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156
Review Article
Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology 22(11&12):156-164; 2021 ISSN: 0972-2025
A REVIEW ON VERMICOMPOSTING: BY-PRODUCTS
AND ITS IMPORTANCE
ANJANA THAKUR, ADESH KUMAR
*
, CHAVA VINAY KUMAR,
BASAVA SHIVA KIRAN, SUSHANT KUMAR AND VARUN ATHOKPAM
School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara (Punjab), 144411, India
[AT, AK, CVK, BSK, SK, VA].
[
*
For Correspondence: E-mail:
adesh.19078@lpu.co.in, phytopath06@gmail.com]
Article Information
Editor(s):
(1)
Dr. Afroz Alam, Banasthali University, India.
Reviewers:
(1)
Meksy Dianawati, Indonesia.
(2)
Natdhera Sanmanee, Silpakorn University, Thailand.
(3)
Ali Farmanesh, Ooj Institute of Higher Education, Iran.
Received: 25 November 2020
Accepted: 31 January 2021
Published: 01 March 2021
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT
Vermicomposting is a process of decomposition of organic waste with the help of earthworms
yielding a better end product called Vermicast. Vermicompost is considered an organic fertilizer as
it is rich in nutrient and acting as a soil conditioner. The water soluble nutrients of vermicompost
increase more available forms of nutrients including having some better soil structures, such as
drainage. Earthworm ingests organic wastes which include scarp papers, farmyard manure, crop
residues, residues of food and leftovers, and yard trimmings and transforms into valuable products
such as worm meal, vermicast tea, and worm casting, etc. Moreover, vermicompost acts as an
organic fertilizer and biological control agent conquering many plant diseases caused by soil-borne
plant pathogen and pests. Other soil indicators, such as nitrogen and C/N ratio can be improved by
the application of vermicomposting. Some adversary effect of heavy metals can be reduced as well.
It also provides a lot of useful bacteria with varieties of advantages. However, some drawbacks like
producing some harmful greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane occurs. Never the less,
it is concluded that indigenously prepared earthworm’s vermicompost is still superior over
conventionally prepared composts as it carries at least 4 times of nutrient comparing with
conventional cattle dung compost.
Keywords: Vermicompost; earthworm; organic; nutrients; by-products.
INTRODUCTION
Since the ‘green revolution’ of the 1960s has been
started that there is heavy uses of agrochemicals to
increase the food production but agrochemicals
decrease the power of ‘biological resistance’ in
crops to make them more susceptible to diseases
and pests and kill the advantageous soil organisms
and destroyed their natural fertility. Human health
is also affected unfavourably by that chemically
grown food [Sinha et al, 2010]. It has been ratified
that the use of organic matter such as yard wastes,
Thakur et al.
157
human waste, animal manure, sewage sludges,
food wastes, and composts in agriculture is helpful
for plant growth and yield and the prolongation of
soil fertility. It has been proven that the new
approaches to the use of organic amendments in
farming are effective for increasing crop yields,
enhancing soil fertility, and improving soil
structure [Arancon and Edwards, 2005].
Vermicomposting has been stated to be cost
effective, viable and rapid technique for the
efficient utilization of organic wastes and crop
residues. Vermicomposting is non-thermophilic
biodegradation of organic material through the
joint action of earthworms and microorganisms
[1]. It is reported that earthworms act as
mechanical blenders. Earthworms comminuting
the organic matter and modify its physical,
chemical and biological status and gradually
reducing its C: N ratio. It increases the surface
area of organic matters making it easily to expose
to microorganisms which is much more
favourable for microbial activities and further
decomposition [2,3]. The process of
vermicomposting is faster than normal composting
because the material passes through the gut of
earthworms which makes the process faster.
Earthworm castings products (worm manure) are
rich in plant growth regulators, microbial activity
and secured with pest repellence attributes as well
[4]. Agricultural residues and the food industry
residues contain large and varied wastes.
