Development of Nutrient-Rich Fertilizer Pellets by Integrating Fly Ash and Vermicompost for Enhanced Soil Health

Abstract

This study focuses on the development of nutrient-rich fertilizer pellets by integrating fly ash and vermicompost to enhance soil health and agricultural productivity.Fly ash, an industrial byproduct, contains essential micronutrients such as silicon, calcium, and potassium, while vermicompost is rich in organic matter humic substances, and beneficial microorganisms. Combining these materials into pelletized from offers a controlled-release fertilizer that improvesnutrient availability, enhances soil microbial activity, and minimizes nutrient leaching. The research aims to optimize the composition of fly ash and vermicompost for effective nutrient delivery, asses thephysical and chemical properties of the pellets, and evaluate their impactonsoilhealthand plant growth.Specialattention is given to the potential risk associated with heavy mental contamination from fly ash and methods to mitigate them.

Introduction

Scope:
The project addresses the increasing demand for agricultural productivity amid environmental concerns caused by excessive chemical fertilizer use. It proposes developing sustainable fertilizer pellets by combining fly ash—a nutrient-rich industrial byproduct—and vermicompost, an organic, nutrient-dense material processed by earthworms. These pellets aim to enhance soil fertility, improve soil structure and microbial activity, increase water retention, and provide controlled nutrient release, reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Objectives:

1. Create fertilizer pellets integrating fly ash and vermicompost.

2. Compare the nutrient profile of these pellets with commercial fertilizers.

3. Assess effects on soil health, including structure, fertility, and microbial activity.

4. Evaluate impacts on crop growth and yield.

5. Promote waste recycling by using fly ash and vermicompost.

6. Reduce environmental harm by minimizing chemical fertilizer use and fly ash disposal.

Literature Survey:
The review highlights several studies on fly ash utilization and vermicompost benefits. Research indicates coal ash can be repurposed in construction and other industries but faces utilization challenges due to infrastructure and awareness gaps. Vermicompost consistently improves soil fertility, microbial diversity, water retention, and crop productivity while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Multiple studies support vermicompost as a sustainable agricultural amendment enhancing soil health and crop yields.

Research Methodology:
Raw materials—fly ash and vermicompost—are collected and tested for key physical properties: moisture content, specific gravity, and bulk density, ensuring suitability for pellet production. Standard laboratory methods measure these parameters to characterize the materials before pelletization.

Conclusion

The development of nutrient-rich fertilizer pellets by integrating fly ash and vermicompost offers a promising approach to improving soil health and promoting sustainable agriculture. The combination of these two materials fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, and vermicompost,anutrient-richorganiccompostproducedby earthworms creates a balanced fertilizer with enhanced nutrient content, including essential macro and micronutrients for plant growth. The findings of this project suggest that the integrated fertilizer pellets can significantly enhance soil properties, including fertility, structure, and microbialactivity. The fly ash helps to improve soil aeration and drainage, while vermicompost contributes essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and beneficial microorganisms. This synergy can improve the nutrient availability in the soil and support long-term soil health.

References

[1] Anil kumar, et al, “Potential of vermicompost for sustainable crop producation and soil health improvement in different cropping system”, nt.j.curr.microbiol.app.sci (2018) 7(10): 1042-1055. [2] Akramgazi, et al “Effect of vermicompost on soil quality and crop productivity’, vol7 ,sp issues 4. [3] Arancon, et al, 2004. “Effect of vermicompost plant growth woil biology and biochemistry”,36(5), 883- 887. [4] Bhattacharyya, et al, (2020). “Controlled- release fertilizers”, their role in sustainable agriculture soil science and plant nutrition”, 66(1),21-29. [5] Hyup lee, et al, “Fly ash effect on improving soil properties and rice productivity in korean paddy soils”. 2006 sep; (13):1490-7. [6] Dr. lesleysloss, et al \"Achieving 100% ash utilization at coal-fired power plants in india”, 18 may 2023, 64. [7] Jones, p., et al, “ The use of flyash as a soil amendment for agricultural purpose. environmental science and technology”, 2018. [8] Mahantayyamathapati, et al“A review on fly ash utilization”, volume 50, 5 2022. [9] Rana,m.s.,“ Pelletization in fetilizerproducation “, 2018

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Thulasi D., Kavitha V., Sailaja P., Vishva J., Surendar M.. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.