Capacity of fly ash and organic additives to support adequate earthworm biomass for large scale vermicompost production
Cow Dung
,
Crop Residue
,
Eudrilus eugeniae
,
Fly Ash
,
Lampito mauritii
,
Press Mud
,
vermicompost
,
vermiculture technology
Abstract:
To investigate the feasibility of utilization of vermiculture technology for large scale production of vermicompost from Fly Ash (FA) mixed with Press Mud (PM), Cow Dung (CD) and Crop Residue (CR) employing earthworms Eudrilus eugeniae and Lampito mauritii. Eight treatments namely FA alone (T1), 1 part FA: 1part CD (T2), 1 part FA: 1part PM (T3), FA: 1 part FA: 1part CR (T4), 1 part FA: 1part CD: 1part PM (T5), 1 part FA: 1part CD: 1part CR (T6), 1 part FA: 1part PM: 1part CR (T7) and 1 part FA: 1part CD: 1part PM: 1part CR (T8) were run under laboratory conditions. The growth and reproduction of earthworms in terms of biomass gain, cocoon and hatchlings production were measured at the end of experimentation. The data revealed that earthworms were unable to survive in 100% FA (T1) treatment. However, Maximum worm biomass was observed in T5 treatment than other treatments. Maximum cocoons and hatchlings production were also recorded in T5 treatment for both species of worms. This study clearly indicates that fly ash amended with press mud and cow dung in 1:1:1 ratio had no adverse effect on the growth and reproduction of E.eugeniae and L.mauritii as well as large scale vermicompost production.
Authors:
Anbalagan M and Manivannan S.
Institution:
Department of Zoology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar,
India-608 002.
Corresponding author:
Manivannan
Keywords:
E. eugeniae, L. mauritii, Cocoons, hatchlings, press mud, cow dung.
Article Citation:
Anbalagan M and Manivannan S.
Capacity of fly ash and organic additives to support adequate earthworm biomass for large scale vermicompost production.
Journal of Research in Ecology (2012) 1: 001-005
Dates:
Received: 27 Dec 2011 /Accepted: 12 Jan 2012 /Published: 25 Jan 2012
License:
This Open Access article is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which gives permission for unrestricted use, non-commercial, distribution, and reproduction in all medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
References:
Adi AJ, Noor ZM. 2009. Waste recycling: Utilization of coffee grounds and kitchen waste in vermicomposting. Biores Technol., 1027-1030.
Bhattacharjee G. 2002. Earthworm resources and waste management through vermicomposting in Tripura. Ph.D. Thesis, Tripura: Tripura University, India.
Bhawalkar VS and Bhawalkar VV. 1993. Vermiculture biotechnology in: Organic Farming in Soil Health and Crop Production. Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation, Cochin. 69-85.
Edwards CA and Bohlen PJ. 1996. Biology and Ecology of Earthworms. 3rd edition, Chapman and Hall Publication, 2-6 Boundary Row, London, UK. 202-217.
Edwards CA, Dominguez J, Neuhauser EF. 1998. Growth and reproduction of Perionyx excavatus (Perr.) (Megascolecidae) as factors in organic waste management. Biol Fertil Soils 155-161.
Elvira C, Sampedro L, Beritez E, Nogales R. 1998. Vermicomposting of sludge from paper mill and dairy industries with Eisenia andrei: A pilot scale study. Biores Technol., 63:211-218.
Gajalakshmi S, Ramasamy EV, Abbasi SA. 2001. Screening of four species of detritivorous (humus-former) earthworms for sustainable vermicomposting of paper waste. Environ Technol., 22:679-685.
Gupta R, Mutiyar PK, Rawat NK, Saini MS, Garg VK. 2007. Development of a water hyacinth based vermireactor using an epigeic earthworm E. foetida. Biores Technol., 98:2605-2610.
Kale RD, Bano K. 1992. Niche divergence–a limiting factor for recommendation of earthworms for biotechnology. Proc Nat Sem Org Fmg., Bangalore. 42-44.
Khawairakpam M, Bhargava R. 2009. Bioconversion of filter mud using vermicomposting employing two exotic and one local earthworm species. Biores Technol., 100:5846-5852.
Loher RC, Neuhauser EF, Melecki MR. 1985. Factors affecting the vermistabilization process temperature, moisture content and polyculture. Water Res., 19:1311-1317.
Manivannan S, Ramamoorthy P, Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 2004. Effect of sugar industrial wastes on the growth and reproduction of earthworms. J Exp Zool., India. 7:29-37.
Mishra M, Sahu RK, Padhy N. 2007. Growth, yield and elemental status of rice (Oryza sativa) grown in fly ash amended soils. Ecotoxicol., 16:271-278.
Neuhauser EF, Kaplan DL, Hartenstein R. 1979. Life history of the earthwom Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg). Rev Ecol Biol Soil., 16:524-534.
Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 2000. Influence of pressmud on the development of the ovary, oogenesis and the neurosecretory cells of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg). Afri Zool., 35:281-286.
Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 1999. Longivity of microbial and enzyme activity and their influence on NPK content in pressmud vermicasts. Eur J Soil Biol., 35:107-113.
Parthasarathi K. 2006. Aging of pressmud vermicasts of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) – reduction in microbial population and activity. J Env Biol., 27(27(2):221-223.
