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Indian Journal of Biotechnology

Vol 6, July 2007, pp 410-413

Study of quality parameters soil. While using in the field, cocoons go into the soil
in vermicomposting with the vermicompost. In the process, the baby
earthworms subsequently create vermicompost. The
M C Borah, P Mahanta, S K Kakoty*, U K Saha and nitrogen factor, a function of the decomposition rate,
A D Sahasrabudhe becomes higher when other favourable conditions are
Department of Mechanical Engineering present2. Even though vermicompost is beneficial to
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati plant growth, many reports about interplay of physico-
Guwahati 781 039, India
chemical properties are not available in the literature.
Received 27 June 2005; revised 4 August 2006 In the present work, an analysis was carried out to
accepted 15 October 2006
study the effect of different parameters, particularly
In the present study, vermicompost samples were tested for nitrogen percentage, temperature and density of
chemical constituents. Effect of temperature and density of cocoons. Both laboratory level and field studies were
cocoons on the production of vermicompost was also studied. carried out. These set-ups and the methodologies are
Samples collected from vermicompost units installed in the
elaborated below.
laboratory as well as in the field provided an opportunity to
analyze quality assessment of the vermicompost and introduction Three wooden boxes each with L= 0.50 m, B= 0.25
of a three-pit system of vermicomposting. m, D= 0.25 m and thickness=0.020 m were fabricated.
Keywords: vermicompost, denitrification, cocoon, temperature, The first box was used for the preparation of
earthworm, Perionyx excavatus substrate, where 5 kg of fresh cowdung was loaded
IPC Code: Int. Cl.8 C05F3/00, 9/04 with 7.5 kg of other biodegradable materials† to
maintain the ratio of 40:60. Neem leaves, as quality
Vermicompost contains major and minor nutrients in
enhancer, were added to have a pesticidal effect in the
plant-available forms, enzymes, vitamins and plant
vermicompost3. Materials were chopped into smaller
growth hormones. It has a more beneficial impact on
pieces (maximum size: 0.05 m) to enhance the rate of
plants than normal compost1. Chemical analysis of the
composting process. Initially, about ½ L water was
casts gives a good indication of changes directly
added into the box for moistening the environment.
caused by the worms. During composting nitrogen
This box was kept for 15-20 d and it is analogous to
loss or denitrification is an indispensable phenomenon
the pre-compost pit in field to be discussed later. Soil
that affects the quality of vermicompost. As nitrogen
was added @ 10% of the composting material for
percentage is very essential for fertilizer value or as
good decomposition2. Data of ambient and substrate
soil conditioner, this has to be achieved in the
temperatures were recorded on a daily basis for the
composting process. There are many variables
whole period of 10 d. Because of exothermic
involved in this case, such as, feedstock type, mix
decomposition process of organic matters, the
C:N, pH, etc. Another important parameter in
substrate temperature is found to be more than the
vermicomposting is temperature, which influences the
ambient temperature. The moisture content of fresh
survival of earthworms as well as the conservation of
cattle dung in the first box was found to be in the
nitrogen. For quality vermicompost, presence of
range of 72-85% with a pH 5.224. This material was
cocoons is also of paramount importance.
then kept outside the laboratory for 3 d for cooling,
Vermicompost contains earthworm cocoons that
and then loaded into the second box where the
increases the population and activity of earthworm in
substrate was kept for 1 month. In this case also, data
——————
∗Author for correspondence:
for both the ambient and substrate temperatures were
Tel: 91-361-2582659; Fax: 91-361-2582699 taken. It is to be noted that the substrate temperature
E-mail: sashin@iitg.ernet.in was found to be more than ambient temperature. The