To reuse the industrial wastes, composting and
vermicomposting is a profitable technology which
could be used at the industrial level. These reused
products increase soil nutrients, give finer growth
and acquire commercial appreciation. Husk of the
coffee were found capable for vermicomposting
and composting. Although coffee pulp carries
higher quantity of cellulose apart from potash and
lignin, it has magnificent moisture-retaining
capacity but decomposes slowly. The high
bacterial growth in the earthworm intestines
encourage soil fertility and plant growth making
vermicasts as fine as organic manure and potting
media [5,6]. A good source of humus and organic
carbon is coffee pulp solids. In conventional
compost making, if the coffee pulp is revolve
every few days in a heap, it will compost in three
weeks. Solid wastes with high organic content are
the by-products of instant coffee production.
Studies on the appropriateness of the forced
aeration composting process to a mixture of this
coffee waste and agricultural wastes were
sufficient and the experiments led to the
manufacture of high-quality compost having a
carbon to nitrogen ratio in the order of 13:1 to
15:1 [7].
EARTHWORMS
Earthworms are vertebrates belong to the phylum
Annelida and class Oligochaeta. Earthworms are
so called because they are approximately always
terrestrial and warren into moist-rich soil, come
out at night to feed. The earthworms are long,
thread-like, elongated, cylindrical, soft bodied
animals with uniform ring like structures all along
the length of their body. These bodies are made up
of segments, organized in linear series, and
externally highlighted by circular grooves called
annuli [8]. There are almost 4,400 species of
earthworms have been recognized in the world.
However, hardly any of these earthworms are used
in vermicomposting [9]. Mainly earthworms are
divided into two types:
(1) Burrowing
(2) Non- burrowing.
Table 1. Difference of earthworm types
Burrowing Non- burrowing
The burrowing type of earthworms are Pertima elongate and
Pertima asiatica.
The non- burrowing type of earthworms are Eisenia feitda and
Eudrilus eugenae.
They live deep in the soil. They live in the upper layer of soil surface.
There life span is for 15 years. There life span is for 28 months.
They are pale in colour. The colour of these earthworms is red or purple.
They are 20 to 30 cm long. They are 10 to 15 cm long.
They convert organic waste into vermicompost slower than
the non- burrowing earthworms.
They convert organic waste into vermicompost faster than the
burrowing earthworms.
(KP Nagavallemma et al., [10])
Thakur et al.
158
Earthworms directly act on the rotting of organic
matter throughout the gut-associated processes,
via the impact of ingestion, digestion, and
assimilation of the organic matter and
microorganisms in the gut and by trimming.
During passage through the gut some bacteria are
triggered, whereas others remain untouched, and
others are absorbed in the intestinal tract and thus
decrease in number [11,12]. The microorganisms,
mainly fungal and protozoan spores and some
resistant bacteria, are accessible for colonization
of newly formed earthworm casts, after passing
through the earthworm gut [13]. These freshly
deposited casts are generally rich in ammonium-
nitrogen and relatively digested organic matter
and thus provide a good substrate for microbial
growth.
VERMICOMPOST PROCESS
Steps in the Process
At the bottom of the cement ring cover it
with a layer of polythene sheet or tiles or
coconut husk.
On the polythene sheet, spread 15-20cm
layer of organic waste material. Sprinkle
rock phosphate if available on the waste
material and then sprinkle cow dung slurry.
Fill the ring completely in layers. Paste the
top of the ring with soil or cow dung. Allow
the material to decompose for 15 to 20
days.
When the heat release during the decaying
of the materials has subsided, free selected
earthworms (500 to 700) via the cracks
erupt.
To avert birds from picking the
earthworms, shelter the ring with the mesh
or gunny bag. To conserve sufficient
moisture and body temperature of the
earthworms, sprinkle water every three
days.
If agricultural waste is used then in about 2
months the vermicompost is ready and if
sericulture waste is used as substrate then it
is ready in about 4 weeks.
The prepared vermicompost is free from
bad odor, black in colour and light in
weight.
When the compost is ready, do not water
the compost for 2-3 days to make it easy for
shifting. Pile the compost in small heaps
and leave under ambient conditions for a
couple of hours when all the worms lower
the heap in the bed. To separate the
earthworms from the manure, detach upper
portion of the manure and filter the lower
portion.
