Study on evaluation index of maturity of livestock and poultry solid wastes

The change regularity of chemical and biological indexes were studied in the process of compost maturity. The results shown that Chinese cabbage cultivar Zaoshu 5, cucumber cultivar Jinchun 4 and Jinchun 5 to the toxicity of the compost had different sensitivity, but their changes were consistent.Their germination index (GI) of the seeds could be used as a good biological index of compost maturity. When the the compost was maturity, their GI were 77.7%, 91.4%, and 94.8%, respectively. Ammonium content in the compost could be used as a good chemical index of compost maturity. The content of NH_4~+-N in the compost was a main factor of affecting seed germination and was negtively related to the GI of the seeds. When the compost was maturity, ammonium contents in the compost tended to stable and the change of water soluble C (WSC) was greater. The ammonium content in the compost was 1.2-1.5 mg/g at the end of compost decompose.