World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

VERMICOMPOST: PRODUCTION AND PRACTICES FOR IMPACT ON PLANT GROWTH AND SOIL FERTILITY

R. S. Tambe* and P. D. Pulate

ABSTRACT

Vermicomposting is a method of preparing enriched compost with the use of earthworms. It is one of the easiest methods to recycle agricultural wastes and to produce quality compost. Earthworms consume biomass and excrete it in digested form called worm casts. Worm casts are popularly called as Black gold. Vermicompost enriches soil quality by improving its physicochemical and biological properties. It is highly useful in raising seedlings and for crop production. Vermicompost is becoming popular as a major component of organic farming system. Vermicomposting is a low-technology, environmentally-friendly process used to treat organic waste. The resulting vermicompost has been shown to have several optimistic impacts on plant growth and health. This organic fertilizer is therefore ever more considered in agriculture and horticulture as a promising alternative to inorganic fertilizers and/or peat in greenhouse potting media. In the present investigation the process of vermicompost production is discussed and the nutrient contents are analyzed. It was found that vermicompost is rich in nutrients which enhances plant growth and soil fertility.

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