NIIR

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION
Advantages of Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting in Daily Life
Vermiculture v/s Vermicomposting
Vermitechnology (VT)
Progress of Worm Industry
Turning Garbage into Money
Chemical Composition of the Vermicompost
Vermicomposting at Home
Vermicomposting on the Farm
The Business of Worms
Interaction of Vermicompost-Earthworm-Mulch-Plantroot (Vemp)
Earthworm Farming is not Hard

2. EARTHWORMS : ECOLOGICAL TYPES
Trophic Classification of Earthworms
Drilosphere
Physical Effects of Earthworms on Soils
Chemical Effects of Earthworms on Soils
The Effect of absence of Earthworms in Soils

3. PHYLUM ANNELIDA : EARTHWORM
Earthworms
Economic Importance
Pheretima Poshuma
The Body Wall
Locomotion
The Coelom
The Digestive System
Food and Digestion
Respiration
Excretory Organs
Physiology of Excretion
Chloragogen Cells
Vascular System
The Nervous System
Working of the Nervous System
Receptor Organs
Generative Organs
Copulation
Fertilization and Coccon Formation
Classification

4. EARTHWORMS : LIFE CYCLE
Life Cycle Studies
Life Cycle Patterns
Life cycle—Lampito mauritii
Cocoons
Juveniles
Non-Clitellates
Clitellates
Life Cycle—Perionyx excavatus
Cocoons
Juveniles
Non-clitellates
Clitellates
Doubling Time
Biochemical Changes During Growth

5. EARTHWORMS: FOR CULTURE
Worms for Vermiculture
Earthworm Breeding
Vermicompost
Collecting local Earthworms

6. WHY VERMICOMPOSTING
Fertilizers use and Deterioration of Soil Environment
Testing the Impact of Vermicomposting
Nitrogen and Humification in Vermicomposting
Vermicompost - a Quality Manure
Recycling of Wastes through Vermi-Composting
Minimizing Pollution Hazard
Providing Growth Promoters
Vermicomposting : Advantages
Black Gold (Worm Castings) from Worms
Adverse Effects on Crops
Economic Vibility

7. VERMICOMPOST HIGH-GRADE FERTILIZER
Crucial to Organic Agriculture
Wide-spread use in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics
Flexible Method
Rapid Conversion
What Exactly is Vermicompost?
Characteristics
Conversion Processes
Plant Nutritionists - Ncouragement of Soil Fertility
Soil Conditioning and Plant Strengthening Effect
Minimisation of Solid Waste with Low Toxicity and Containing Heavy Metals
Which Species of Earthworms?
Eisenia Fetida - Hard Workers
Transformation of the Organic Material:
Reproduction
Under Perfect Conditions
Further Uses
Feed
Source Material for the Fodder
Nutritional Balance in Feed
Feeding Process
Various Worm Composting Methods
Size of the Worm Compost Heap
Climate
Construction of a Worm Farm
Harvesting the Vermicompost
Storage of Vermicompost
Spreading the Vermicompost
The Liquid Variety: Vermiwash
A Method to Prepare Vermiwash
Application of Vermiwash
Management
Great Potential for Large and Small Organic Farms alike

8. VERMICULTURE AND VERMITECH
How to Start Vermiculture
Preparation of Vermibeds
Setting Up of a Vermiwash Unit
An Enterprise
Economics of Vermitech (In Indian Rupees)
Construction and Maintenance of a Twin Unit System Marketing

9. VERMICOMPOSTING MATERIALS
Animal Dung
Agricultural Waste
Forestry Wastes
City leaf Litter
Waste Paper and Cotton Cloth etc.
City Refuge
Biogas Slurry
Industrial Wastes
Feeding Vermicomposting Materials
What should not be Fed to Earthworms?
How much Earthworm Eat
How to Feed Earthworm?
Vermicomposting : Types
Small Scale or Indoor Vermicomposting
Large Scale or Outdoor Vermicomposting
In-situ Culturing of Earthworms
Simple Promotion of Vermic Activity in Fields
Development of Eathworms in Gardens and Orchards Large Scale
Commercialized Vermicomposting in Open Heaps
Vermicomposting : Requirements
Environmental Requirements
Air (Aeration)
Moisture Content
Temperature
How to Construct a Worm Bin
Bedding Materials
Other Requirements
Container
Containers : Types
Small Barrel or Drum Composter
Large Barrel or Drum Composter
Three-chambered Bin
Making of three-chambered bin
Bedding Material
Ideal Conditions for Life of Earthworms
Food for Worms
Adding Food Waste
Proper Ingredient Mixture
Browns
Greens
Particle Size
Fertilizer and Lime
pH
Other Factor Affecting Earthworm’s Growth
Eathworm and Insects
Tilling and Earthworm Population
Earthworm and come Drounding
Maintaining the Bin
Harvesting the Compost and Worms
General Problems in Production of Vermicomposting Remember