Cocoons, juveniles and adults are the
different stages of the earthworm’s life
cycle, carried by the culture in the bed.
Shift this culture to fresh half decomposed
feed material. The residue as well as big
earthworms can be used for feeding fish or
poultry. Store the compost in bags and in a
cool place.
Make another pile about 20 days before
extracting the compost and repeat the above
described process by following the same
procedure [10].
PRECAUTIONS DURING THE PROCESS
The ideal species for the preparation of
vermicompost are African species of
earthworms, Eisenia fetida and
Eudrilus eugane. Indian species are not
suitable for the preparation of
vermicompost.
While preparing vermicompost, only plant-
based materials such as grass, leaves or
vegetable peelings should be used.
Animal origin substances such as chicken
droppings, eggshells, meat, bone etc. are
not appropriate for preparing
vermicompost.
For rearing the earthworms Gliricidia
loppings and tobacco leaves are not
preferable.
The earthworms should be secured from
rats, birds, and termites.
During the process, suitable moisture
should be preserved. Either absence of
moisture or dirty water could kill the
earthworms.
When the process is complete, the
vermicompost should be takeout from the
bed in a meantime and restore by fresh
waste materials [10].
Thakur et al.
159
IMPORTANCE OF VERMICOMPOST
Nitrogen Mineralization
Earthworms exceedingly improve the soil fertility
and the outcome is in the large amounts of
mineralized N that is more available for plant
growth. After rearing the earthworms there is an
increase in soil nitrogen occurs [14,15,16].
Earthworm body involve 3% ash, 14% fats, 14%
carbohydrates, and 65% protein [17]. On the death
of an earthworm, about 0.01 g of nitrate is
delivered in soil and 72% of its dry weight is
protein [18,19]. Moreover, earthworms ingest a
large amount of plant organic matters containing
significant quantities of N and in the form of their
secretion, ample of this are returned to the soil. It
has been stated that N mineralization would be
better in the occurrence of earthworms and it is
reserved in the soil in form of nitrate [20].
EFFECT ON THE C:N RATIO
Usually plant roots are not able to adapt the
mineral N except the carbon/nitrogen (C: N) ratio
is in the order of 20:1 or lower [14]. During
respiration earthworms help in dropping the C: N
ratio of fresh organic matter [18,19]. The carbon
consumption must be measured roughly by
determining the respiration, for evaluating the role
of earthworm in depressing the C: N ratio.
However, the foremost disadvantage of laboratory
studies is that they do not continuously reflect the
definite condition. In a trial of vermicomposting
done with leaf litter and cow dung mixture in ratio
1:1 testified considerable variations in the C: N
ratio, NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium),
electrical conductivity (EC), and organic carbon
content as related to controls without earthworms
[21]. Extraordinary decrease in the C:N ratio of
vermicompost was testified than that was in the
compost.
EFFECT ON HEAVY METALS
Earthworms consume a heavy amount of
substrates and are therefore bare to heavy metals
over their intestine as well as their skin. As a
result, they accumulate heavy metals in their body
[22]. Hence, vermicomposting can be used for the
removal of toxic metals which eventually will be
broken down into non-toxic form [23]. It is stated
that heavy metal absorptions in the vermicompost
are abridged in responding with expanding
composting period [24]. Earthworms (Eisenia
fetida) have the ability to assemble heavy metals
at higher absorption during the vermicomposting
process [25]. The remarkable depletion in
earthworm reproduction has been stated in copper-
contaminated soils [26]. It was observed that no
cocoon was produced by E. fetida when revealed
to 200 mg of Cu concentrations [27]. For heavy
metals, vermicompost has also been used
functionally as a natural absorbent [28]. The
advantage of vermicompost as an absorbent for
handling heavy metal-involving effluent has
exhibited successfully and suggested for future
use by Mangold and Arruda in [29].
