SCITU students invented “3P, granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms

Friday 2 December 2022

     Students from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Agricultural Technology Program, Thammasat University invented granulated cow manure, a comprehensive treatment of root rot and stem rot disease in durian.

     Root rot and stem rot disease in durian is considered the main problem faced by durian farmers from the production process in the field. The causative agent of the disease is Phytophthora palmivora, which spreads during heavy rain and high humidity which when the durian tree catches the disease, it will die, resulting in less productivity and income. Currently, there is no effective cure for root rot and stem rot disease.

     The right treatment to root rot and stem disease in durian is nourishing the tree and eliminating the fungus to the amount that can not cause the disease. Most farmers therefore use both chemical spraying and biological products such as Trichoderma however, such methods will cause labor problems and subsequent risks from the use of chemicals that affect both people and the environment. Therefore, the ‘3P, granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms’ is the answer to reducing farmers' problems through the use of fertilizers at once which as well comprehensively and directly solve the root rot and stem rot problem in durian by both nourishing the tree and eliminating the infection.

     ‘3P, granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms’ is an innovation from the invention of Tiannapa Rongpanang and Suwichak Khaothong, 4th year students from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Agricultural Technology Program with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat, a lecturer from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Agricultural Technology Program, Thammasat University as an advisor

     The starting point of this innovation, Tiannapha Rongpanang, said that it started with a study visit at a farmer's durian orchard which has encountered a problem of root rot and stem rot disease in durian. This disease has greatly affected and damaged the durian business because when a durian tree suffers from root rot, it can affect the entire tree, resulting in less productivity and defects to durian. The problem management of most farmers is still the use of chemicals which we see that it affects the user and the environment, causing us to reconsider and solve the problem with biological methods.

     As for the components and working principles of the innovation, Suwichak Khaothong explained that the main component used in the granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms is manure fertilizer and cellulose that is responsible for food storage of microorganisms. The cellulose is made from rice straw which help reduce the burning of rice stubble of farmers who grow rice as well. There are 3 main microbial strains used: Bacillus subtilis TU-Orga1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Trichoderma harzianum, these microorganisms are capable of inducing root rot and stem rot disease in durian by fixing nitrogen in the air and in the soil, and decomposing phosphate compounds and various nutrients that are beneficial to plants.

     The working principle of granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms is when we put fertilizer on the plants and then water them. Cellulose releases food, then the microorganisms will consume such food, increase its number and perform their own various functions. Therefore, when we use granulated cow manure. It will help promote the growth of durian, treat root rot and stem rot disease along with providing durian with higher immunity without the need for chemical fertilizers, causing the farmers' use of chemical fertilizers to decline.

     ‘3P, granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms’ is an innovation that support farmers in solving durian root rot and stem rot disease comprehensively, helping both plants, farmers and as well the environment. The ‘3P’ derives from protect plant, protect people and protect the world.

     Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat said that the innovation of granulated cow manure has been applied to durian orchards in Chanthaburi province, which has yielded good results and has been widely accepted by farmers, resulting in an extension to other perennial plants such as grapefruit, including a group of vegetables and peppers. Farmers reduce production costs, the target plants will be plants with the problem of root rot and stem rot disease as according to one of the objectives of the innovation on soil borne diseases control.

     The next step of innovation development is elevating standards as the legal selling or the distribution of these fertilizers to farmers for commercial use must comply with organic fertilizer standards 2005, 2008, 2014 according to the Fertilizer Act 1975, amended by the Fertilizer Act (No. 2) 2007. In addition, the factory that produces such fertilizer must be of certified standard. Currently, all sectors are ready to move forward in the future.

     Agricultural innovation is very important. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit explained that more than half of the population in Thailand is farmer and most of them are small to medium-income farmers. Therefore, if we want to raise the country's GDP, both academic and government sectors should pay great attention to farmers. Therefore, the invention of agricultural innovation is important to help promote, support and solve problems that make farmers gain income, have a good quality of life, higher quality agricultural crops which has a positive effect on both farmers, producers and consumers.

     Another objective of the invention of this innovation is to create a new generation of innovators. The new generation will have fresher and more diverse perspectives. Therefore, if we promote and guide them to work in the right direction by starting from asking questions to invent innovations to solve exactly the problem and benefit society, causing our country to produce new generation of innovators who can invent more agricultural innovations. These new generations have the potential to develop both in terms of education and academics, as well as being part of elevating the Thai agricultural sector. This will benefit the country's economy as well, "Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit concluded.

     In this regard, the project ‘3P, granulated cow manure mixed with beneficial microorganisms’ received an outstanding award in agriculture and agro-industry category (Bachelor degree) from the Higher Education Innovation Contest 2022 organized by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), with a total of 155 projects from 33 institutions submitted for the competition.