Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:27:20.821Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Large Scale Composting as a Means of Managing Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

John E. Montoya ,
Tina M. Waliczek  and
Michael L. Abbott
John E. Montoya
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Texas State University-San Marcos, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666
Tina M. Waliczek*
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Texas State University-San Marcos, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666
Michael L. Abbott
Affiliation:
Texas Rivers System Institute, San Marcos, TX 78666
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The intent of this study was to determine if composting is an effective means of managing water hyacinth while producing a quality horticultural compost product. Preliminary tests for the study included germination and seed mortality tests. Germination tests found that water hyacinth seeds germinated on filter paper media soaked in distilled water while placed in petri dishes held at a constant temperature of 27 C for 14 d. Seed mortality test results found that seeds of water hyacinth were rendered inviable at temperatures equal to or above 57 C. The study successfully developed a large-scale composting system that used water hyacinth as a primary feedstock. Eleven compost piles were derived from 10,000 kg of water hyacinth, 9,000 kg of food waste, 11,300 kg of poultry litter, and 17,200 kg of wood chips. Results indicated that the composting process reached and sustained sufficiently high enough temperatures to inactivate and fully decompose seeds and other propagules of water hyacinth. Therefore, water hyacinth can be composted without the potential danger of it spreading. Compost quality tests found that the compost produced was within acceptable to ideal ranges of accepted industry quality standards, though there was a learning curve by student workers in the preparation of the piles using the large equipment.

Keywords

Water hyacinthEichhornia crassipes (Mart.) SolmsAquatic plant managementcompost qualityinvasive
Type
Research
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , June 2013 , pp. 243 - 249
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Current address: Graduate Student, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822

References

Literature Cited

Barrett, S.C.H. 1980. Sexual reproduction in Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth). 2. Seed production in natural populations. J. Appl. Ecol. 17:113–124.Google Scholar
Bartlett, R. C. and Williamson, L. 1995. Saving the best of Texas. Austin, TX University of Texas Press. 240 p.Google Scholar
Blazich, F. A. and Evans, E. 1999. Overcoming seed dormancy: trees and shrubs. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8704.html. Accessed October 15, 2010.Google Scholar
De Marchi, S. R., Martins, D., Da Costa, N. V., and Domingues, V. D. 2009. Effect of spray tips and mix deposition on common water hyacinth growing with varied population arrangements of salvinia and water lettuce. J. Aquat. Plant Manage. 47:110–115.Google Scholar
Dougherty, M. 1999. Composting livestock and poultry mortalities. Pages 75–90 in Field guide to on-farm composting. Ithaca, NY NRAES-114.Google Scholar
Gopal, B. 1987. Aquatic plant studies 1: water hyacinth. City, Netherlands Elsevier Science. 471 p.Google Scholar
Holm, L. G., Plucknett, D. L., Panch, J. V., and Herbeger, J. P. 1977. The world's worst weeds: distribution and biology. 18th Edition. Honolulu, HI University Press. 609 p.Google Scholar
Jiang, H. and Zhang, H. 2003. Summaries on biological control of water hyacinth over the world. Rev. China Agric. Sci. Technol. 5(3):72–75.Google Scholar
Joyce, J. C. and Haller, W. T. 1984. Effect of 2,4-D and gibberellic acid on waterhyacinths under operational conditions. J. Aquati. Plant Manage. 22:75–78.Google Scholar
Koschnick, T. J., Haller, W. T., and Chen, A. W. 2004. Carfentrazone-ethyl pond dissipation and efficacy of floating plants. J. Plant Aquat. Manage. 42:103–108.Google Scholar
Lakon, G. 1942. Topographischer nachweis der keimfiihigkeit der getreidefriichte durch tetrazoliumsalze. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 60:299–305.Google Scholar
Monsod, G. G. 1979. Man and the water hyacinth. Vantage Press, New York.Google Scholar
Pearson, P. R. 2003. Using compost mulch to establish roadside vegetation. Ph.D dissertation, Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University. 115 p.Google Scholar
Penfound, W. T. and Earle, T. T. 1948. The biology of the water hyacinth. Ecol. Monogr. 18:447–472.Google Scholar
Rynk, R., Kamp, M., Willson, G. B., Singley, M. E., Richard, T. L., Kolega, J. J., Gouin, F. R., Laliberty, L., Kay, D., Murphy, D. W., Hoitink, H. A., and Brinton, W. F. 1992. On-Farm composting handbook. Cooperative Extension, New York.Google Scholar
Stoffella, P. J. and Kahn, B. A. 2001. Compost utilization in horticultural cropping systems. Boca Raton, FL Lewis Publishers. 432 p.Google Scholar
Tabita, A. and Woods, J. W. 1962. History of hyacinth control in Florida. Hyacinth Control J. 1:19–22.Google Scholar
Tanaka, R. H., Cardoso, L. R., Martins, D., Marcondes, D. A. S., and Mustafá, A. L. 2002. Ocorrência de plantas aquáticas nos reservatórios da Companhia Energética de São Paulo. Planta Daninha (Special Ed.) 20:99–111.Google Scholar
TMECC. 2002. Test methods for the examination of composting and composts. Composting Council Research and Education Foundation. Holbrook, New York. CDROM Only.Google Scholar
Toft, J. D., Simenstad, C. A., Cordell, J. R., and Grimaldo, L. F. 2003. The effects of introduced water hyacinth on habitat structure, invertebrate assemblages, and fish diets. Estuaries 26:746–758.Google Scholar
USGS (United States Geological Survey). 2009. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species. http://nas.er.usgs.gov. Accessed May 22, 2012.Google Scholar
Wersal, R. M. and Madsen, J. D. 2010. Combinations of penoxsulam and diquat as foliar applications for control of water hyacinth and common salvinia: evidence of herbicide antagonism. J. Aquat. Plant Manage. 48:21–25.Google Scholar