BIO-DEGRADATION OF SOME AGRO-EVDUSTRIAL WASTES USING EARTHWORM, Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg)
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Date
2002
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University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad
Abstract
"Investigations on the bio-degradation of some agro-industrial wastes using
earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg), influence of different feeding additives
on the degradation process and nutrient analysis of vermicompost samples were
undertaken at the Main Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences,
Dharwad, Karnataka during 2001-02.
Different agro-industrial wastes such as pressmud, bagasse, coir waste,
groundnut shell and rice husk were used in the experiment. Faster multiplication
of worms and eventual recycling of wastes into vermicompost were observed
in pressmud. Bagasse and coir waste were intermediate in their acceptability to
earthworms. Coversely, groundnut shell and rice husk proved undesirable agroindustrial
wastes, which took significantly longer period for degradation. The
treatment pressmud 50% -i- cowdung 50% supported higher number of cocoons,
non-clitellate, clitellate worms and vermicompost production. F'ressmud and
biogas spent slurry proved as better substrates for degradation of distillery waste.
The treatment distillery waste + pressmud -i- cowdung 40% encountered higher
production of cocoons, non-clitellate, clitellate worms and vermicompost
production.
Different feeding additives were tested for degradation of agro-industrial
wastes like groundnut shell and rice husk which were found undegraded in the
field experiment. Among the different additives tested, rice bran and wheat
bran proved as good additives along with the palatable substances like cowdung
and paddy straw. Mango leaf powder and gram husk were moderate in their
effectiveness. Fermentation yeast sludge proved as least preferred additive for
earthworms. Higher number of cocoons, non-clitellate, clitellate worms and
vermicompost production was noticed in the treatment - groundnut shell 75%
+ paddy straw 25% -I- rice bran 2% being next to the standard check. However,
the treatment - groundnut shell -I- fermentation yeast sludge 1% proved as
undesirable waste - additive combination. Similar trend was also observed in
rice husk also.
There was a considerably higher levels of macro and micronutrients
recorded in the vermicompost samples prepared from different agro-industrial
wastes compared to their initial levels."
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