General Description:
Composting is actually a process during which microbes propagate and are inhibited. Microbes use organic matter as food and in turn organic matter is degraded and transferred. The status of organic degradation is shown by the temperature changes during the composting process and is also closely related to the composition of the materials, water content, aeration, pH value, ratio of carbon to nitrogen etc; With sufficient aeration and optimum humidity in the compost, organic matter is quickly degraded by aerobes into simple oxidation products. Pro-tein and starch are first broken down to monosaccharides or organic acids and finally to carbon dioxide and water accompanied by heat emission. Temperature is raised by the heat generated in microbial metabolism. The temperature rise during the early stages accelerates the propagation of meso-philic bacteria; when the temperature reaches 38°C , mesophilic actinomyces and fungi grow vigorously. As the temperature continues to rise, the bacterial growth rate slows down and subsequently the tolerance of the bacteria towards the temperature is reduced. At 45"C, mesophilic bacteria are inhibited, whereas thermophilic bacteria are activated. Within a few days the compost temperature may reach 55-70"C, which can be maintained for one or two weeks. Under such conditions, the compost becomes mature whilst parasite eggs, pathogenic microbes, and noxious weed seeds are destroyed. During this period, the degradation of protein, fat and cellulose is complicated. Only by continuous reduction, can the intermediate products be reverted to organic manures.
The composting reaction is a biochemical decomposition of organic matter of the starting material by microorganisms During compostmg, the starting material is modified by decomposition and humification through a wide variety of biological and biochemical processes. Enzymes play a key role in these transformations. For instance, the mineralization of organic N, which involves the release of N from non peptide C-N bonds in amino acids and urea is mediated by enzymes such as amidohydrolases and dehydrogenases. Alkaline and acid phosphatases are important enzymes in organic P mineralization and plant nutrition. Enzymes in composts can be classified as intracellular (enzymes inside viable cells) or extracellular (enzymes outside viable cells). Intracellular

enzymes are enzymes that°C atalyze biochemical reactions occurring within°C ells. Many of these enzymes°C an be found in soil,°C ompost apart from°C ells, and are thought to be release by°C ell lysis. Extracellular enzymes are enzymes purposely released exterior to°C ells, generally to°C atalyze the degradation of a polymeric substance too large to°C ross the°C ellular membrane. In N transformation, extracellular enzymes depolymerize proteins, aminopolysaccharides (microbial°C ell wall), and nucleicacids and hydrolyze urea. The production of ammonium, on the other hand, occurs within microbial°C ells through the action of intracellular enzymes.
Prior Art:
In the process of°C omposting, microorganisms break down organic matter and produce°C arbon dioxide, water, heat and humus, the relatively stable organic end product. Under optimal°C onditions,°C omposting proceeds through three phases. 1.) the mesophilic or moderate -temperature phase, which lasts for a°C ouple of days. 2). The thermophilic or high -temperature phase, which°C an last from a few days to several months and finally , 3) a several, month°C ooling and maturation phase. Different°C ommunities of microorganisms predominate during the various°C omposting phases. Initial decomposition is°C arried out by mesophilic microorganisms, which rapidly break down the soluble, readily degradable°C ompounds. The heat they produce°C auses the°C ompost temperature to rapidly rise.
As the temperature rises above 40'°C , the mesophilic microorganisms becomes less°C ompetitive and are replaced by others that are thermophilic or heat loving. At temperatures of 55°C and above many microorganisms that are human or plant pathogens are destroyed. Because temperatures over about 65'C kill many forms of microbes and limit the rate of decomposition,°C ompost managers use aeration and mixing to keep the temperature below this point. During the thermophilic phase, high temperatures accelerate the break down of proteins, fats and°C omplex°C arbohydrates lik e°C ellulose and hemicellulose, the major structural molecules in plants. As the supply of these high energy°C ompounds becomes exhausted, the°C ompost

temperature gradually decreases and mesophilic microorganisms once again take over for the final phase of "curing" or maturation of the remaining organic matter.
Role of Bacteria:
Bacteria are the smallest living organisms and the most numerous in°C ompost; they make up 80 to 90% of the billions of microorganisms typically found in a gram of°C ompost. Bacteria are responsible for most of the decomposition and heat generation in°C ompost. They are the most nutritively diverse group of°C ompost organisms, using a broad range of enzymes to°C hemically break down a variety of organic materials. Bacteria are singled°C elled and structured as either rod shaped bacilli, sphere-shaped°C occi or spiral shaped spirilla. Many are motile, meaning that they have the ability to move under their own power. At the beginning of the°C omposting process (0-40°C ), mesophilic bacteria predominate. Most of these are forms that°C an also be found in top soil. As the°C ompost heats up above 40°°C , thermophilic bacteria take over. The microbial populations during this phase are dominated by members of the genus Bacillus, The diversity of bacilli species is fairly high at temperatures from 50-55'°C but decreases dramatically at 60°C or above. When°C onditions become unfavorable, bacilli survive by forming endospors, thick walled spores that are highly resistant to heat,°C old, dryness or lack of food. They are ubiquitous in nature and become active when ever environmental°C onditions are favorable.
At the highest°C ompost temperatures, bacteria of the genus Thermus have been isolated, Thermus bacteria were found in hot springs. Once the°C ompost°C ools down, mesophilic bacteria agam predominate. The numbers and types of mesophilic microbes that recognize°C ompost as it matures depend on what spores and organisms are present in the°C ompost as well as in the immediate environment. In general the longer the°C uring or maturation phase the more diverse the microbial°C ommunity it supports.