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) with root 1 kg, dry grass 1 whole material was turned up and down once in a
kg, plantation tree 1.250 kg, azolla (Azolla filliculoides) 1.100 kg, month.
vegetable waste (mainly mango pill and potato pill for being
highly nutritious and very putrescible) 1 kg, waste paper 1 kg and The substrate, after removing from second box,
neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) 1.150 kg. was kept for 2-3 d for cooling before being loaded
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into the third box or the vermibox. he vermibox was


designed to have a vermibed at its bottom to make it
suitable for earthworm living. The bed consisted of
small pebbles, sand, soil and compost weighing 5 kg.
The compost or material was kept here for another 1%
months. A total of 63 vermi or earthworm of local
variety, Perionyx excavatus was added into the
At the time of loading, each earthworm was about 8 to
9 cm long having a weight of about 0.6 g. After a
month, some hatchlings of about 7-8 cm long, and
weighing 0.5 g each were observed in the vermibox
(Fig. 1). Moisture content of this substrate at mid-

profile of substrate or material in-three boxes is shown Fig. l 4 o c o o n s of earthworm in the substrate of vermibox (after
in Figs 2 to 4. one month of adding earthworms) seen through optical
microscope (magnification: 10 times).
For the field experiments, three different pits, viz.,
pre-compost pit, compost pit and vermicompost pit or
vermipit, of similar dimension (L=3 m, B=2% m, D=l
July2004 IITG
40 i 1
m) were prepared. The compost pit was rough-
finished in masonry work and some longitudinal small temperature
gaps were provided between bricks for the passage of E +Substrate
unnecessary water. Vermicompost pit had some holes temperature
for aeration. The required waste material was about
900 kg and produce was 355 kg. The waste material
included cow dung slurry, water hyacinth, plantation
tree and dry grass'. Worms of local variety were used. Fig. 2-Ambient and substrate temperatures of the first box.
In the pre-compost pit, the material was kept for about
15-20 d. This composted material was kept for August 2004 llTG temperature
another 3 d for cooling, and then loaded into the +Substrate
compost pit. In both the pits, substrate temperature
was found to be more than the ambient temperature
during the entire composting period. However, in the Week
last production stage, the substrate temperature was

-
found to be less than the ambient temperature as was Fig. 3-Ambient and substrate temperatures of the second box
observed in the laboratory set-up. After a gap of 3 September & October 2004 IITG
months from the initiation of production process, it Y
was found that the produce worm cast was brown and +- Amblent
odourless. The present method used biodung slurry- C
temperture
1 2 3 4 5
vermicomposting method using a vermipit having
suitable bed for earthworms made of layers of
pebbles, sand and soil 0.0254 m, 0.0127 m and 0.1 m
Week
: J
I -e Substrate
temperature

high, respectively. As biodung slurry was available Fig. 4--Ambient and substrate temperatures of the third box.
from outlet of three biogas digesters near the was tested at Regional Research Laboratory, Jorhat.
vermicompost pits, this production method was The test results presented in Table 1 include the major
chosen. (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) and secondary
Bio-manure normally consists of 13 elements, (calcium, magnesium and sulphur) components.
which can be broadly classified into major, secondary The biodung slurry should be stored in shade as
and minor components7.The vermicompost produced moist fresh slurry contains 20% of anhydrous
412 INDIAN J BIOTECHNOL, JULY 2007

