Agri Fact || Wealth from waste | Lac Mud

Wealth from waste-lac Mud

Lac mud is the waste product of lac processing industries which is about 2.5–4.5% on dry and wet weight basis, respectively, of the raw material (sticklac) processed. In absence of a proper disposal method of lac mud, it causes pollution. Enriched lac mud application ensures quality vegetable production, saving of inorganic fertilizers, improvement in soil fertility status and moreover it may give another diversified dimension to lac industry, which may be helpful to sustain the lac production system. Application of decomposed enriched lac mud in vegetables produced 22.0, 22.5 and 18.3% higher yield of brinjal, tomato and spinach, respectively, over 100% N through inorganic source (farmers’ practice). This technology saves 48% of N and P fertilizers, and 65% of K fertilizer in brinjal and tomato. In spinach, similar saving in N and P fertilizers along with 36.6% saving of K fertilizers was recorded. Application of fortified lac mud in floriculture produced 31.7 and 38.5% higher flower yield of rose and chrysanthemum, respectively, over conventional method of manuring, ensuring saving of 5 kg and 700 g of manure/ plant in rose and chrysanthemum, respectively

Reference: DARE Annual report 2017-18