%0 Journal Article
%T Nutrient Status of Vermicompost of Urban Green Waste Processed by Three Earthworm Species¡ªEisenia fetida, Eudrilus eugeniae, and Perionyx excavatus
%A Swati Pattnaik
%A M. Vikram Reddy
%J Applied and Environmental Soil Science
%D 2010
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2010/967526
%X Major nutrient status of vermicompost of vegetable market waste (MW) and floral waste (FW) processed by three species of earthworms namely, Eudrilus eugeniae, Eisenia fetida, and Perionyx excavatus and its simple compost were assessed across different periods in relation to their respective initiative substrates. Their physical parameters¡ªtemperature, moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity¡ªwere also recorded. The nutrients¡ªnitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium¡ªincreased in the vermicompost and compost while the organic carbon, C/N and C/P ratios decreased as the composting process progressed from 0 to 15, 30, 45, and 60 days. The nutrient statuses of vermicomposts of all earthworm species produced from both the wastes were more than that of the compost and that of their respective substrates. Moreover, the vermicompost produced by E. eugeniae possessed higher nutrient contents than that of E. fetida, P. excavatus, and compost. The MW showed higher nutrient contents than the FW. Thus, vermicomposting is the paramount approach of nutrient recovery of urban green waste. 1. Introduction The urban green waste generally comprises of garden or park waste such as grass or flower cuttings and hedge trimmings, domestic and commercial food waste, and vegetable market waste,the later is generated in large quantities and accumulated in unhygienic way adjacent to vegetable markets emanating unbearable malodor due to lack of proper scientific disposal management particularly in developing countries like India. The vegetable market waste is the leftover and discarded rotten vegetables, fruits, and flowers in the market. This urban waste can be converted to a potential plantnutrient enriched resource¡ªcompost and vermicompost that can be utilized for sustainable land restoration practices [1]. Vermicomposting is a mesophilic process and is the process of ingestion, digestion, and absorption of organic waste carried out by earthworms followed by excretion of castings through the worm¡¯s metabolic system, during which their biological activities enhance the levels of plant-nutrients of organic waste [2]. Compost and vermicompost are the end products of aerobic composting process, the later with using earthworms. Vermicompost possessed higher and more soluble level of major nutrients¡ªnitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium [3¨C5]¡ªcompared to the substrate or underlying soil, and normal compost. During the process, the nutrients locked up in the organic waste are changed to simple and more readily available and absorbable forms such as
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aess/2010/967526/