Impact analysis and confirmative study of physico-chemical, nutritional and biochemical parameters of vermiwash produced from different leaf litters by using two earthworm species.
Sundaravadivelan C., Isaiarasu L., Manimuthu M., Kumar P., Kuberan T., Anburaj J.
Author Affiliation: Department of Zoology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi, India.
International Journal of Agricultural Technology 7 : 1443-1457
Abstract : Vermiwash is potential application in sustainable development for agriculture andbiotechnology. This experiment was carried out to asses the physico-chemical, nutritional and biochemical status of the vermiwash obtained using the popular composting earthworm species Eudrillus eugeniae (Kinb.) (Eudrilidae: Haplotaxida) and Lampito mauritii from three different leaf litters namely, Mango (Mangifera indica), Guava (Psidium guajava) and Sapota (Achrus sapota). The results showed substantial increase in the nutrient quality of the vermiwash produced with time in all of three cases. However, the vermiwash produced from guava leaf litter showed more content of electrical conductivity, magnesium, calcium, nitrite, phosphorus, carbohydrate, protein, lipid and amino acid compared with the vermiwash produced from the other two sapota and mango leaf litter by using the both earthworm species Eudrillus eugeniae and Lampito mauritii respectively. Comparison of physico-chemical, nutritional and biochemical parameters of the vermiwash produced from the present experiment with a standard commercially produced and marketed by A. L. N Farms, Thenkasi was also carried out to ascertain the quality of produced vermiwash. In the present experimental control attained the values of most of the parameters of the standard on 60th day. Whereas, the vermiwash was produced by two composting earthworm species and leaf litters from three different plants in the experimental sets that attained the values of the parameters of the standard at an early days. It revealed that the quality of vermiwash can be achieved as in the standard even within 45 days with the use of these earthworms.