Table 1—Chemical analysis of vermicompost is the remedy for leaching, while adding more carbon
or using soil, compost or peat, as an adsorbent is the
Item Vermicompost Vermicompost remedy for volatilization. Denitrification may be
produced in produced in controlled by maintaining aerobicity. To reduce
field experimental set-up
nitrogen loss and composting time, carbon-rich
Organic carbon 3.97% 4.47% materials were added. When this was not done,
pH 7.5 7.8 stabilization of nitrogen rich substrates led to increase
Nitrogen 0.33% 0.38% of C/N ratio as ammonium loss became more
Phosphorous ( P2O5) 1.45% 0.87%
conspicuous2. In the present analysis, C/N ratio was
found less than optimum range upon which nitrogen
Potassium ( K2O) 0.75% 0.69%
content was dependent. Time is also an important
Calcium (CaO) 0.90% 1.06%
parameter to be considered in case of
Magnesium (MgO) 0.90% 0.95%
vermicomposting. If it takes more than 3 months in
Moisture 21.5% 10.6%
the process, the qualitative value of vermicompost
Sulphur (SO4) 0.54% 0.54% will deteriorate. Mainly hormone and enzyme part of
10. C—N ratio 12 12 the manure will be lost if it is stored for more days
after production. Vermicompost is rich in several
nitrogen, which evaporates in air due to denitrification enzymes and growth regulators such as auxins,
for exposure to direct sunlight5. The first pre-compost gibberellins, etc.
pit had no shed and, therefore, feed-material (slurry, The development and maintenance of earthworm
water hyacinth, vegetable-waste, plantation tree, etc.) population is a critical element in vermicomposting
was exposed to direct sunlight. Because of this, operation6. The worms aerate the feedstock-based
vermicompost produced in the field was deficient in mix, which helps keep the temperature down, but they
nitrogen showing 0.33%. The observations made by do occasionally need to be watered. The present study
Zucconi and Bertoldi2 that the nitrogen factor is high has highlighted three quality parameters, namely,
during decomposition and becomes negative (giving nitrogen content, temperature profile and presence of
up mineral nitrogen) during stabilization. cocoon in vermicomposting process in field as well as
Temperature is another parameter to be considered. in laboratory environment. Nevertheless, rigorous and
Worms have a limited temperature range tolerance systematic study of vermicomposting in different
(typically 9oC to 35oC) that makes them better suited climates and different locations is necessary to
to indoor composting. They need humid and shady determine the various factors and its effects.
place to work. Therefore, vermicompost units should
always be made in shade to maintain some amount of Acknowledgement
moisture5. The average temperature recorded in the Authors thank Khadi and Village Industries
vermipit was 29oC in the last stage of vermicompost Commission (KVIC), Mumbai, India for the financial
production. At the initial stage, the average support in the form of an R&D project. Thanks are
temperature was 32oC. Another important observation also due to Regional Research Laboratory, Jorhat for
was that the local variety of earthworm was migratory testing the vermicompost sample.
in nature and earthworms vanished from the vermipit
particularly during rainy days. The feedstock was kept References
1 Gajalakshmi S & Abbasi S A, Earthworms and
outside for 4-5 d once taken out from pre-compost pit vermicomposting, Indian J Biotechnol, 3 (2004) 486-494.
for cooling before it was loaded to the second pit 2 Zucconi F & Bertoldi Marco de, Organic waste stabilization
(compost pit). It is important to note that throughout composting and its compatibility with agricultural
vermicomposting is a cool process contrary to uses, in Global bioconversions, vol III, edited by D L Wise
(CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida) 2000, 109-137.
composting, which is somewhat hot process. 3 Gajalakshmi S & Abbasi S A, Neem leaves as a source of
From the above analysis it is seen that the results of fertilizer-cum-pesticide vermicompost, Bioresour Technol,
laboratory and field studies are almost similar. In the 92 (2003) 291-296.
case of chemical constituents, nitrogen was found to 4 Fulford D, How biogas works, in Running a biogas
programme: A handbook (ITDG Publishing, London) 2001,
be less in both types of production. There are three 36.
pathways for nitrogen loss viz., a) leaching, b) 5 KVIC Bio-Technology report, 2001. Non-conventional
volatilization and c) denitrification. Covering the pit energy programme under KVIC, Mumbai, India.
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6 Frederickson J & Howell G, Large-scale vermicomposting: 8 Joshi P, in Manual on production & quality assurance of
Emission of nitrous oxide and effects of temperature on bioinoculants, biomanures and biopesticides (MGIRI,
earthworm population, in 7th Int Symp Earthworm Ecology, Wardha), 2005, 47.
Cardiff,. Wales, 2003. 9 Prakash P R, Geetha N R, Geethanjali H, Susmitha R &
7 Directorate of Biotechnology, KVIC, Constituents of Shettally R, Vermicomposting of market waste in Mysore
biomanure, in Biomanure: Rural industry for organic city, in Waste to energy, edited by U Pandel, M P Poonia, J
farming [Work Centre Offset Printers (I) Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai] Mathur & S Mathur (Prime Publishing House, Ghaziabad)
2001, 43. 2004, 200.

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