VERMICOMPOSTING BAGASSE OF
GRAPE
In pilot-scale vermireactors in a greenhouse,
different types of grape marc or bagasse obtained
from white and red winemaking are prepared,
using the earthworm species Eisenia andrei,
commonly known as redworm. It is an epigeic
earthworm (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) with a
global administration and is tolerant to extensive
range of temperature and moisture conditions [30,
31,32]. It is usually muddled with its close
relative, Eisenia fetida and is the most ordinary
earthworm in vermicomposting premises. For
processing by the earthworms, the grape bagasse
was placed in the vermireactor in successive
layers through time. Population density and
biomass of earthworms were set on occasionally
and samples of the prepared grape bagasse and the
vermicompost were assembled periodically and
examine to discover their chemical and biological
properties [33]. Vermicomposting of grape marc
yields an organic fertilizer and grape seeds as a
source of bioactive compounds. The process
decreases by more than half the amount of waste
and modify grape marc toward a high quality,
nutrient and polyphenol-free, microbial rich
organic fertilizer. Straining the material discrete
the vermicompost from grape seeds, remove the
polyphenol-associated phytotoxicity from the
vermicompost. It enables them to be easily
prepared to acquire different bioactive
compounds, like polyphenol-rich extracts and
Thakur et al.
160
fatty acid-rich seed oil. These co-products can be
directly takeout for use in the pharmaceutical,
cosmetics, and food industries. Throughout the
process, enormous numbers of earthworms are
acquired and be a source of animal protein. This
vermicompost is also a great source of enzymes
that could be utilized to enhance soil biochemical
performance and to decontaminate pesticide-
contaminated soils. This activity could be apply as
a pre-treatment for grape marc in order to remove
polyphenols and minimize agronomic problems
related with the implementation of grape marc to
soil [33,34]. This by-product is possibly a very
valuable resource that could be used as a nutrient-
rich organic fertilizer in soil amendment.
VERMIWASH
Vermiwash carries enzymes, secreted by
earthworms which stimulates plant growth and
increases crop yield. Apart from some organic
acids and mucus of earthworms and microbes, it
contains the soluble plant nutrients [35].
Vermiwash is an assembly of excretory products
and surplus secretions of earthworms further with
micronutrients from soil organic molecules. It
also flourishes plant sufferance after the
implementation of vermiwash spray.
PREPARATION OF EXTRACT
The earthworms are submerged in warm water and
reserved for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Enzyme release extract has to be sieved to
separate the insoluble materials at 3000 rpm for 10
minutes. Then the filtrate is made cell-free using
0.2µm membrane filtration [36].
PREPARATION OF SOIL EXTRACT AGAR
Through the simple filter paper, the soil taken in
water is filtered. For the production of the soil
extract agar medium, the filtrate with 2.5% agar is
used and then pasteurized. The pasteurized extract
is added 5% (v/v) to filter-sterilized vermiwash
[36].
Extracellular Enzymes
Extracellular enzyme secretion from earthworms
is done by screening using qualitative and
quantitative methods. Qualitatively, protease,
amylase, and lipase excretions are examined on
gelatin, starch, and oil emulsion agar plate
medium respectively. Quantitatively, Protease
(caseinase and gelatinase) evaluation is execute as
per with 1% casein and gelatin substrates [37].
Amylase assay is performed as per with 1% starch
substrate [36].
Microbiological Studies
Micro-flora of Vermiwash for Azotobactor,
Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, and Phosphate
solubilizing microbes should be secluded on
disparate media like Johnson’s medium,
Rhizobium medium, and soil extract agar medium
respectively [36].
VERMICOMPOST VS CONVENTIONAL
COMPOST
● Studies have convincingly confirmed that
the indigenously developed earthworm
vermicompost is ‘exceptionally superior’
then the worldwide brands of
conventionally prepared & marketed
composts. It is stated that vermicompost is
at least four times more nutritive than
conventional cattle dung compost
[38].
● Farmers in Argentina who make use of
vermicompost, found it seven times richer
than conventional composts in nutrients
and growth-promoting values [39,40].