10. EXPERIMENTS FROM THE FIELD 151
Earthworms: Their Effect on Plant Growth
Growing Vegetables
Are Earthworms Alone?
Effect on Soil Quality
Soil Loss
Adverse Effects on Crops
Impact of Chemicals on Earthworms
Impact of Heavy Metals
Earthworms in Food Chains
Earthworm Parasites

11. EARTHWORMS : THEIR APPLICATION IN
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 166
Organic Method Under Rainfed Conditions
I. Cultivation of Groundnut (per acre) (All costs in Indian ruppes)
Cost of Field Preparation
Net Profit From Both Types of Cultivation (Per Acre)
II. Cultivation of Brinjal (Per Acre)
Net Profits from both Types of Cultivation (Per Acre)
III. Cultivation of Okra (Per Acre)
Net Profit from Cultivation
IV. Cultivation of Paddy
V. Cultivation of Sugarcane

12. WAYS TO MAKE COMPOST
Selection of Suitable Species
Epiges (Eisenia Foetida)
Endoges (Eudrilus Eugeniae)
Aneciques
Basic Characteristics of Suitable Species
Composting Material : Preliminary Treatment
Vermicomposting Schemes
Maintenance of Vermicomposting Beds
Scheme One
Scheme Two
Scheme Three
Scheme Four
Scheme Five
Scheme Six
Harvesting the Worms and Compost
Using Worm Compost
Vermicomposting Efficiency
Transportation of Live Worms
Vermicompost : Applications
Flower or Garden pots
In Horticulture
In Agriculture
Vermicomposts : Characterization
Vermiwash
Problems in Using Vermiwash
Earthworm Paste
Vermicomposting : General Procedure at Home
Vermicomposting : General Procedures at Agricultural Farms
Vermicomposting : Kiss Plan
Advantages of KISS Plan
Step 1: Windrow Preparation
Important Considerations
Step 2: Extending the Windrow
Step 3: Making Quality Castings
Step 4: Moisture and Irrigation
Step 5: Windrow Cover
Step 6: Harvesting
Earthworms Predators and Parasites
Mite pests in Earthworm Beds
White or Brown Mites
Red Mites
Mite Prevention
Removal of Mite
Parasites and pathogens

13. EARTHWORMS : END USES AND POTENTIAL
Earthworms in Medicine
Earthworms as Feed
Economic Potential
Legal Constraints
Conclusion

14. METHODS OF EARTHWORMS
MEASUREMENT
Sampling Methods
Hand Sorting
Principle
Materials
Procedure
Washing and Sieving
Principle
Materials
Procedure
Use of Chemical Repellants
Principle
Materials
Procedure
Electrical Methods
Principle
Materials
Procedure
Trapping Methods
Materials
Procedure
Other Method
Flotation
Heat Extraction
Number of Casts
Measurement of Earthworm Biomass
Storage and Identification
Storage
Identification
15. VERMICOMPOSTING: A WORLD SCENARIO
Grace McKellar Centre, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Hobart City Council, Tasmania, Australia
National Institue of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States Newcastle City Council, New South Wales, Australia Oregon Soil Corporation, Beaverton, Oregon, United States
Pacific Southwest Farms, Ontairo, California, United States
Resource Conversion Corporation/Canyon Recycling, San Diego, California, U.S.
Rideau Regional Hospital, Perth, Ontario, Canada
San Quentin Prison, California
Seattle Kingdome Stadium, Seattle, Washington, United States Sovadec, La Voulte, France
Vermiculture Production Center, Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba Vermicycle Organics, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
India
Green Cross Society of Mumbai, India
Indian Aluminum Co. Ltd, Belgaum, India
M.R. Morarka - GDC Rural Research Foundation, Jaipur
16. ROLE OF EARTHWORMS
In sustainable Agriculture
Organic Farming
Earthworms Activities
Soil Fertility and Texture
Soil Aeration
Water Impercolation
Decomposition and Moisture

