Title: Potential of Eisenia fetida for vermicomposting of garden trimmings spiked with cow dung

Authors: V.K. Garg, Renuka Gupta

Addresses: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar 125001, India. ' Department of Humanities and Applied Sciences, YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad 121006, Haryana, India

Abstract: The garden residues and trimmings were vermicomposted in order to mitigate environmental problems caused by them. The results of experiments indicated that the addition of Garden Trimmings (GT) up to 30% with cow dung (CD) produced good quality vermicompost in terms of increased NPK status as well as decrease in C : N and C : P ratio. A comparison of the decomposition of GT + CD in vermicomposting and composting (without worms) experiments indicated that vermicomposting with E. fetida is more efficient in maximising the extent of organic matter degradation. The growth of worms was lesser pronounced when they were fed on higher concentrations of GT in feed mixtures.

Keywords: garden trimmings; vermicomposting; Eisenia fetida; biodegradability constant; fertiliser value; earthworms; garden waste; cow dung; vermicompost.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGENVI.2010.037272

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2010 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.293 - 309

Published online: 01 Dec 2010 *

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