This is mostly due to ‘humus’ content in
vermicompost excreted by earth-worms
which other than takes a very long time to
make humus in the conventional
composting system via slow decay of
organic matter. In the small amount plant
growth is activated by the ‘humic acid’ in
vermicompost [41].
● Vermicompost keep nutrients longer time
than the conventional compost while the
latter fails to carry the sufficient amounts
of macro and micronutrients. The
vermicompost also delivers vital N, P, and
K to plants faster while the other takes
longer time.
● High porosity, aeration, drainage, and
water holding capacity is more in
vermicompost, than the conventional
compost according to its humus content.
Thakur et al.
161
● Earthworm activities enhance natural
biodegradation and decomposition of
organic materials from 60 to 80% by
promoting the growth of ‘beneficial
decomposer aerobic bacteria’ in the waste
biomass. The quality of compost is
significantly better, rich in key minerals
and beneficial soil microbes. It is also
disinfected and free of any pathogens as
the worms release anti-pathogenic
coelomic fluid in the waste biomass [42].
On the other side, the conventional aerobic
composting process which is thermophilic
(temperature rising to 55℃) kills many
beneficial microbes, and nutrients
especially nitrogen is lost due to gassing
off of nitrogen.
● It is observed that the conventional
compost is higher in ‘ammonium’, the
vermicompost tended to be higher in
‘nitrates’, which is the more bio-available
form of nitrogen for plants [43]. It is also
stated that vermicompost has higher N
availability than the conventional compost
on a weight basis and the supply of several
other plant nutrients such as phosphorus
(P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), and
magnesium (Mg), were significantly
increased by adding vermicompost as
compared to conventional compost in the
same soil.
● Although the conventional composting
procedure is finished in about 8 weeks
additional 4 weeks is required for ‘curing’.
Curing involves the further aerobic
decomposition of some compounds,
organic acids, and large particles that
remain after composting. Less oxygen and
water is required during curing. Compost
that has had insufficient curing may
damage crops. Vermicompost does not
require any curing and can be used
straightway after production.
DISADVANTAGES OF VERMICOMPOST
The process is takes 2 months or more to
attain marked transformation of phytomass
to vermicast [42].
Large amount of leaf litter, equitably large
quantities of animal manure are required.
But it is not easy to get so much manure
because of countless competitive used
previously in existence [44].
Unlike, leaf litter, animal manure is not
available free of cost. Hence, dependence
on animal manure makes the process
economics highly unfavourable [44].
The market is less developed for worm
castings than it is for regular compost [45].
For making the vermicompost it requires
frequent aeration and a heterogeneous end
product [46].
CONCLUSIONS
The vermicomposting technology has an
advantage over composting. This is generally due
to ‘humus’ content in vermicompost ejected by
earth-worms and in conventional composting
system it takes a very long time to form humus,
because of slow rotting process of organic matter.
On my personal opinion vermicomposting on
organic waste will be very useful in resolving the
waste discarding problem. The recycling plant
nutrients process reduces the use of inorganic
fertilizers. In case of the earthworm African
species are better than the Indian species. The
vermicomposting is a productive, easy,
environment-friendly, and viable method. It can
be easily expand a variety of useful products from
the grape marc, for industrial applications
yielding. It is important to parallel this production
with suitable utilization and industrial application
of coffee by-products. From the environmental
point of view value could be fixed by valorizing
these by-products. In sustainable development in
agriculture biotechnology, vermiwash discovered
possible application with respect to its origin,
cost-effectiveness, easy accessibility, time-saving,
reproducibility, dependability, and eco-
friendliness. The quality of soils enhances with the
application of vermicompost in the field by
increasing microbial activity and microbial
biomass that are key components in nutrient
cycling, production of plant growth regulators,
and protecting plants from soil-borne diseases and
insect-pest attacks. “Cent Vermicompost Scheme”
is the scheme for the farmers run by the
government. The purpose of the scheme is to help
the farmers for setting up and run their
vermicompost units and also helps in investment
and working capital requirements of farmer.
Thakur et al.
162
COMPETING INTERESTS
Authors have declared that no competing interests
exist.
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