Vermicomposting with microbial amendment: Implications for bioremediation of industrial and agricultural waste

Abstract

Improved agricultural practices and rapid industrialization have led to huge waste generation, and the management of this waste is becoming a global concern. The process of vermicomposting has emerged as a method of choice for converting waste into useful manure, with evidence of increase in crop productivity. During vermicomposting, the collective activities of decomposing microorganisms and earthworms lead to the humification of organic/inorganic waste, thereby generating the final product called vermicompost. Different types of industrial wastes such as waste from paper industries, tanneries, sugar mills, and pulp and textile industries have been effectively converted to vermicompost and successfully used to improve plant growth. The vermicompost thus formed was also demonstrated to increase the production of pharmaceutically important plant secondary metabolites such as withanolides and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Microbial amendment with different bacterial and fungal strains during vermicomposting further proves to be beneficial by increasing nitrogen content, decomposing organic waste, providing aeration, and stabilizing the vermicompost. These microorganisms after passing through the earthworm's intestine increase in numbers in the vermicast, thus becoming enriched in vermicompost, which is particularly important for their use as biofertilizers. The precise role of different microbial pretreatments in improving the quality of vermicompost generated from industrial and agricultural waste is, however, not completely understood. To fill this gap in knowledge, the present article aims to review published literature to highlight the potential of microbial amendment during vermicomposting for bioremediation of industrial and agricultural waste. Microbial pre-composting followed by vermicomposting emerges as an ecofriendly and economical approach for managing agricultural and industrial waste.

Physicochemical Changes and Microbiome Associations during Vermicomposting of Winery Waste

“…Vermicomposting is the process of decomposing organic matter using earthworms. Thus, the earthworms consume the raw material, which passes through the gut and is then excreted as "worm cast", rich in nutrients and microflora that continue to decompose the organic material [8][9][10][11]. Raw organic materials that have undergone the metabolic activity of earthworms have enhanced suitability for applications as fertilizing resources.…”

“…In addition, vermicompost also enhances the physicochemical and biological properties of soil. As an outcome, (i) the soil becomes more resilient to stresses such as drought, diseases, and toxicity; (ii) plant nutrient intake is improved; and (iii) active nutrient cycling is achieved, owing to vigorous microbial activity [8,10,12].…”

Effects of Vermicompost on Soil and Plant Health and Promoting Sustainable Agriculture

“…Organic fertilizers such as VC present a sustainable approach to achieving this goal. VC, produced through the symbiotic interactions between microorganisms and earthworms, represents a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process that enhances soil quality and improves microbial biodiversity [5][6][7][8][9][10]. Incorporating VC into agricultural systems has shown great potential for boosting grain crop productivity while minimizing environmental impacts.…”

Integrated nutrient management practices in Mrig bahar crop of guava under high density plantation

“…The vermicompost increase the carbon content in the soil which served as the food for microorganisms in the soil and the microorganisms in turn mineralized several complex nutrients in the soil (Vyas et al, 2022) [15] . Godage et al (2013) [3] also recorded the highest increase in the vegetative growth of the guava plants with similar treatments.…”