Table: Economies of vermicomposting ‘Materia Beprecation cost of veribed {Byearespant and she 3Nos cowie ae Orne reduer ‘Quantity ion Vermiwarm 3k Decking matenas ee” Si Eeenaas es itt ‘por oun oo aoe = ‘sa oe toon a ioe Tow ethene sie 000.00 Vernicompostngis a highly environment ienaly, economically viable and fcint biological process to convert organic matter into compost amenable for assimilation by plants. In tribal regions of Odish farmers can uz their own fam generated organic residue, animal waste, and available family labour to produce \vermicomost at cheaper rate a her back yard. The farm generated nutfents and ‘amendmen wil help to sustain the agricultural production wit least outsoureng ofcostynputs. Vermicomposting for Sustainable Crop Production in Hill and Tribal Regions of Odisha NRRI Technology Bulletin - 143 f= ALRighis Reserved, ICAR-NRRI, March 2020 Ses = stag andleyout:GAK Kumar, JP Bison & Sanchyarani Dall court Vermicomposting for Sustainable eC CUM Ea SST) Ce OL Oa eC Se Deccan aC eno Verricutureis a bilogcal process by which ll ypes of organic waste like crop residues, Khon wastes, market wastes, bi-nases of agro based industries, livestock wastes. and weeds are converted into value added product Ike vermicompost. Vermicomposng involves breaking down of complex organic ‘materials into nutvientrich compost by earthworm by fs ingestion and digestion. this process worms hep i transforming organic waste mato into high quality manure with ample amount of macro and mio nutints for plant growth and ‘evelopment The process is very simple and can be easly executed by the farmer and farmwomenintheirbackyards. his netoniy cost effacive method to comwer organic was into useful nutrient rich manure but the method is also an environmental Fiendly technology which can easly be adopted by the small and ‘marginal farmers of rbal regions of Osha. is helpful in sustainable agricultural producton without pollution hazardo sol waterand envionment. The technology is very uselulfor chen gardens and urban hortculure. Backyard gardening and culivaton of fed crops by using a litle or without any chemical fertilizer is @ common practice in trbal dominant district "Aanndhamal’ of Odisha Verricompostng in the backyard wll helpful to utize the avaiable plant and animal wast o produce valuable plant nutents and sol conditoners and which willhelpulpromt to Parmparik krish intribalbeof OshaTypes of vermicomposting hore are several methods fo produce vemmicompst depending on the type of subse used and bedding method flowed, Among these, florng, bed and mataka methods are most common pracice folowed in Odsha. Similary depending on type of substrate used vermicompost are known as paddy straw, orgaricresduescoirh and weeds ermicompost Materials required for vermicomposting Selection of earthworm species is the one ofthe imporiantctrato harness the potentialof earthworms in vermicomposting process. The red wiggle or bger worm (Eisenia eid o Eisenia andre (Fig 1) is commonly used earthworm, butAican Night caw (Eucitus eugene) are another set of popuar composters can be used forvermicompostng Fig.l Red vermiworm culture For intial inoculation, farmers are advised to collect the earhworm cultures from reputed agencies or ems located in he rgion. Several ypes of stuctures are recommended forthe preparation of vermicompost ie. Permanentfearing stuctue beds and Rhino vermibed method. ‘© A wall drained land with shades is preferred for constuction of Vernicompostingunt ‘thatched rofshed preferably open from al sides is requited for making veri beds. The sheds shouldbe erecedin east west drectonlengthwiseto protect the ste ‘rom direct sunight. Tofacltate drainage th base ofthe ste shouldbe raised atleastBinches above the groundlevel ‘The size ofthe shed depends upon the quantity of waste tobe treated andthe avalabily of space. Anarea of 12f0x12!wouldbe enough ortree 10ftx3 x2! (Length xBreadth _xHeight) vermibeds wih Lspace inbetween te beds. The height of oof canbe kept a 7-8 feet rom the care and 56 feat om the sides, Prepare the veri beds by bricks and cement morta keeping the boom ofthe bed witnoutpastering ‘Awaler channel should be made around the top ofthe brik wal o dele ants ‘romentering the beds. Koop drainage outlet atlower side ofbod to colect vermiwash Fg) Fig.2 Permanent Protectes Vermicomposting units x ‘with drainage outletRhino vermi bed method Law cost readymade portable vermicompostng beds of size 12 x4 8x2 ‘made upofpolyethylone nt window with nated outlet atthe bottom ofthe bed Rhino bed mathod' very easytoinstalland easy to cary/shfftom one place to anather, This method is superior than permanent brick wall mathods in terms of mosture retention capacity and quality offal produt produce. Substrate for vermicomposting ‘Organic waste tke cop residues, kitchen wastes, market wastes, bio-wastes of agro based indusis, Ivestock wastes, weeds and other biodegradable