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Potential of Vermicompost for Sustainable Crop Production and Soil Health Improvement in Different Cropping Systems

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Potential of Vermicompost for Sustainable Crop Production and Soil Health Improvement in Different Cropping Systems Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(10): 1042-1055 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 10 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Review Paper https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.710.116 Potential of Vermicompost for Sustainable Crop Production and Soil Health Improvement in Different Cropping Systems Anil Kumar*, C.H. Bhanu Prakash, Navjot Singh Brar and Balwinder Kumar Farm Science Centre, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Tarn Taran, Punjab, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Role of vermicompost in nourishing agricultural crops has attracted the attention of K e yw or ds researchers throughout the globe in past few decades. Vermicompost is the method of Earthworms, Plant using earthworms to transform organic waste into nutrient rich compost. The earthworms’ growth, Vermicompost, casting is nutritive organic manure rich in humus, NPK, micronutrients, beneficial Soil health, Soil structure microbes, antibiotics, enzymes, growth hormones, etc. There are many reports in literature Article Info showing beneficial effects of imbedding vermicompost in soil. Application of vermicompost as organic manure in soil built-up organic carbon, improve nutrient status, Accepted: enhance cation exchange capacity, microbial activities, microbial biomass carbon and 10 September 2018 enzymatic activities. The earthworms’ castings also have pest repellent attributes. Beside Available Online: that vermicompost also improves soil structure, soil aggregation and improve water 10 October 2018 retention capacity. Introduction inducing secondary and micronutrient deficiencies in soil, nutrient imbalance in soil The use of chemical fertilizers has increased and plants, environmental hazards and tremendously from green revolution leading to decrease in total factor productivity. Microbial heavy dependence on chemical fertilizer in population in soil also severely affected due to conventional agricultural system. The imbalanced fertilizer application. Moreover, application of chemical fertilizers, no doubt excessive fertilizer applications are also has increased the crop productivity many contaminating surface and underground water folds, but their continuous and imbalanced bodies especially by nitrate leaching application has also produced detrimental (Pimentel, 1996) and causing detrimental effects on soil health due to which crop yields effects on environment, which in turn is have become stagnated in past few decades. causing serious hazards to human and animal The long term fertilizer experimental studies health. Therefore, in present context, there is indicated that continuous sole application of dire need to follow climate resilient integrated chemical fertilizer in imbalanced manner crop management modules so that soil health produce detrimental effects on soil physical, and crop productivity could be sustained for chemical and biological properties further, longer time. In above scenario, one of the 1042 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(10): 1042-1055 possible options to reduce the use of chemical As a whole, due to their different production fertilizer could be recycling of organic wastes. processes, vermicompost might exhibit Thus, inclusion of vermicompost organic different physical, chemical and chemical manure in crop production is a better features, which influenced plant growth and alternative for improving soil health, crop overall morphology in diverse ways. Thus, productivity and quality as it exert a application of vermicompost as organic significant positive influence on soil manure in soil built-up organic carbon, properties and microbial population. improve nutrient status, enhance cation exchange capacity, microbial activities, Vermicompost is the method of using microbial biomass carbon and enzymatic earthworms to transform organic waste into activities. nutrient rich compost. Soil earthworms play an important role in agriculture, it decomposes Earthworms and raw material for dead organic litter by consuming them and vermicomposting release as castings. The earthworms accelerate decomposition of plant litter and organic There are more than 3000 species of matter and improve soil fertility by releasing earthworms in the soil (Cook and Linden, mineral elements in the forms that are easily 1996), but hardly 8-10 species are found uptake by plants (Curry, 1987). Vermicompost suitable for vermicompost preparation. The contains most nutrients in plant available form best types of earthworms for vermiculture and such as nitrates, phosphates, exchangeable vermicomposting are epigaeic species (litter