is one way to contribute to the practice of sustainableagriculture.
Neem compost is a type of compost made from neem leaves and other materials. Neem
compost is used to increase soil quality, soil fertility, and it also provides more nutrients to soil andcrops. Neem compost is being used by many farmers and agronomists because of the discovery of
its benefits such as the increase of pest resistance for plants, which can be applied to all kinds ofplants and crops, improvement of soil condition, and the prevention of some kind of root diseases(Oil seeds shop, 2010).
Harvesting age of mung bean is 70-90 days depending on the variety (Sokha, 1997), andnutrient releasing rate of compost is slower than chemical fertilizer (Mihara and Fujimoto, 2007).
Hence, different timings of compost application should be studied.
Based on good features of these organic fertilizers and the above-mentioned factors, anexperiment was conducted about the suitable timing of compost application and its effectiveness onmung bean in the crop station of Royal University of Agriculture. The objectives of this experiment
aimed to determine which kind of organic fertilizers is appropriate for mung bean growth and yield,
and to identify the suitable timing of compost application for the mung bean crop.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Conventional compost, pellet compost, neem conventional compost, and neem pellet compost weremade at ERECON CaM-branch (Institute of Environment Rehabilitation and Conservation,Cambodia Branch). The field experiment was conducted in the crop station of Royal University ofAgriculture.
Materials such as cow manure, water hyacinth, siam weed, morning glory, grass, chaff ash,rice husk, vegetables, tree leaves, neem leaves, and fertile soil were collected to make compost(Kinal, et al., 2007). After putting materials into the compost box, water was used to moisturize thesolution. Then compost was turned regularly until it became mature. After that, conventional
compost, and neen conventional compost were sieved with 1.5 millimeter diameter sieve to get
powdered compost for making pellet compost by mixing it with clayey soil, and palm sugar in theratio of 10:1:0.01.

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Fig. 1 Experimental plots design
After getting organic fertilizers, conventional compost, pellet compost, neem conventional
compost, and neem pellet compost, they were applied at the time set at the rate 18t/ha (Mihara andFujimoto, 2007) by using CARDI   CHEY   variety―mung   bean variety released by CambodianAgricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in 2001.
Total experimental site was 310 square meters (31m x 10m). Plots were designed throughrandomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of 3 replications with 9 treatments for eachblock. The space between blocks and treatments was 0.5m. The size of treatment was 3m x 3m, andmung bean was seeded with 30cm spacing in row and 40cm spacing in column.
Data collection
To measure the effectiveness of those fertilizers, indicators such as plant height (cm), total numberof pods per plant (number), weight of 1000 seeds (g), and mung bean yield (t/ha) were collectedfrom 15 random plants of each treatment.
Data analysis
Collected data was calculated and determined the significant difference of each treatment by testing
analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference (LSD) by using Microsoft Excel andSPSS software.
Table 1 Result of N P C, and OM analysis of compostType of compost
Conventional compost
Pellet compost
Neem conventional compost
Neem pellet compost

Total N(x10-5 kg/kg)
263.5
234.3
241.3
367.2

Total P(x10-5 kg/kg)
60.2
98.7
187.3
120.9

Total OM(x10-2 kg/kg (=%))
13.0348
11.4161
20.2767
13.3969

Total C(x10-2 kg/kg (=%))
7.29946.393911.3549
7.5022

Source: Compost analysis at laboratory of Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan, 2010

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of the experiment were summarized in Table 2. There was not a significant differenceof plant height (P>0.05) among different treatments. Similar to the result of Sithradeth (2008), theexperiment on effect of cow manure and N P K application on the same mung bean variety(CARDI CHEY variety), demonstrated that plant height was not significantly different between
treatments. Anyway, Table 2 showed that the average plant height of all treatments in which
compost was applied were higher than the control, which was the same result of Ungsa (19901991), where compost treatments improved agronomic characteristics of mung bean.

