Microbial enrichment of vermicompost through earthworm eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1926) for agricultural waste management and development of useful organic fertilizer

Abstract

Major challenge in agriculture industry is lack of proper management and recycling of waste of major crops like wheat and rice as it contributes a lot in smog and methane production that causing adverse impact on human health as well. Vermicomposting by earthworms (Eisenia fetida) is an emerging approach to on-farm management of nutrients such as NPK, beneficial soil microbes, actinomycets, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, nitrogen-fixing, humus, micronutrients, growth hormones like auxins, cytokinins and gibberlins. A year r ound study was conducted at Student Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, by treating dung and crop residue with earthworms to prepare vermicompost. Nine treatments were used to compare various vermicompost i.e., rice straw, wheat straw and cow manure in different concentrations. Vermicomposting through cow dung + microbial strains and rice straw + microbial strains responded increase the earthworm population, nutrients, and number of cocoons while lowest was recorded in wheat straw vermicompost. Total nitrogen contents in vermicompost ranged 0.90-2.2% that recorded higher than 0.23-1.09 percent in raw material, depicted conversion of harmful waste into valuable fertilizers. It was concluded from the current study that FYM (cow dung) is a best source to increase the availability of both macro and micro nutrients. While rice straw assumed to be a good feed for earthworms for their higher production. However, wheat straw is a poor source for vermicompost and also it is not easily available. © 2021, University of Agriculture. All rights reserved.