Role of Acvtinomycetes:
Thec haracteristic earthy smell of soil isc aused by actinomycetes organisms that resemble fungi but actual are filamentous bacteria. Like other bacteria, they lack nuclei, but they grow multic ellular filamentous like fungi. Inc omposting they play an important role in degradingc omplex organics such ellulose, lignin,c hitin and protems. Their enzymes enable them toc hemically break down tough debris such as woody stems, bark or news paper. Some species appear during thermophilic phase and others becomes important during thec oolerc uring phase, when only the most resistantc ompounds remain in the last stages of the formation of humus, Actinomycetes form long thread like branched filaments that look like grey spider webs stretching throughc ompost. These filaments are mostc ommonly seen toward the end of thec omposting process in the outer 10 to 15c entimeter of the pile. Some times they appear asc ircularc olonies that gradually expand in diameter. The prominent actinomycetes observed inc omposting piles are Nocardia and Streptomyces,
Role of Fungi:
Fungi include molds and yeasts andc ollectively they are responsible for the decomposition of manyc omplex plant polymers in soil andc ompost Inc ompost, fungi are important because they break down tough debris, enabling bacteria toc ontinue the decomposition process once most of thec ellulose has been exhausted. They spread and grow vigorously by producing manyc ells and filaments and theyc an attack organic residues that are too dry, acidic or low in nitrogen for bacterial decomposition. Most fungi arec lassified as saprophytes because they live on dead or dying material and obtain energy by breaking down organic matter in dead plants and animals. Fungal species are nimierous during both mesophilic and thermophilic phases ofc omposting. Most fungi live in the outer layer ofc ompost when temperatures are high.c ompost molds are strict aerobes that grow both as unseen filaments and as gray or White fuzzyc olonies on thec ompost surfacclTie prominent fungi are Geotrichium , Aspergillus Mucor andc haetomium, and Humicola,

Microbial Inoculants
Microbes and enzymes are added to a particular substrate in the hope of. minimizing and even eliminating the initial lag periodc haracteristic of biological processes and improving thec ompost process in general (Golueke and Diaz, 1989). Strains ofc ellulolytic and lignolytic type of microbes which hasten the process ofc omposting of organic residue have been isolated and tested. Bhardwaj and Gaur (1985) suggested the use ofc ellulolytic fungi in the preparation of plant residue for faster decomposition. The use of efficientc ellulolyticc ulture asc ompost inoculants not only helped in preparingc ompost in 8 to 10 weeks but also reduced bulk by 5 to 10 percent (Bhardwaj, 1999).
Preparation of saw dustc ompost inoculated with spores of thec ellulolytic fungic oprinus ephemerus along with the addition of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium shortened the period ofc omposting from 12 months to 3 months and produced ac ompost that did not immobilize nitrogen whenc ompared with fresh saw dust (Wilde, 1958) Pleurotus
Pleurotus is a basidiomycetous lignolytic fungic apable of growing on a wide range of agricultural wastes of differingc ompositions (Buswell et al, 1996).c omposting ofc oir pith enriched with urea and inoculated with thec ulture of Pleurotus sajor-caju has been found to be an effective way of dealing with the waste. The organism is alsoc apable of detoxifying phenolics and producing biopolymerising enzymes (Balasubramanianef a/., 1995). Fungal attack on lignm polymer involves several enzymes mcluding lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase (Buswell et al, 1995).
The pH of the wheat or rice straw decreased from 6.5 to 7.0 to less than 5.0 during degradation by Pleurotus flabellatus. A general reduction in P, K,c a, Mg

and Fec ontent of rice straw, wheat straw and saw dust was observed during the growth of P. ostreatns (Sharma and Tripathi, 1999). Initiation of mycelial growth of P. sqjor-caju on rice straw was supported by uptake and utilization of soluble substances like sugars, phenols and aminoacids before the polysaccharides were degraded (Sharma et aL, 1996).
Trichoderma
Thec ellulosec omplex of organismc onsists of three different hydrolytic
enzymes- endoglucanase, which attack c ellulose derivatives such as
jrr-
carboxymethylc ellulose and amorphousc ellulose, exoglucanases andc ellobiase (Sheirr - Neiss and Montenecourt, 1984). Efficientc ellulolyticc ultures such as Trichoderma sp. acceleratec omposting by about one month (Gaur, 1987). An efficient strain of Trichoderma sp, shortened thec omposting time for rice straw by 20 days (Ramat, 1989), While studying thec omposting of a mixture ofc rop residues, grass and "tree leaves. Pore et al, (1992) found appreciable effect on fungal inoculation onc ompost quality. He also reported that Trichoderma viride was the best whenc ompoared to Paecilomyces fusisporus and Aspergillus niger. Inoculation with Trichoderma viride enhanced the organic matter degradation process and the degree of organic matter humification (Requena et aL, 1996).
Bacillus
Bacillus sp. are mesophilic bacteria whichc onsume most of the readily degradablec arbohydrates and proteins. They are especially involved in degradation of proteins, aminoacids, peptones and blood meal (Gaur, 1982). Many members of the genus Bacillus are able to produce a range of polysaccharide depolymerase and glycoside hy4rolase enzymes and therefore are

