Compost production from areca palm leaf sheath residues using a non-turning composting method: A case study of the Ban Tha Di Mee community enterprise in Loei province

This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of compost produced from areca palm (Areca catechu L.) leaf sheath residues using a non-turning composting method with different agricultural residues. The study was conducted at the Ban Tha Di Mee Community Enterprise in Loei Province. Areca palm leaf sheath residues from plate production were used as the main raw material and combined with sugarcane leaves, rubber tree leaves, or rice straw, together with cow manure at a ratio of 4:1:1. The experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three treatments and three replicates (n = 3). T1 consisted of areca palm leaf sheaths, sugarcane leaves, and cow manure; T2 consisted of areca palm leaf sheaths, rubber tree leaves, and cow manure; and T3 consisted of areca palm leaf sheaths, rice straw, and cow manure. Composting was conducted for 60 days using the Maejo Engineering Maejo 1 non-turning composting method. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level of 0.05. All treatments produced compost with a dark color, earthy odor, and crumbly texture. The pH ranged from 6.23 to 6.72, and electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 0.14 to 0.29 dS/m. Significant differences among treatments were found in pH, EC, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), and total potassium (TK) (p < 0.05), whereas total phosphorus (TP) did not differ significantly (p = 0.143). OM, TN, and TP (P2O5) ranged from 10.56–13.48%, 0.38–0.48%, and 0.053–0.093%, respectively, below the cited Department of Agriculture criteria. In contrast, TK (K₂O) ranged from 1.30–1.66%, exceeding the cited criterion of ≥0.5%. The non-turning method is practical for community-level residue management, but further improvement of OM, TN, and TP is needed to meet organic fertilizer criteria. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT HIGHLIGHTS Production of Organic Fertilizer Using the Maejo Engineering No-Turning Composting Maejo 1 Organic Fertilizer Standards of the Department of Agriculture Compost Quality