How to use Bokashi

1. Soil fertility improvement 3. Organic fertilizer Continuously applying “Bokashi” can improve soil fertility due to the organic carbons and beneficial microbes “Bokashi” can work efficiently and quickly in returning into the soil. The importance of rich balanced combination with increasing soil fertility, biodiver- microflora is known well for good soil fertility, and the sity, and better quality yields. You can partially or “Bokashi” can work as core microbes and antagonistic totally replace chemical fertilizer depending on the microbes. amount of “Bokashi”.

Application : Equivalent Nitrogen amount per acre;

Bokashi 250-500kg = Suphala 50-100kg Application : a. Use bokashi as basal or top dressings. = 2500-5000kg b. Use bokashi with green manure (50kg/acre at plowing). 4. Decomposing accelerator c. Use bokashi 0.1 % v/v (= 1/1000 v/v) added FYM. “Bokashi” can improve manure/compost quali- 2. Soil biological sterilization (+ basal fertilization) ty and speed up . It highly depends on Tricoderma is one of the important useful microbes temperature and water content, however, mixing in naturally existing in leaf mold in healthy natural forest 1% (=1/100 v/v) “Bokashi” is effective for this pur- Organic material surface soil. “Bokashi” fermented with Trichoderma, this pose. can reduce soil borne disease risks in combination with Application : - Bokashi - other alternative/integrated biodiversity control meth- Mix bokashi. ods. If you do bran soil sterilization , no need the (0.1% volume of compost) basal fertilization. Starter Guide

Application and 5. Feed for livestock Second edition plowing Watering Covering and waiting “Rice/wheat/buckwheat Application : Bran Bokashi” made pre- Contact: Kinley Tshering, Yeshi Zangpo 1. Materials are grain bran (rice, wheat, buckwheat….) cisely can be used as feed, a RNR-RDC Bajo,Department of Agriculture, MoAF Grain bran 0.5-1kg/m2 + Bokashi 5-10g/m2 special feed for improving Bajo, Wangduephodrang, Bhutan (or mustard green) livestock health as an an- Phone: +975-02-481260, 481209 tagonistic microbial sup- 2. Apply and immediately plow into the soil. After wa- E-mail: [email protected] tering enough, cover the soil by vinyl sheets. Additional plement. 1-2 times plowing the area recommended. [email protected]

3. The sterilization period is 1 month. Keep soil moisture until transplanting or sowing. Integrated Horticulture Promotion Project 2016-2021 Points of techniques How to make Bokashi using rice bran Follow the instruction correctly Basic materials and measure the amount firmly. 70L or 80L bucket : 1 pcs : 500g Background “Bokashi” fermented organic fertilizer is a 2m×2m plastic sheet : 1 sheet Natural salt : 50g Japanese word, originating from a situation of fungus with visible filaments and spores. The Used newspapers : 3-4 pcs Phum (Yeast) : 1 small spoon various reasons for making “Bokashi” in or- ganic farming are, improving garden/farm Jute rope : 4-5m Plain : 1 large spoon quality, integrated disease control, or utiliza- tion of organic waists. “Bokashi” making is not Rice bran : 50kg Over ripen fruit : 100g difficult but requires some preliminary skills Banana Pear and experiences to produce even quality Water : 10L Additional microbial materials “Bokashi”, because the quality depends on the freshness, materials and inoculant microbes. Trichoderma : 10ml etc. Rice/wheat/buckwheat bran are the most suitable material for making “Bokashi” in 1. Put sugar, salt, dried yeast, plain yogurt and 2. Add and mix the above dissolved water Bhutan and all inoculant microbes available over ripen fruit into 10L water bucket and stir gradually and evenly a whole of rice bran. around farm yard. well. Mix well as avoid lumpy. Bokashi usage The purpose of “Bokashi” usage is also an important consideration before making “Bokashi”. 1. As Fertilizer: for all basal and top dressing with or w/o chemicals. 2. As soil sterilization starter: use with grain bran 3. Fill the mixed rice bran up into the bucket 4. Next, cover the bucket by plastic sheet and or green manure for quick and tightly and expel the air. Lay newspapers on the bind it by jute rope tightly. Then put a weight. improve soil microflora. rice bran. 3. Disease control: Use top dressing and furrow application (as an antagonistic microbe func- tions). 4. Pest control: sprinkle bokashi from the top of leaves for army worms (young instars) and 5. Store the bucket in some cool place. Sometime, smell the inside of the bucket for checking the fer- hairy caterpillars. mentation. Fruity and sour fragrance like ‘Ara’ is a proof of success, but the failure freaking stink. 5. Composting enhancer (promoter): inoculants usage for any type of compost for better 3 weeks later... quality and quick composting. Done. 6. And feed grade.