Biogas Production from Lantana camara Leaves

Abstract

Biogas is produced from microbial degradation of organic material in anaerobic conditions. Microorganisms obtain nutrients from organic material and produces biogas. Present study aimed to test the hypothesis that there is a link between nutrients supply and amount of biogas generation. Two substrates were used in the experiment, one is nutrient deficient digested buffalo dung and another is nutrient rich undigested Lantana camara leaves. Their combination was also tested. Experiment was laid down in 5L capacity glass bottles in batch fermentation mode for a total of 99 days. The cumulative biogas production reveals the superiority of Lantana camara leaves followed by combined use of Lantana camara leaves and buffalo dung and least amount of biogas was produced in buffalo dung alone treatment. The average biogas production in buffalo dung alone, Lantana camara leaves alone and their combined use treatments was 533.52, 616.94 and 589.15mL per day, respectively. Essential plant nutrients content also followed the same trend. The available N and P contents of digested slurry received from Lantana camara leaves alone treatment were 0.72 and 0.076%, respectively whereas in buffalo dung alone these values were 0.43 and 0.056% and in combined use of Lantana camara leaves and buffalo dung treatment these values were 0.65 and 0.074% respectively for available N and P.