Student project on bio-degradable sapling pots from agro-cattle waste

Final year students of Mechanical Engineering at Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management Bantakal Udupi have developed biodegradable sapling pots from agro-cattle waste for nursery. The project work was carried out by Mr. Anirudh V Amin, Mr. Manish M J and Mr. S Subramanya Prabhu under the guidance of Dr. Sudarshan Rao K, Dean (Quality Assurance) and Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

In nurseries, conventionally plastic bags are used to grow the plant saplings. There are many disadvantages associated with the plastic bags like not being bio-degradable, having nil porosity, and hence not being eco-friendly. Moreover, after germination, the bag has to be torn off to facilitate root growth and in case the bag is not torn properly the plant gets damaged.

By considering the above issues, the students have developed bio-degradable sapling pots from agro-cattle waste.  In this project, pots are formed by mixing coconut coir with cow dung and clay. These pots are bio-degradable, fertile and the manufacturing process does not cause any pollution. These pots can be planted directly in the ground, which reduces risk of root injury to seedlings since the plant is not disturbed when transplanting it into the soil. The growth of the plant is faster in this pot than the other pots.

Project team also designed and fabricated a mechanical press to form the biodegradable pots. Considering the inattentiveness in the project, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST), Bengaluru has sponsored this work.

The management, Principal Dr. Thirumaleshwara Bhat, HOD of Mechanical Engineering Dr. Gajanan Anne have appreciated and congratulated the team.