EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS (EM)

EM is a brown colour liquid concentrate containing a consortium of beneficial microbes and acts as soil conditioner as well as a microbial inoculant. It is produced from cultivation of over 80 strains of beneficial microorganisms, which are collected from the natural environment. Over 90 countries are using this technology successfully today.

EM stock solution mainly consists of lactobacillus, photosynthetic bacteria, yeast and ray fungi. The microorganisms are not imported or genetically engineered. EM includes both aerobic and anaerobic species of microorganisms which co-exist in an environment of around 3.5 pH. EM is used in agriculture, animal husbandry, aquaculture, waste water & solid waste management to increase the quantity and to improve the quality of products and the treating of certain poluting ellements.  It has been observed that increasing the dosage of EM to make compost also increased the nutrient level.

EM Bokashi

Bokashi is rich a fermented compost, which can be made as ‘aerobic’ (allowing air contact) or ‘anaerobic’ (without air contact), depending on the process used. Bokashi is a strong organic manure with beneficial effects towards the soil. Aerobic Bokashi can be made on a large scale. As the temperature will rise (up to 40 – 50 °C) during the process of composting it has to be controlled (e.a. by aeriation) to maintain energy.

Anaerobic Bokashi: The process is a bit more demanding but it is superior to aerobic Bokashi as it has more nutrients. It is important to note the quantitys beeing applied of this Bokashi are much lower.

Ingredients for making Bokashi

Organic Material: Rice, corn or wheat bran, maize flour, rice or bean husk, rice, wheat or corn straw, any oil seed cake, cotton seed cake, press mud, chopped crop residue or weeds, saw dust, dried sea weed, coconut fiber and husk, post harvest residue etc. Animal Residues: Fish or bone meal, animal dung, crab shell, waste from meat-industry.

It is best to have a balance between plant and animal material in the ratio of 2:1 and to have a mix of many different types of organic ingredient. A typical Bokashi contains the following: Rice Bran: Oil cake: Fish/ Bone Meal: Water: Molasses: EM in the ratio of 2.5kg: 2.5kg: 2.5kg: 150 ml: 150 ml: 150ml by volume. The quantity of water can be altered depending on the moisture content of the ingredients used. The material should be moist without drainage. It is recommended that at least 10-15% rice bran should be present in all Bokashi recipes.

EM in action

Current research indicates that EM cultures can suppress soil-borne pathogens, accelerate the decomposition of organic wastes, increase the availability of mineral nutrients and useful organic compounds to plants, enhance the activities of beneficial micro-organisms, e.g., mycorrhizae, nitrogen fixing bacteria, and reduce the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides. EM helps to increase beneficial soil micro-organisms and supression of harmful ones.

As a compost application

Apply to the compost heap to reduce troublesome odours and flies as well as improving the compost process and quality. Preferably spray on with a hand sprayer to prevent over wetting the compost heap and apply at each addition of fresh material if possible.

How to produce Anaerobic Bokashi?

Mix rice-bran, oil cake and fish/bone meal thoroughly. Dissolve molasses in water (1:100) and add EM to the solution. Pour this mixture on the dry ingredients and mix well. Please ensure that no lumps are left after mixing. Place this mixture in a polythene bag or airtight container and make it airtight. Release all air from the bag, place the packed bag in another polythene bag and again make it airtight. Store in a dark place. Bokashi is ready in 4 - 5 days in summer and 7 - 8 days in winter under tropical conditions (in other regions store at 24 – 26 °C). It will smell sweet and fermented when ready. Anaerobic Bokashi should be used soon after preparation. For storage, spread it on soil and dry it in the shadow. When dry, it can be stored in polythene bags. Keep the Bokashi save from rodents and other pests.

How to produce Aerobic Bokashi:

The ingredients and method of mixing is similar to anaerobic Bokashi. Spread the mix on soil and cover it with gunny (jute) bags, straw, mat or similar matter to keep it from rain. The temperature rises rapidly but is controlled at 25°-35° C by turning the mix upside down. This may have to be done 3 or 4 times. Bokashi is ready in 4 - 5 days. Store like anaerobic Bokashi. Application of any kind of Bokashi: Broadcast Bokashi on the soil at 600 kg per acre or 250 gms/ m2 till or plough the soil so that the Bokashi is covered with 5-8 cms of soil. Use mulch to cover the soil thereafter Caution: No seed or sapling to be sown or planted for 5-10 days after application of Bokashi. (The more you give - the longer you wait)