PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Despite its humble appearance, cow feces harbor a complex array of materials and structures that hold significant utility for plant growth and soil fertility. Cico Jhon Karunia Simamora, a member of the Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Tanjungpura, highlights the intricate value concealed within cow feces, challenging the perception of it merely as ordinary waste.
Within cow feces lie crucial materials essential for plant nourishment. The structural components play a pivotal role in nutrient absorption and land enrichment. Interestingly, the feces contain a diverse mix of materials with intricate compositions akin to those found in complex organic matter.
Microorganisms residing in the soil, also present in cow feces, play a pivotal role in transforming these complex organic materials, such as cellulose. Through enzymatic processes, these microbes break down organic compounds into simpler forms, facilitating easier absorption by plants.
Notably, certain microbes within cow feces produce enzymes responsible for degrading phenol, a toxic compound commonly found in fecal matter. This microbial activity results in the conversion of phenol into safer substances, mitigating environmental hazards.
Moreover, these microbes aid in altering plant components, such as lignin, which accelerates the decomposition of cow feces. Ultimately, this decomposition process enhances the availability of nutrients for plant uptake, contributing to improved soil fertility and agricultural productivity.
Feces of cow is also the spot for useful microbes to develop. Some abundant microbes in feces of cow are Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Thermophilus, they play important roles as bio-control agent. They would help fight pathogen and make plant defense to the disease attack.
Bacillus subtilis is known to produce Peptides and Lipopeptides anti-fungus through metabolism. This would slow down germination and cleavage of vegetative cell of Ganoderma Boninense.
One sample of anti-fungus product from Bacillus spp. and Streptomyces spp. is Daptomisin. (T2)