calcium and soluble potassium (Edwards, dwellers, live in organic horizon) such as 1998; Orozco, 1996). The behavioural activity Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae (Bansal of earthworms that is feeding, burrowing and and Kapoor, 2000; Dominguez and Edwards, casting, modify the physical, chemical and 2004). These worm species like to settle on biological properties of organic matter and soil top soil and prefer to eat organic scraps such for plant growth and nutrient acquisition. Due as vegetable waste, compost and organic to large surface area, vermicompost offers bedding and produce richer casting than those several micro sites for nutrient retention and that feed on plain soil. These worms have exchange and microbial activity (Shi-wei and been recognized as the worm species that can Fu-Zhen, 1991). Vermicompost is usually rich eat as much as half of its weight on a daily in microbial populations and diversity basis. They work efficiently in breaking down particularly fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes and decaying natural remains and turning (Edwards, 1998; Tomati et al., 1987). these scraps into high-quality organic compost. Further, above species of The compost prepared by earthworm contain earthworms are resistant to temperature and several types of enzymes, hormones, vitamins, moisture fluctuations. Moreover, these species antibiotics and many essential nutrients multiply rapidly and remain active throughout needed for plant growth and also play the year, decompose organic material rapidly important role in improving soil structure and (rapid casting) and help to prepare water holding capacity, thereby improving vermicompost in shorter duration. Other crop productivity and quality. Vermicompost species of red worms or red wigglers such is characterized by high porosity, aeration, as Lumbricus rubellus, Perionyx sansibaricus, drainage, water holding capacity and Perionyx excavatus, Eisenia andreii, etc. microbial activity (Edwards and Burrows, could also be successfully used in 1988; Atiyeh et al., 1999, 2000). vermicompost production (Dominguez and 1043 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(10): 1042-1055 Edwards, 2004). Cattle dung or farm yard Ensure proper drainage across the manure (FYM) is used as raw material for vermicompost bed or unit and source of water vermicomposting, beside that any material that should be closure to the unit. can be decomposed easily such as weeds, wastes (leaves and rind) of vegetables and It should be far away from biogas plant, fruits, crop residue, roughage of the animals as otherwise earthworm utilise the carbon of well as municipal wastes of organic origin biogas as their food and slow down the could also be utilized for vermicompost process of decomposition of material. preparation (Alves and Passom, 1997; Atiyeh et al., 1999; Kamergam et al., 1999; Kiehl, Steps involved in vermicompost production 2001). The organic waste consumed by earthworms undergo physical breakdown in Composting is an excellent option for the gizzard, which is then exposed to various reducing environmental threats and preparing enzymes such as protease, cellulose, lipase, a natural, beneficial soil additive. Actually, chitinase, amylase, etc. secreted into lumen by vermicompost is a great alternative that allows the gut wall and associated microbes. Above composting operation with minimal space enzymes causes breakdown of complex considerations. Ease of vermicompost process biomolecules into simple ones. Mucus and ability of its application in various scales secretions of gut wall provide structural made the vermicomposting an interesting stability of vermicompost. Only 5-10% of the topic almost everywhere. The production of ingested material is absorbed by earthworms quality vermicompost from the raw waste for their growth and remaining is excreted as requires much knowledge of the process. The casting. different steps involved in vermicompost production are elaborated below: Selection of site for vermicomposting After selection of site for vermicompost Generally, earthworms like to live in shady preparation, smoothen the surface. Now, make and moist places and such conditions are a bed of approximately 10 x 3 x 3 feet (L x B conducive for their faster multiplication. High x H) with bricks. However, size of the bed temperature and dry environment are more could be decreased or increased as per the limiting than low temperatures and water quantity of material available and need. saturated environment for the worms (Rostami et al., 2009). Earthworm cannot live in Moisten the surface of the bed by sprinkling standing water hence, ensure proper drainage the water. Now, at the base of the bed, spread across vermicompost unit. A temperature 2-3 inch thick layer of dry leaves or paddy range between 20-30oC is optimum for faster straw, etc. multiplication and growth of the earthworms. Hence, using proper species of earthworms,
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