potentially able to degrade the structural polysaccharide of plantc ell wall (Williams and Withers, 1985).
Kimura (1992) has given a patented process for the production of organic fertilizer fromc oral reef, animal manure, sewage sludge and powdered plant fibre inoculated with thec ultures of Bacillus megaterium, Trichoderma sp. and Azotobacter vinelandii. Nasaki et al (1994) observed that introduction of thermophilic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis accelerated the process ofc omposting.
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a gram negative, heterotrophic eubacteria andc ellulolytic in nature (Arora, 1998). They also produce proteolytic enzymes (Pelezar, 1993), whichc onvert protein in thec ompost to aminoacids. Pseudomonas are the most efficient phosphate dissolving bacterial isolates (Gaur and Gaind, 1999).
The amount of decomposition (in terms of reduction inc :N ratio) that is achieved in 30 days with Pleurotus and ureac ould easily be achieved in 20.4 days with Pleurotus and Pseudomonas along with urea (Thilagavathi et al,, 1994)
Streptomyces
Streptomyces are heterotrophic feeders and their presence is thereforec onditioned by the availability of organic substrates. Utilizablec arbon sources include simple and highlyc omplex molecules from the organic acids and sugars to the polysaccharide, lipids, proteins and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Streptomyces degrade proteins, lipids, starch, inulin andc hitin.

Claims:
Biomineralizer
TNAU Biomineralizer is a consortium of microorganisms to perform the composting of agro wastes. The consortium of microorganisms is necessary to degrade different chemical constituents of solid wastes. In normal composting of solid wastes, microorganisms establish on their own in the solid wastes under right environment. But it takes long time for establishing microorganisms in the compost pile under normal circumstances. But if right type of microorganisms are inoculated into the compost pile, immediately it starts working on the waste and mineralization process starts working. That is the reason for formulating a microbial consortium to degrade different chemical constituents in the wastes and mineralization process takes place completely and the compost will be fully matured one.
Constituents of Biomeneralizer
1. Bacillus sp - Bacterial inoculum
2. Pseudomonas - bacterial inoculum
3. Trichoderma viridie - Fungal inoculum
4. Aspergillus flavus - Fungal inoculum
5. Pleurotus sajor-caju - Fungal inoculum
6. Strptomyces - Actinomycetes
Constituents role in composting solid wastes
Bacillus sp :
They are especially involved in degradation of proteins, aminoacids, peptones and blood meal.

Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a heterotrophic eubacteria and cellulolytic in nature. They also produce proteolytic enzymes which convert protein in the compost to aminoacids. Pseudomonas are the most efficient phosphate dissolving bacterial isolates. Trichoderma viride
Trichoderma is a mesophilic fungi capable of degrading cellulose to glucose. Trichoderma sp, accelerate composting by about one month. Inoculation with Trichoderma viride enhanced the organic matter degradation process and the degree of organic matter humification.
Aspergillus flavus
Aspergillus flavus degrade sugars, organic acids, starch, protein,
cellulose, fats and lignin.
Pleurotus sajor-caju
Pleurotus are capable of degrading lignin by secreting,the enzyme laccase.
Streptomyces sp
Streptomyces utilize carbon sources include simple and highly complex molecules from the organic acids and sugars to the polysaccharide, lipids, proteins and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Streptomyces degrade proteins, lipids, starch, inulm and chitin.

Fomulation of Biomineralizer
In the formulation of Biomineralizer all the organisms were grown in the respective broth and allowed to grow for the maximum population of 1 x 108 cells per ml After reaching the maximum population, the grown cultures were mixed with sterilized lignite carrier separately at 40% moisture. In the case of Pleurotus , it was grown in sorghum seeds and grown cultures were kept as such with out mixing with any carrier material The other cultures which were mixed with carrier material were taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly. Plewotus cultures were spread over the mixture and mixed uniformly. Now the microbial consortium is ready for use. This microbial consortium is named as "Biomineralizer". Mineralization is the convenient term used to designate the conversion of organic complexes of an element to the inorganic state. This process is carried out by consortium of microorganisms, it is designated as ''Biomineralizer" This inoculum can be used for composting all the agro waster The quantity prescribed is 2 kg per ton of waste.