Abstract

ESTIMATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHANGES OF DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF COW DUNG WITH VEGETABLE WASTE AND BANANA PEELS BY THE EARTHWORM EUTYPHOEUS WALTONI

Nazia Siddiqui and Keshav Singh*

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Abstract

Management of solid waste has become a worldwide problem and it is getting more complicated day by day because of the rise in industrialization, population, and the waste produced by animals. To overcome this problem, it is very necessary to develop a relevant technology by which we can not only minimise the organic waste burden but can also produce million tons of plant nutrients from these wastes. Vermicomposting is one of the best, cheap and eco-friendly process for decomposing organic waste into odour-free humus like material with the help of earthworms. The present study was conducted to investigate the physico-chemical changes of cow dung mixed with vegetable waste and banana peels in different ratios after the processing of earthworm Eutyphoeus waltoni. It showed significant decrease in pH, EC, TOC and C/N ratio whereas significant increase in TKN, TK, TAP and TCa. This study clearly indicates that composting of vegetable wastes, banana peels and cow dung by the earthworm Eutyphoeus waltoni had not only produced a value added product but simultaneously reduced the burden of wastes.

Keywords: Banana peel, Cow dung, Eutyphoeus, Physico-chemical, Vegetable waste.