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VERMICULTURE/VERMICOMPOST

Vermiculturemeansartificialrearingorcultivationofworms(Earthworms)andthetechnologyis
thescientificprocessofusingthemforthebettermentofhumanbeings.Vermicompostistheexcretaof
earthworm,whichisrichinhumus.Earthwormseatcowdungorfarmyardmanurealongwithotherfarm
wastesandpassitthroughtheirbodyandintheprocessconvertitintovermicompost.Themunicipal
wastesnontoxicsolidandliquidwasteoftheindustriesandhouseholdgarbagescanalsobeconverted
intovermicompostinthesamemanner.Earthwormsnotonlyconvertgarbageintovaluablemanurebut
keeptheenvironmenthealthy.Conversionofgarbagebyearthwormsintocompostandthemultiplication
ofearthwormsaresimpleprocessandcanbeeasilyhandledbythefarmers.

MethodofpreparationofVermicompostLarge/communityScaleVermicompostingMethodology

Athatchedroofshedpreferablyopenfromallsideswithunpaved(katcha)flooriserectedin
EastWestdirectionlengthwisetoprotectthesitefromdirectsunlight.Ashedareaof12X12issufficient
toaccommodatethreevermibedsof10X3eachhaving1spaceinbetweenfortreatmentof912quintals
ofwasteinacycleof4045days.Thelengthofshedcanbeincreased/decreaseddependinguponthe
quantityofwastetobetreatedandavailabilityofspace.Theheightofthatchedroofiskeptat8feetfrom
thecentreand6feetfromthesides.Thebaseofthesiteisraisedatleast6inchesabovegroundto
protectitfromfloodingduringtherains.Thevermibedsarelaidovertheraisedgroundasperthe
proceduregivenbelow.

Thesitemarkedforvermibedsontheraisedgroundiswateredanda46layerofanyslowly
biodegradableagriculturalresiduesuchasdriedleaves/straw/sugarcanetrashetc.islaidoveritafter
soakingwithwater.Thisisfollowedby1layerofVermicompostorfarmyardmanure.

Earthwormsarereleasedoneachvermibedatthefollowingrates:

Fortreatmentofcowdung/agriwaste:1.0kg.per

Fortreatmentofhouseholdgarbage:1.5kg.per

Thefrequencyandlimitsofloadingthewastecanvaryasbelowdependingupontheconvenienceofthe
user

Frequency Loading
Daily 2"/bed/day
1215"(34q/bed/cycleof45
InBulk
days)

TheloadedwasteisfinallycoveredwithaJuteMattoprotectearthwormsfrombirdsand
insects.Waterissprinkledonthevermibedsdailyaccordingtorequirementandseasontokeepthem
moist.Thewasteisturnedupsidedownfortnightlywithoutdisturbingthebasallayer(vermibed).The
appearanceofblackgranularcrumblypowderontopofvermibedsindicateharveststageofthecompost.
Wateringisstoppedforatleast5daysatthisstage.Theearthwormsgodownandthecompostiscollected
fromthetopwithoutdisturbingthelowerlayers(vermibed).ThefirstlotofVermicompostisreadyfor
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harvestingafter22monthsandthesubsequentlotscanbeharvestedafterevery6weeksof
loading.Thevermibedisloadedforthenexttreatmentcycle.

Multiplicationofwormsinlargescale

Prepareamixtureofcowdunganddriedleavesin1:1proportion.Releaseearthworm@50
numbers/10kg.Ofmixtureandmixdriedgrass/leavesorhuskandkeepitinshade.Sprinklewaterover
ittimetotimetomaintainmoisturelevel.Bythisprocess,earthwormsmultiply300timeswithinoneto
twomonths.Theseearthwormscanbeusedtopreparevermicompost.

AdvantagesofVermicomposting

Vermicompost is an ecofriendly natural fertilizer prepared from biodegradable organic wastes and
isfreefromchemicalinputs.

Itdoesnothaveanyadverseeffectonsoil,plantandenvironment.

Itimprovessoilaeration,textureandtilththerebyreducingsoilcompaction.

Itimproveswaterretentioncapacityofsoilbecauseofitshighorganicmattercontent.

Itpromotesbetterrootgrowthandnutrientabsorption.

Itimprovesnutrientstatusofsoilbothmacronutrientsandmicronutrients.

Precautions

Vermicompostpitshouldbeprotectedfromdirectsunlight.

Tomaintainmoisturelevel,spraywateronthepitasanwhenrequired.

Protectthewormsfromant,ratandbird

NutrientProfile*ofVermicompostandFarmYardManure

Nutrient Vermicompost FarmYardManure

N(%) 1.6 0.5

PO(%) 0.7 0.2

KO(%) 0.8 0.5

Ca(%) 0.5 0.9

Mg(%) 0.2 0.2

Fe(ppm) 175.0 146.5

Mn(ppm) 96.5 69.0

Zn(ppm) 24.5 14.5

Cu(ppm) 5.0 2.8

C:Nratio 15.5 31.3

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*Thesevaluesaresubjecttovariationdependinguponthetypeoforganicwaste.Source:PunjabState
CouncilforScienceandTechnology,Chandigarh

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