Effect of biological treatment of Sheep dung using Pseudomonas fluorescens on biogas production

Abstract

India's energy production is growing significantly, increasing by 7.06% to reach 1,739.1 billion units in 2023-24. However, a shortfall of 4.1 billion units persists due to population growth and industrialization, sparking interest in renewable energy sources like biogas. This study investigates the impact of Pseudomonas fluorescens on biogas production from sheep dung. A slurry with 10% dry matter content was prepared, inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens at 3% and 6%, and incubated at 30°C for 50 days. Results showed that cumulative biogas production increased over time for all treatments, with 6% treatment S6 consistently yielding the highest amounts. Notably, significant differences (p < 0.05) emerged between S6 and the control starting from day 21, with S6 producing 8.92% more biogas than S0. In contrast, S3 produced 7.79% more than the control. The 6% inoculum level enhanced hydrolysis of organic compounds and cellulose accessibility, while the 3% level did not achieve sufficient bacterial activity to improve yields. This study illustrates the potential of Pseudomonas fluorescens to significantly boost biogas production from sheep dung, especially at optimal inoculum levels.