Castor Oil Cake

Castor Oil Cake - Organic Fertilizer
Castor Oil Cake is also commonly called as Castor Cake.
Castor Oil Cake is produce by crushing castor seeds in expeller to extract oil from it in a control temperature with help of steam.
Castor Oil Cake is one of the most versatile natural manures. It is truly organic manure which enhances the fertility of the soil without causing any damage or decay. It is enriched with the three big elements vital and conducive to the proper growth of crops - Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. It also has traces of nutrients like Manganese, Zinc and Copper, thus making it a balanced fertilizer. Moreover, it helps to neutralize the detrimental effects of chemical fertilizers. Apart from their contribution to Nutrients, it has numbers of benefits in agriculture, which none of the synthetic fertilizers or pesticides can offer. They bring in the wonderful molecules that nature has designed to help the plants flourish naturally. They provide slow and steady nourishment, stimulation, protection from soil nematodes and insects; improve yields, and quality of product like taste, flavor, amino acid composition etc.
Castor Oil Cake is rich in protein varies from 21% - 50%, but it cannot be used as cattle fodder because of its anti nutritional substances (toxic) such as ricin, ricine and an allergen, even at a very low level of inclusion.
Castor Oil Cake is an excellent fertilizer because of high content of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash and moisture retention and it is also the prominent organic fertilizer can be used to as alternatives to chemical fertilizer. It is simple manure, which acts progressively that encourages soil microbial activity. 100 kg of Castor Oil cake brings to the floor as much nitrogen (N) as 1200 kg of cow dung. The Castor Oil cake has insecticidal properties and naturally pest repellent. It is can be used in organic farming.
Nutrient content of Castor Oil Cake:
Organic matter ~ 80%, Nitrogen ~ 4.50 to 6.00%, Phosphorous ~ 1.50%, Potassium ~ 1.50%.
It also contains some micro nutrients viz., Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper etc.
A typical composition of Castor Oil Cake is as follows:
Castor Oil Cake
Nitrogen 4% min
Phosphorous 1% min
Potassium 1% min
Moisture 12 % max
Oil Content 3.5% - 8%
Sand Silica 2.5% max
Advantages:

1. It provides all the major & minor nutrients necessary for better plant growth.
2. It also helps in increasing the nutrient uptake by plants.
3. It improves the soil fertility and productivity.
4. It is known to protect the plants from nematodes and termites.
5. It improves the yield & quality of the farm produce.
6. It improves the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.
7. It has insecticidal properties