Influence of fermentation agents, duration, and water volume on liquid organic fertilizer derived from cow dung

Muhammad Irfan Herlan; Borhan Abdul Haya; Ilmas Abdurofi; Muhamad Askari; Nur Aainaa Hasbullah; Lum Mok Sam; Mohd Rakib Mohd Rashid.

This study evaluated the effects of fermentation agents (EM4 and yeast), fermentation duration (7, 14, and 21 days), and water volume (1 L and 2 L) on the physicochemical properties of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) derived from cow dung. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications was employed. Parameters analyzed included pH, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H) concentrations, and C/N ratio. Results indicated that both fermentation agent and duration significantly influenced LOF properties. The yeast-based treatment with 7 days fermentation and 2 L water (Yeast + 7 days + 2 L) emerged as the most practical and efficient combination, achieving a near-neutral pH (6.53), balanced C/N ratio (9.98), and acceptable nitrogen content (0.40%) within the shortest time. In contrast, EM4 treatments, particularly EM4 + 21 days + 2 L, yielded higher nitrogen concentrations (0.52%) but required extended fermentation. A strong positive correlation (r=0.916) was observed between carbon and nitrogen, indicating synchronized nutrient release during decomposition. The findings suggest that yeast serves as a rapid, resource-efficient, and sustainable fermentation agent for small-scale LOF production, offering a viable alternative to more complex microbial consortia such as EM4.

KEYWORDS: Liquid organic fertilizer; Cow dung fermentation; Yeast; Effective microorganisms (EM4); Fermentation duration



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