Vermicompost power point presentation

1. Welcome

2. College of agriculture Nagaur
Agriculture university jodhpur
• Submitted to :-
• Dr. S.S. Meena
• Assistant professor of soil science
Submitted by :-
Rajpal Singh
B.Sc.(hons.)Ag.Part II.Sem.II

3. Vermicompost
• Vermicompost is the end result of worms decomposing organic matter to
produce a usable fertile source of worms castings , that supply vital nutrients
and beneficial microbes to soil and plants.
• Vermicompost is the excreta of earthworm, which is rich in humus.
• Vermiculture: Vermiculture means artificial rearing or cultivation of worms
(Earthworms) .

4. Nutrient Composition in Vermicompost
• Nutrients Vermicompost
• Nitrogen. 1.60%
• Potassium. 0.8%
• Phosphorus. 1.05%
• pH. 6.62

5. Process
• Earthworms eat cow dung or farm yard manure along with other farm
wastes and pass it through their body and in the process convert it into
vermicompost.
Most worm farms raise two main types of
earthworm: Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus rubellis.
These worms are commonly used to produce
vermicompost, ...

6. Materials Required
• Water.
• Cow dung.
• Thatch Roof.
• Soil or Sand.
• Gunny bags.
• Earthworms.
• Weed biomass
• A large bin (plastic or cemented tank).
• Dry straw and leaves collected from paddy fields.
• Biodegradable wastes collected from fields and kitchen.

7. Favorable conditions for earthworm In the
composting materials
• pH range between. 6.5 -7.5(neutral)
• Moisture. 60- 70 %
• Aeration. 50%
• Temperature. 18⁰C-35⁰C

8. Methods
• Vermicomposting comprises two methods:
• Bed Method: This is an easy method in which beds of organic matter are prepared.
• Pit Method: In this method, the organic matter is collected in cemented pits. However,
this method is not prominent as it involves problems of poor aeration and
waterlogging.

9. Bed method Pit method

10. Procedure
1. To prepare compost, either a plastic or a concrete tank can be used. The
size of the tank depends upon the availability of raw materials.
2. Collect the biomass and place it under the sun for about 8-12 days. Now
chop it to the required size using the cutter.
3. Prepare a cow dung slurry and sprinkle it on the heap for quick
decomposition.
4. Add a layer (2 – 3 inch) of soil or sand at the bottom of the tank.

11. 5. Now prepare fine bedding by adding partially decomposed cow dung, dried leaves and other biodegradable wastes
collected from fields and kitchen. Distribute them evenly on the sand layer.
6. Continue adding both the chopped bio-waste and partially decomposed cow dung layer-wise into the tank up to a
depth of 0.5-1.0 ft.
7. After adding all the bio-wastes, release the earthworm species over the mixture and cover the compost mixture with
dry straw or gunny bags.
8. Sprinkle water on a regular basis to maintain the moisture content of the compost.
9. Cover the tank with a thatch roof to prevent the entry of ants, lizards, mouse, snakes, etc. And protect the compost
from rainwater and direct sunshine.
10. Have a frequent check to avoid the compost from overheating. Maintain proper moisture and temperature.

12. Application rate
• It can be applied in any crop at any stage but it would be more beneficial if
mixed in soil after broadcasting.
• The rate of application is as;
• Field crop 5-6 t/ha.
• Vegetables 10-12t/ha.
• Flower plants 100-200g/sqft.
• Fruit trees 5-10kg/tree.

13. Advantages Of Vermicomposting
• The castings are superfine and with good porosity. Adding them in the soil
increases its porosity and thereby aeration.
• Improves the physical structure of the soil.
• The compost also enhances the water holding capacity of soil as it is rich in
organic matter.
• Helps in germination, plant growth, and crop yield.
• Nurtures soil with plant growth hormones such as auxins, gibberellic acid, etc.

14. Disadvantages of Vermicomposting
• It releases a very foul odour.
• Vermicomposting is high maintenance. The feed has to be added periodically
and care should be taken that the worms are not flooded with too much to
eat.
• The bin should not be too dry or too wet. The moisture levels need to be
monitored periodically.
• They nurture the growth of pests and pathogens such as fruit flies, centipede
and flies.

15. Questions
1. The highly decomposed organic matter rich in minerals like nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium, in particular, produced from the activity of
earthworms is called __
(a) Humus(b) Vermicompost(c) Worm casting(d) Compost bedding
2. The moisture level required for vermicomposting should be between _
(a) Below 30 per cent(b) 40 and 50 per cent(c) 70 and 80 per cent(d) Above
90 per cent

16. 3.The maximum temperature required for vermicomposting is____
(a) 20C to 25C. (b) 25C to 30C. (c) 30C to 35C. (d) 35C to 40C
4.Nitrogen percentage in Vermicompost ______
(a).5%. (b) .1% (c)1.5%. (d) .15%
5.Favourable pH for vermicomposting_____
(a)5.5 (b) 5-6 (c) 6.5. (d) 6.5-7.5
6.Benefits of Vermicompost _____
(a) increase water holding capacity
. (b) improve the physical structure of soil
(C)Helps in germination, plant growth, and crop yield.
. (d) all the above
7. Which species are mostly used for vermiculture
. (a)Eisenia foetida
(b) Lumbricus rubellis
(c)Pheretima posthuma (d)a&b