Agrotechnology

Efficacy of different species of earthworms in production of vermicompost using sericulture waste

4^th International Conference on Agriculture & Horticulture

July 13-15, 2015 Beijing, China

S Chandrashekhar and Pallavi

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly technology and has a tremendous scope in the recycling of sericultural residues. Besides silk production sericulture industry also produces large amount of waste which is not properly utilized. This organic waste can be profitably utilized for vermicomposting which has a lot of prospective. Proper utilization of sericulture waste as raw material for vermicomposting serves as organic manure which can substantially bring down the expenditure on chemical fertilizers and helps in improvement of soil health and nutrient availability to mulberry plants leading to leaf quality improvement. The present work is projected to study the quality of vermicompost using sericulture waste. Composting of the waste was done with Perionyx excavatus, Eudrillus eugineae, Eisenia fetida earthworms. During 60 days of the decomposition, nutrients such as available nitrogen, potassium, sodium and phosphorus were analysed. Quality of the compost on 0, 30 and 60 days of decomposition depicted that the N, P, K and Na content were significantly increased during the period of decomposition. The study infers that the waste from sericulture provides better quality compost in comparison with that of only cow dung.

Biography :

S Chandrashekhar is working as an Associate Professor at College of Sericulture, University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore and involved in Teaching, Research and Extension activities since Seventeen years. He organized and participated in many national and international conferences, workshops etc and published more than 50 scientific publications including research articles, books etc and Recipient of many State and University awards and serving as PI and Co-PI for externally funded projects also serving as NSS Programme Officer since 9 years and organized Health camps, social environmental and national integration camps for the benefit of students and farming community.