17. MONITORING WORM BED ENVIRONMENT
Moisture Control
Keeping Beds Warm during Winter
Lighting
Earthworm Predators or Annoyances
• Flies
• Mites
White or Brown Mites
Red Mites
• Hammerhead Worms
• Centipedes
• Ants
• Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Troubleshooting Worm Bed Conditions
pH
Bedding Too Dry
Red Mite Infestation
Deformed Worms
18. VERMITECHNOLOGY
Definition
History
In Other Coutries
In India

19. ADVANTAGES OF VERMICULTURE
Production of Cheap Animal Protein
Vermi Cast
Soil and Vermi Cast
Earthworm Inoculation in Soil
Decomposition of Bio-Degradeable Wastes and VermiComposting Vermiculture in Pollution Abatement

20. VERMICULTURE
General and Planning
Selection of Suitable Species
Basic Characteristics of Suitable Species
Description of Suitable Species
Family : Lumbricidae
1.Bimastos parvus (= Allolobophora (Bimastos) parvus Eisen)
2.Eisenia foetida (Sav.)
Family : Eudrilidae
1.Eudrilus Eugeniae (Kinb.)
Family : Megascolecidae
1.Lamptio mauritii (Kinb.)
2. Metaphire anomala Mich. (= Pheretima Anomala)
3. Metaphire Posthuma (= Pheretima posthuma)
4. Perionyx Excavatus E. Perr.
5. Perionyx sansbaricus Michaelson
Family: Octochaetidae
1. Octochaetus (Octochaetoides) Surnensis Mich.
2. Ramiella Bishambari (Steph.)
Sub-family : Diplocardinae
1. Dichogaster Bolaui (Mich.)
2. Dichogaster Affinis (Mich.)
3. Dichogaster Curgensis (Micha.)
4. Dichogaster Saliens (Bedd.)
5. Ramiella Bishambari (Steph.)
6. Erythodraeodrilus Suctorius (Steph.)
7. Ocnerodrilus (Ocnerodrilus) Occidentails (Eisen.)
Family : Moniligastridae
1. Moniligaster Perrieri (Mich.)
2. Drawida Willisi (Mich.)
Maintenance of Base Culture

21. VERMICOMPOSTING
General
Advantages of Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting Materials
Preliminary Treatment of Composting Material
Small Scale or Indoor Vermicomposting
Large Scale or Outdoor Vermicomposting
Other Types of Vemi-Composting
Requirement for Vermicomposting
Feed for Earthworms
Vermicomposting Schemes
Maintenance of Vermicomposting Beds
Vermicomposting Efficiency
Collection of Vermicompost
Transportation of Live Worms
Marketing Outlets

22. GRANULATION OF VERMICOMPOST
Introduction
Functions
Methods
Process
Impact of Using Vermiwash as the Binding Media
Vermicompost Fertilizer Granule Machine
Feature
Types of Granulator Machines
• Disc Fertilizer Granulator
• Double Roller Extrusion Granulator
• Organic Fertilizer Granulator
• New Type Organic Fertilizer Granulator
• Rotary Drum Granulator
• Cat Litter Disc Fertilizer Granulator

23. BIS SPECIFICATIONS

24.PHOTOGRAPHS OF MACHINERY WITH
SUPPLIERS CONTACT DETAILS
Vermi Compost Tank
Sprayer Pump
Rotary Drum Dryers
Vermi Compost Maker
Vermicompost Seiving Machine
Leaf Waste Shredder Machine
Packing Machine
Waste Fully Automatic Compost Machine
Rotary Twin Drum Composter
Fertilizer Granule Machine
Waste Compost Tumbler
Waste Compost Machine
Fertilizer Drum Granulator Machine
Fertilizer Granulator Machine

25. PLANT LAYOUT & PROCESS FLOW CHART

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