Vermicomposting by Eisenia fetida is a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Technology for Better Nutrient Recovery and Organic Waste Management in Upland Areas of China

Abstract

Management and recycling of organic waste materials such as agricultural crops (wheat straw, rapeseed) and animal manure (pig manure, cow dung) is becoming an important issue in rapidly growing population. Vermicomposting by earthworms (Eisenia fetida) is useful technique to recover nutrients of plants such as NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium). A vermicomposting system using the earthworm species (Eisenia fetida) and treating it with cattle dung, pig manure and biochar with crop (wheat straw and rapeseed) waste was established in upland areas of China. It was monitored for two months. Four treatments (T1 to T4) were prepared using crop residues i.e. wheat straw, rapeseed and cow manure in different concentrations. Vermicomposting through biochar (Biochar 50%, rapeseed residues 20% and Biochar with earthworms) gave maximum increase in soil fertility with maximum decrease (39.63%) in C:N ratio. Significant increase of N content in nutrients and reduction in C: N ratios during this process shows conversion of harmful wastes into useful fertilizer.