Comparative Assessment of Microbial Community in Compost Samples

Authors

  • Noor Ul Huda Kiani Department of Biology, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Saba Farooq Department of Biology, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Raees Ahmed Department of Plant Pathology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, AJK, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9673-8610
  • Basharat Mahmood Department of Plant Pathology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, AJK, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38211/jms.2025.04.89

Keywords:

Microbial Isolation, Compost, Diversity

Abstract

Soil, composed of inorganic and organic materials, supports diverse microbial communities, including bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, which play essential roles in compost formation. Composting is a controlled biodegradation process that converts organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner. This study aimed to compare the microbial diversity and density in two compost samples (S1 and S2) prepared on campus. Sample S1 consisted of poultry waste, vegetable waste, and fruit waste, whereas Sample S2 was composed of vegetable waste and cow dung. Microbial isolation was performed using serial dilution, spread plate, and streak plate techniques. A total of 23 microbial isolates were obtained, including 12 bacterial, 6 fungal, and 5 yeast isolates. Bacterial density was significantly higher in S1 compared to S2, suggesting a potential influence of compost composition on microbial proliferation. Identified bacterial genera included Aeromonas, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, Edwardsiella, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Shigella, and Streptococcus sp. Fungal isolates comprised Rhizopus sp., Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp., and Helminthosporium sp., while yeast genera included Saccharomyces, Candida, and Cryptococcus. The comparative analysis highlights the impact of compost composition on microbial diversity and suggests that poultry and fruit waste may enhance bacterial density more than cow dung-based compost. These findings provide insights into microbial contributions to compost stability and potential applications in soil conditioning and nutrient solubilization.

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Published

2025-02-27

How to Cite

Kiani, N. U. H., Farooq, S., Ahmed, R., & Mahmood, B. (2025). Comparative Assessment of Microbial Community in Compost Samples. Journal of Microbiological Sciences, 4(01), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.38211/jms.2025.04.89

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 01 (2025): Journal of Microbiological Sciences (in Press)

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Noor Ul Huda Kiani, Saba Farooq, Raees Ahmed, Basharat Mahmood

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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