Effect of Microbes in Enhancing the Composting Process: A Review

The increase in global population and the resulting economic activity have led to major environmental problems such soil, air, and water pollution. This rise in population growth has resulted in increased use of chemical fertilizers to boost agricultural production resulting in loss of microbiological and physicochemical equilibrium of soil. These factors have led to an increased need for eco-friendly agricultural products that help to enhance the soil's physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics and, in turn, provide nutrients for plants. Composting has emerged as the preferred method for treatment of organic wastes in order to produce a final, sterilized product that can be used as an organic amendment. Different organic substances are converted into more stable molecules during the aerobic, microorganism-mediated, solid-state fermentation process known as composting. One effective strategy for accelerating the biotransformation of organic materials during the composting process is microbial inoculation. The inclusion of microorganisms could improve the composting process by speeding up the decomposition of organic matter, mineralization, and the activities of microbial enzymes, as well as the quality of the finished products. This review will give a brief idea about the composting process, quality of compost and the most recent strategies for enhancing the composting process mainly with the help of microbes.