wastes, Fig3 Low cost Rhino vermi bed CCowdung is considered as adv fr inal feding of earth worms and. partaly decomposed cowdungis ideal for vrmicomposing Fig Substrate for vermicomposting a Process of vermicomposting ‘Chop the availabe cropresidues,kchen wastes, marktwasts, bio-wases of agro based industries, Ivestock wastes, weeds ec ino convenient size and shade ded forfow days Put4-Sinch layers ofthe shade ried organic waste matariasintothe bottom of ‘he bed and sprinkle oe inc yer of com dung overt Over tisayer another layer of organic rescues is spread folowed by spraying of cow dung sly uniformly. This process f epoated fl the spread ofthe organic residues six inch above te top ofthe pt ‘ter paril decompostion of organic residues (tisined in 10-15 days) the cartworms are released @ 1 kg around 1000 worms) per bed, consisting of ne ton organic residues by making oles atthe top ofthe bed on four comers andcenire ofthe pit The be can nally be covered ith ajute bag ormattoprotecteartoms rom birds andinsecs Water needs to be sprinkled dally on the verm beds according tothe requitementand season io keep them mos. The appearance of black granular erumbly vermicompost ontop of the vermi bedsindicates maturity ofthe compost. The mature vermicomposis ightn weight and doesnot emit any fou sme ThopHefthematuevermicompostromains inneutal ange. \Weatrng is stopped for at as 6 days before nal harvest rom the op layer Generalyhavesing canbe done within 2503 months. Harvest the vermicompost by scrapping layer wise from the top of te pit and heap under shed The harvested vernicomposthas tobe sieved. Sieving helps inthe separation ofthe earthworms, cocoons and eggs fom te compost ‘Aer sieving, the compost shouldbe shade dred for a coupe of hours, packed andstoredinshade, Precautions to be taken for vermicomposting ‘Care shoud be taken to avoid any non-biodegraable components in the compost mature ike plastic ronor las paces. The vemiteds shouldbe protected under the root. The temperature ofthe bed shouldnotexceed35°.Chemical eters shoul not be addedin vermicompostbeds, The vermibeds shouldbe protected framinsectcidal sprays ‘© Thoworns shouldbe protected ftom ant, frogs, ats and bids, ‘© Moisture level ofthe beds should be monitored regularly (40-50% moisture) and water shouldbe sprayedon the badsas and when required ‘= Donatallow any stagnation of watrinthebed by providing sable drainage Products of vermiculture The final product of vermicompostng is black granular crumbly organic ‘manure, which contains plant nutients ike Organic Carbon (9.15 o 17.98%), toll Nitogen (15 to 2.1%), total Phosphorus (1.0 to 1.5%), total Potassium (0.6%), avaiable Sulphur (128 o 548 ppm, Calum and Magnesium 22070, ‘mel1009, Copper 100ppm, lon 1800 ppm and Zinc 0 ppm Italo contains growth promoting hormone “Auxis’,"Cytkinns*and lowering hormone “Gibberelins” secreted by earth-worms thus has a postive effect on \vagetative growth, simulating shootandroet development It conlains: some antbiotes and actinmycetes that help in increasing resistance of rp plans aginstpestand diseases. Verrnicompost also has very high porsiy, aeration, drainage and water holding capacity which wilde heptlformaintenance of soilhealth Vermivash is aliquid that is collected afer the passage of water through a column of worm actin and is very useful a a folarspray. Iti @ collection of excretory products and mucus secreton of earthworms along with rmicronutonts rom the solorganicmelecules, ~~ Lae Fig Vermicompast, vermiwash and vermiworm ‘Tho liquid byproduct can be used in agrcuture as frtiizer and growth promoter. \Vermicuture can also be adopted to produce earth worms which are in demand as poten source for pouly,ishery, pigs and pts, Importance of vermicompost With increase in awareness of organic faring in rural and urban area, the demand forverniconpostisincreasing \erricompostcanbe used as a component ofintegrated nurent management toreduce the useofinoganictertizersin agriculture. Itcanbe usedas sciconditnero ainsi solheath Vermiwash which canbe used inagrculture as erties and growth promoter. Eath worms canbe usedas protein source orpouty fishery. posandets ‘The technology not ony reduces the use of harmful chemical etze but also helpsinreuse and recycling of organic wastes forthe wellare ofthe mankind The smal and arginalfarmers can adopt vernicomposing fr sustaining their lvetnood secur. Both Ceial and State governments ae promotng the verncuture through Gferentwelfare schemes. Forfield cops, use 405 thao vermicompos and for vegetable crop appy8- 10dhaasbasaldose Maintain corectC: Natio Mossurelevel-60.70% Temperature between-20-20°C Lightavoidstonglight PHnotbelow-6 Very tale organic waste undergone partial decompositon for 16-20 days ‘One vermicultureunithaving 3 Nos. of vermibeds (size 12f1x4ftx2 foot) can Produce about 3 tons of vermicompost and a farmer can get net return of Rs, 18300in 100 days,