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Table 2 Results of the experiment
Treatments applied
T0: Control
T1: Conventional compost one
week before seeding
T2: Pellet compost one week
before seeding
T3: Neem conventional compostone week before seeding
T4: Neem pellet compost one
week before seeding
T5: Conventional compost whileseeding
T6: Pellet compost while seeding
T7: Neem conventional compostwhile seeding
T8: Neem pellet compost whileseeding
significant difference between
treatment
Coeficient of Variance(C.V=%)

Plant height(cm)64.326

Total pods per plant(number)
36.42cWeight of 1000
seeds (g)75.91bYield(t/ha)
1.341c65.11138.85bc

81.21abc

1.598bc

64.48839.62bc

79.62bc

1.703b

64.40042.5a

81.04ab2.056a65.13341.73ab78.99bc

1.764ab65.48840.68ab

83.26a1.660bc

64.64438.05bc

78.90cd

1.757bc

64.88840.11b81.98ab1.850ab65.91138.88bc

80.81abc

1.686b

Ns

***

*

5.94

4.49

2.1111.94*= significant difference at P< 0.05, **= significant difference at P< 0.01, ns= Non significant difference

Fig. 2 Total pods per plant of different treatments

Fig. 3 Weight of 1000 seeds of different treatments

Fig. 4 Mung bean yield of different treatmentsⒸ ISERD

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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1Total pods per plant of each treatment was significantly different (P<0.05). Treatment appliedwith neem conventional compost one week before seeding (42.50 pods) had more total pods perplant than the treatment applied with neem pellet compost one week before seeding (41.73 pods).
These two treatments applied neem compost; according to the result of N P C and OM analysis ofcompost (Table 1), neem conventional compost (P=187.3 x10-5 kg/kg) and neem pellet compost(P=127.9 x10-5 kg/kg) contained more phosphorus (P) than other composts. Sokha (1997) foundthat phosphorus was very important for mung bean to improve root growth, and especiallyphosphorus  was  very  active  to  make  mung  bean’s  flower  and  pods  good.  The  treatment that had theleast pods per plant was the control (36.42 pods) (Fig. 2) and (Table 2). Ungsa (1990-1991) pointed
out that compost application could improve the total pods per plant more than control and chemicalfertilizer application.
Among all treatments, the highest weight of 1000 seeds was the treatment applied withconventional compost while seeding (83.26 g), then neem conventional compost while seeding(81.98 g), conventional compost one week before seeding (81.21 g), neem conventional compost
one week before seeding (81.04 g), neem pellet compost while seeding (80.81 g), pellet compost
one week before seeding (79.62 g), neem pellet compost one week before seeding (78.99 g), andthe lowest weight of 1000 seeds was the control (75.91 g). There was a significant difference
between treatments (P<0.01) (Table 2 and Fig. 3).
The treatment that applied neem conventional compost one week before seeding got thehighest yield (2.05 t/ha), followed by the neem conventional compost while seeding (1.85 t/ha),neem pellet compost one week before seeding (1.764 t/ha), pellet compost while seeding (1.757t/ha), pellet compost one week before seeding (1.703 t/ha), neem pellet compost while seeding(1.686 t/ha), and conventional compost one week before seeding (1.598 t/ha). The lowest yield wasobserved in control (1.34 t/ha). Treatments were significantly different (P<0.05) (Table 2 and Fig.
4). Similarly, Ungsa (1990-1991) determined that application of compost increased yieldsignificantly.
CONCLUSION
Based on the above results, applying compost one week before seeding or during seeding had nosignificant difference. In the case of mung bean yield between treatments of the same organic
fertilizers at different timings: conventional compost (T1) and (T5), pellet compost (T2) and (T6),neem conventional compost (T3) and (T7), and neem pellet compost (T4) and (T8), had no
significant difference in yields. However, the most suitable timing of compost application was one
week before seeding due to the higher yield of mung bean than that of mung bean yield withcomposts applied while seeding. The most suitable compost for mung bean to get higher yield wasneem conventional compost (based on comparision of yield got from each treatment).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to ERECON for supporting me to learn and practice how to make compost, pellet compost,
and other technical knowledge to successfully conduct this experiment. Also, special thanks toRoyal University of Agriculture and faculty of Agronomy for supporting and providing many
agricultural courses and field experiments.
REFERENCES
Aero Sun Time 6/90. All about compost. New Western Energy Show factsheet, 1-15.
Kinal, K., Dimang, C., Sophornrith, R. and Lyda, H. 2007. Easy way for making compost. Cambodia, 1-15.
Mihara, M. and Fujimoto, A. 2007. Sustainable Agriculture with organic fertilizer. Institute of Environment
Rehabilitation and Conservation, Japan, 20-27. Japan.
Mihara, M. and Fujimoto, A. 2009. Sustainable Farming Practices for Environmental Conservation, Instituteof Environment Rehabilitation and Conservation, Japan, 11-19. Japan.
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Mihara, M., Srimuang, R., Ichimaya, M. and Siriwattananon, L. 2005. Reducing nitrogen losses in surfacerunoff by application of pellet compost. Journal of Environmental Information Science, 33-5, 21-26.
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