Prakash M, Karmegam N. 2010. Vermistabilization of pressmud using Perionyx ceylanensis Mich. Biores Technol., 101(21):8464-8468.
Ramalingam R. 1997. Studies on the life cycle, growth and population dynamics of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) cultured in different organic wastes and analysis of nutrients and microbes of vermicompost. Ph.D. Thesis: Annamalai University, India.
Sangwan P, Kaushik CP, Garg VK. 2008. Vermiconversion of industrial sludge for recycling the nutrients. Biores Technol., 99:8699-8704.
Sen B, Chandra TS. 2007. Chemolytic and solid-state spectroscopic evaluation of organic matter transformation during vermicomposting of sugar industry wastes. Biores Technol., 98:1680-1683.
Authors:
Anbalagan M and Manivannan S.
Institution:
Department of Zoology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar,
India-608 002.
Corresponding author:
Manivannan
Keywords:
E. eugeniae, L. mauritii, Cocoons, hatchlings, press mud, cow dung.
Anbalagan M and Manivannan S.
Capacity of fly ash and organic additives to support adequate earthworm biomass for large scale vermicompost production.
Journal of Research in Ecology (2012) 1: 001-005
Dates:
Received: 27 Dec 2011 /Accepted: 12 Jan 2012 /Published: 25 Jan 2012
License:
This Open Access article is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which gives permission for unrestricted use, non-commercial, distribution, and reproduction in all medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
References:
Adi AJ, Noor ZM. 2009. Waste recycling: Utilization of coffee grounds and kitchen waste in vermicomposting. Biores Technol., 1027-1030.
Bhattacharjee G. 2002. Earthworm resources and waste management through vermicomposting in Tripura. Ph.D. Thesis, Tripura: Tripura University, India.
Bhawalkar VS and Bhawalkar VV. 1993. Vermiculture biotechnology in: Organic Farming in Soil Health and Crop Production. Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation, Cochin. 69-85.
Edwards CA and Bohlen PJ. 1996. Biology and Ecology of Earthworms. 3rd edition, Chapman and Hall Publication, 2-6 Boundary Row, London, UK. 202-217.
Edwards CA, Dominguez J, Neuhauser EF. 1998. Growth and reproduction of Perionyx excavatus (Perr.) (Megascolecidae) as factors in organic waste management. Biol Fertil Soils 155-161.
Elvira C, Sampedro L, Beritez E, Nogales R. 1998. Vermicomposting of sludge from paper mill and dairy industries with Eisenia andrei: A pilot scale study. Biores Technol., 63:211-218.
Gajalakshmi S, Ramasamy EV, Abbasi SA. 2001. Screening of four species of detritivorous (humus-former) earthworms for sustainable vermicomposting of paper waste. Environ Technol., 22:679-685.
Gupta R, Mutiyar PK, Rawat NK, Saini MS, Garg VK. 2007. Development of a water hyacinth based vermireactor using an epigeic earthworm E. foetida. Biores Technol., 98:2605-2610.
Kale RD, Bano K. 1992. Niche divergence–a limiting factor for recommendation of earthworms for biotechnology. Proc Nat Sem Org Fmg., Bangalore. 42-44.
Khawairakpam M, Bhargava R. 2009. Bioconversion of filter mud using vermicomposting employing two exotic and one local earthworm species. Biores Technol., 100:5846-5852.
Loher RC, Neuhauser EF, Melecki MR. 1985. Factors affecting the vermistabilization process temperature, moisture content and polyculture. Water Res., 19:1311-1317.
Manivannan S, Ramamoorthy P, Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 2004. Effect of sugar industrial wastes on the growth and reproduction of earthworms. J Exp Zool., India. 7:29-37.
Mishra M, Sahu RK, Padhy N. 2007. Growth, yield and elemental status of rice (Oryza sativa) grown in fly ash amended soils. Ecotoxicol., 16:271-278.
Neuhauser EF, Kaplan DL, Hartenstein R. 1979. Life history of the earthwom Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg). Rev Ecol Biol Soil., 16:524-534.
Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 2000. Influence of pressmud on the development of the ovary, oogenesis and the neurosecretory cells of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg). Afri Zool., 35:281-286.
Parthasarathi K, Ranganathan LS. 1999. Longivity of microbial and enzyme activity and their influence on NPK content in pressmud vermicasts. Eur J Soil Biol., 35:107-113.
Parthasarathi K. 2006. Aging of pressmud vermicasts of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) – reduction in microbial population and activity. J Env Biol., 27(27(2):221-223.
Prakash M, Karmegam N. 2010. Vermistabilization of pressmud using Perionyx ceylanensis Mich. Biores Technol., 101(21):8464-8468.
Ramalingam R. 1997. Studies on the life cycle, growth and population dynamics of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) cultured in different organic wastes and analysis of nutrients and microbes of vermicompost. Ph.D. Thesis: Annamalai University, India.
Sangwan P, Kaushik CP, Garg VK. 2008. Vermiconversion of industrial sludge for recycling the nutrients. Biores Technol., 99:8699-8704.
Sen B, Chandra TS. 2007. Chemolytic and solid-state spectroscopic evaluation of organic matter transformation during vermicomposting of sugar industry wastes. Biores Technol., 98:1680-1683.
