Vol. 10, Special Issue 1, Part E (2026)

A field experiment was carried out to study the composting of cashew apple waste and leaf litter. Cashew apple was undertaken in the Regional Fruit Research Station, Vengurla during 2020 to 2023. All the tanks were initially added with basic feed mixture (cashew leaf litter, cashew apple, and cow dung in 1:10:1 ratios on weight basis. Along with the basic feed mixture, different substrates were added according to the treatments. The experiment was carried out in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications with three tanks per replication. Nutrient status of substrates and that of matured compost was recorded initially and after compost maturity. In addition, pH was also recorded before and after composting, pH ranged from 4.5 in cashew leaf waste to 7.4 in cow dung respectively. Organic carbon content varied from 23% in cashew apple waste to 41% in cashew leaf litter. C:N ratio was found between 61.19 cashew leaf litter to 22.62 in cashew apple waste. The biochemical constituents viz, cellulose, phenol, tannin and lignin were highest in cashew leaf litter (45.9, 1.62, 0.62 and 13.4 mg/100 g respectively) as compared to cashew apple. The compost obtained from T₆ (T₁+Rock Phosphate 400 g) on maturity (120 days), recorded a pH of 6.18, OC (31.90%), C:N ratio (15.33), N (1.90%), P (1.69%), K (1.91%), which was highest among other treatments. Based on results composting could be established as a eco-friendly and ecologically sound method for manure from cashew leaf litter and cashew apple waste.