Evaluation of different vermicomposts and conventional composts for their maturity indices

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during 2009-2010 to monitor the changes in maturity indices i.e total organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/N ratio, humic substances and humification index during conventional method of composting and vermicomposting of different organic residues i.e sugarcane trash, weeds, vegetable market waste and paddy straw. The results revealed that the total organic carbon and C/N ratio decreased while total nitrogen and humic substances increased with the passage of time during composting in all the organic residues. Vegetable market waste recorded narrow C/N ratio with high total nitrogen content in both the composting methods. Where paddy straw recorded less nitrogen with wide C/N ratio. The highest humic substances were observed in vegetable market waste vermicompost followed by weed vermicompost. Minimum per cent of humic substances were recorded with cane trash and rice straw. A well known index for humification is the HA/FA ratio, in both the composts paddy straw compost recorded low ratio and high ratio was recorded in vegetable market waste compost. Thus, vermicomposting offers a promising solution for the recycling of organic wastes into valuable organic manure within a short period of time over conventional composting.

Long Term Influence of Organic and Inorganic Fertilization on Soil Enzyme Activities in Calcareous Soil under Rice Wheat Cropping System

“…Thus, 100 percent NPK + compost + crop residue may be the best for economic treatment. Increase in urease activity (Raju et al, 2013 andLakshmi et al, 2014) with addition of organic manure with or without mineral fertilizer is well documented as we have received same set of result.…”

Azolla pinnata, Aspergillus terreus and Eisenia fetida for enhancing agronomic value of paddy straw

“…Higher phosphorus in all the mixtures of Vcom group in the present study could have been due to phosphorus mineralization and mobilization by the combined action of bacterial and fecal phosphatases of earthworms 41 . Earthworm gut produces alkaline phosphatase, an essential enzyme for biogeochemical cycling of P that facilitates its mineralization 37,42,43 and converts the state of phosphorus from organic to inorganic, making it available for plants 44 .…”

“…The difference in pH among various treatments of the present study may have been due to a variation in the initial quality of these mixtures which might have affected mineralization process and species of intermediate compounds formed during bioconversion 26 . Shift of pH towards neutral in the final products of all the treatments of the present study can be attributed to mineralization of proteinaceous material that yielded ammonium ions which reduced the level of hydrogen ions during both the processes 41 . Earthworms selectively increase population of catabolically more active microbes 23 , therefore degradation of short chain fatty acids and precipitation of calcium carbonate may have consecutively brought a rise in pH of the products of vermicomposting compared to the products of traditional aerobic composting 28,61 .…”

“…An increase in the micronutrients (Zn by 93.3%, Fe by 77.5%, Mn by 140% and Cu by 166.67%) in vermicompost prepared from different varieties of paddy straw has been reported by Lakshmi et al . 41 . They suggested that the variation was due to nature and composition of organic residues and the substrates used.…”

Calidad de abonos orgánicos empleados en la depresión de Quíbor-Venezuela bajo ambientes protegidos

“…Los resultados obtenidos para los abonos sólidos fueron contrarios a los reportados por Lakshmi et al (2013) y Krishna et al (2010), quienes señalan que los vermicompost tienen un contenido más alto de micronutrientes en comparación a los compost de residuos vegetales, esto podría ser atribuido a la naturaleza y composición de los residuos orgánicos En el caso de abonos como el micro debe tenerse especial cuidado dado que presento altas concentraciones de todos los micronutrientes evaluados, con el propósito de prevenir reacciones toxicas en las plantas (Binner y Schenk, 2013). Los micronutrientes en altas concentraciones causan efectos tóxicos a las plantas, por ejemplo, el Cu y Zn está asociado a rizotoxicidad afectando la elongación de las raíces (Michaud et al, 2008).…”