Earthworms and Vermicomposting

Abstract

Vermicomposting, the conversion of organic waste into vermicompost, is mediated by the combined action of earthworms and microorganisms. This interesting and attractive alternative to regular composting turns organic waste into a substrate that can be used as a soil amendment and as a growing medium for use in horticulture. Soil is not required in vermicomposting as the organic matter acts as both the substrate and food, and therefore only epigeic earthworms can be used in the process. Several earthworm species have been evaluated for their potential use in vermicomposting, including Eisenia fetida (Savigny), Eisenia andrei (Bouché), Dendrobaena veneta (Rosa), Dendrobaena hortensis (Michaelsen) Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg), and Perionyx excavatus (Perrier). The species most commonly used in vermicomposting and vermiculture facilities worldwide are Eisenia andrei and Eisenia fetida. This chapter reviews and updates the controversy surrounding the taxonomic differentiation between E. andrei and E. fetida, and between D. veneta and D. hortensis, showing that these are all different species and emphasizing the importance of maintaining pure cultures in vermicomposting systems. In the final section, methods of cultivating epigeic earthworms to ensure high rates of growth and reproduction are described.

Fertilizer type and humic acid improve the growth responses, nutrient uptake, and essential oil content on Coriandrum sativum L.

“…Vermicompost is a rich organic fertilizer with adequate levels of humic substances and nutrients available for the plants. It is produced by the activity of various species of earthworm species such as Eisenia fetida , Eisenia hortensis , and other earthworms 4 . Organic acids produced during the vermicompost processing absorb micronutrients, such as Fe, Zn, Cu, etc., and gradually make them available to plants 5 .…”

Life-cycle assessment of decentralized solutions for wastewater treatment in small communities

“…It was assumed that the size of the population of earthworms in the VF increased for the first 200 days of operation, stabilizing after that at a relatively constant size for the remaining 30 years of project (Domínguez 2018). The production of earthworm castings, the precursor of vermicompost in the VF, followed a kinetic production of 11.9 mg g À1 earthworm biomass day À1 (Zhao et al 2010).…”

Four new terrestrial earthworm species from the northeast Thailand (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae)

“…They can improve the soil property in ecosystems by producing vermicompost and vermicompost tea that including micro-organisms without pathogenic bacteria ( Wongsaroj et al 2021 ), as shown for Eisenia andrei Bouché, 1972, Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826), Dendrobaena veneta (Rosa, 1886), Perionyx excavatus Perrier, 1872, and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg, 1867) species. All these five species are widely cultivated due to their tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions and have short life cycles, high reproductive rates, and good composting rates ( Domínguez 2018 ; Heuzé et al 2020 ).…”