Utilization of earthworms in organic waste management

Abstract

Vermicomposting is an ecofriendly, socially sound and economically viable technology to manage the organic waste resources. It is popular particularly in India, because it is the cheapest solution to overcome the dangerous effects of modernized agriculture. Vermicomposting is the application of earthworm in producing vermifertilizer which helps in maintenance of better environment and results in sustainable agriculture. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency and the nutritional status of vermicompost processed by two earthworm species, Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae from leaf litter and sugarcane trash.

Chemical analysis of the vermicompost obtained from leaf litter wastes showed that the quantity of organic carbon was reduced from 38.65 to 28.89 and 28.0% by E. fetida and E. eugeniae respectively. The level of nitrogen (1.30%), phosphorus (0.38%), potassium (0.57%) and calcium ((0.70%) was maximum in leaf litter vermicompost processed by E. eugeniae than E. fetida. At the end of 45 days of composting, E. eugeniae has tremendously decreased the C/N ratio from 45.47, 60.19 to 22.40 and 29.19 in the composts of leaf litter and sugarcane trash respectively. Similarly, E. eugeniae processed leaf litter compost treated with plant, Abelmoschus esculentus showed maximum height (61.4cm), number of leaves (16 per plant), leaf area (365 cm²), fruit length (15.8cm), fruit weight (17.9gm) and total chlorophyll content (3.76 mg/g.fresh wt) than those treated with sugarcane trash.