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Vermicomposting by Eisenia fetida is a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly

Technology for Better Nutrient Recovery and Organic Waste Management in
Upland Areas of China

Article in Pakistan Journal of Zoology · April 2019

DOI: 10.17582/journal.pjz/2019.51.3.1027.1034

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Pakistan J. Zool., vol. 51(3), pp 1027-1034, 2019. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2019.51.3.1027.1034

Vermicomposting by Eisenia fetida is a

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Technology for
Better Nutrient Recovery and Organic Waste
Management in Upland Areas of China
Syed Turab Raza1,*, Zhu Bo1,*, Zulfiqar Ali2 and Tang Jia Liang3
1
Lab of Soil and Environmental Science, Yanting Agro-Ecological Experiment Station,
Chinese Ecosystem Research Center, China
2
Laboratory of Environmental Health and Wildlife, Department of Zoology, University Article Information
of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan Received 19 November 2018
Revised 22 February 2019
3
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Accepted 21 March 2019
Available online 05 April 2019

ABSTRACT Authors’ Contribution

STR and ZB conducted the
Management and recycling of organic waste materials such as agricultural crops (wheat straw, rapeseed) experiment. ZA and STR prepared the
and animal manure (pig manure, cow dung) is becoming an important issue in rapidly growing population. manuscript. TJ helped in preparation
of manuscript.
Vermicomposting by earthworms (Eisenia fetida) is useful technique to recover nutrients of plants such as
NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium). A vermicomposting system using the earthworm species (Eisenia Key words
fetida) and treating it with cattle dung, pig manure and biochar with crop (wheat straw and rapeseed) Vermicomposting, Eisenia fetida,
waste was established in upland areas of China. It was monitored for two months. Four treatments Wheat straw, Biochar, Rapeseed
(T1 to T4) were prepared using crop residues i.e. wheat straw, rapeseed and cow manure in different residues.
concentrations. Vermicomposting through biochar (Biochar 50%, rapeseed residues 20% and Biochar
with earthworms) gave maximum increase in soil fertility with maximum decrease (39.63%) in C:N
ratio. Significant increase of N content in nutrients and reduction in C: N ratios during this process shows
conversion of harmful wastes into useful fertilizer.

INTRODUCTION such materials. Earthworms (Easenia fetida) increase

the decay of waste materials because of their enzymatic

D ifferent anthropogenic activities have contaminated

the soil with heavy metals in different areas, which
resulted in potential risk to environment and human health
activity that helps in plant growth and increase in soil
fertility (Bhattacharya et al., 2012). In this process,
earthworms convert organic waste into humus like
(Zheng et al., 2013). Wide variety of organic wastes substance that is also produced as byproduct of biomass
comprising animal manure, industrial refuse, sewage of worm (Lalander et al., 2015). In recent times, the trend
sludge and crop residues are extensively used to form of using vermicompost is increasing in Northern Vietnam
vermicompost through earthworms (Roberts et al., 2007; and other areas to regain the fertility and increase plant
Pascal et al., 2010). Globally, organic waste materials growth in the soil which is degraded due to erosion
like crop residues and cattle manure are used as cheap (Jouquet et al., 2011; Ngo et al., 2011; Doan et al., 2013a,
organic fertilizers, as they are rich in micro and macro b) and to minimize negative impact of organic manure
nutrients, for improvement in plant growth, soil fertility amendment on transfer of microbes and mineral N to water
and crop production. Because of hazardous gas emissions, (Jouquet et al., 2011; Amossé et al., 2013). Rapeseed is
their direct disposal is a problem, as it is causing health one of the important protein crops (Eskandari and Kazemi,
risks and environmental conditions (Lazcano et al., 2012) and its agricultural waste is used as a substrate in
2008). Different treatments (vermicompost, composting vermicomposting.
through pig manure, cow manure and biochar) have been Application of pig manure can be helpful in recycling
proposed to increase soil nutrients through recycling of plant nutrients when used in crop land (Chaudhary et al.,
1996). Biochar is also used as soil amendment that plays
* Corresponding author: [email protected]; role in better crop production, activation of composting
[email protected] material having environmental and horticultural uses
0030-9923/2019/0003-1027 $ 9.00/0 as a mixture with dung to recycle nutrients (Sanchez-
Copyright 2019 Zoological Society of Pakistan Monedero et al., 2018). Little information is available
1028 S.T. Raza et al.

on production of vermicompost from crop residues. Crop T4, Biochar 50%: Rapeseed residues 20%: Biochar
residues are deprived in nitrogen; therefore, organic waste (biochar) 30% with earthworms). All the treatments were
is added to provide nutrients for microorganisms (Elvira used in triplicates i.e. compost with cow manure (COM),
et al., 1996). Composting with earthworms reduces C:N vermicompost with cow manure (VCM), vermicompost
ratio and causes an increase in nitrogen content for better with pig manure (VPM), vermicompost with biochar
growth of plants (Gandhi et al., 1997; Crescent, 2003; (VBC).
Nagavallemma et al., 2004). The mixture of 7:3 ratio of crop residues and manure
The aim of study was to determine the impact of (cow and pig) was used in plastic circular drums (60cm
earthworms and their interaction with manure and biochar diameter and 50cm height) placed under shade to avoid
to increase soil nutrients, hence increasing soil fertility. direct sunlight and rain to keep the environment favorable.
Biochar was also used instead of manure in one treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS The total 10kg of organic waste consisting of wheat straw,
rapeseed and manure were mixed in drums covered by net
Site description for well aeration. After 15 days, 100 earthworms (Eisenia
The study was conducted at Agro-ecological foetida) were added in the 4 treatments while one treatment
Experimental Station of Purple Soil, Yanting, Chinese was kept as control. The experiment was carried for two
Academy of Sciences (CAS) located at 31°16’N, months (twenty days interval), adding water to maintain 60-
105°28’E, at altitude of 600m, in Sichuan Basin, China. 70% moisture for earthworms as their favorable conditions.
Climatic condition of the area is subtropical monsoon with For detection of phosphorous (Lu, 1999) wet digestion
an annual temperature of 17.3°C and 826mm precipitation. method was used by spectophotometer For further analysis
samples were prepared using 2g of dried material (from
Collection of materials for vermicomposting each plot), and digested with 10ml diacid (HNO3:HClO4
Agricultural crop residues (wheat straw and with 5:1 ratio). Volume of the digest was made up to 100
rapeseed) were collected from the field of Yanting agro ml and filtered through Whatmann No.1 filter paper. Total
ecological station of CAS, Sichuan Basin. China. Biochar Carbon and Nitrogen Nutrient concentration was obtained
was obtained from Henan Company. Clittelated and un- by running samples in Elementar Analysensysteme Gmbh
clitelatted earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were bought from (Germany). Other nutrients (potassium (K), calcium
the market as employing agent in transforming the organic (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu),
waste products into useful nutrient rich fertilizer. iron (Fe), zinc (Zn)) concentration was obtained by using
Flame Atomic Spectrophotometer.
Experimental design Physicochemical properties like pH, EC and total
For current research four treatments were used to assess dissolved solids were analyzed with 1:10 aqueous
the difference in nutrient level after vermicomposting. suspension (Mahaly et al., 2018).
Four treatments (T1 to T4) were prepared using crop
residues i.e. wheat straw, rapeseed and cow manure in Statistical analysis
different concentrations (T1, wheat straw 50%: rapeseed One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied
residues 20%: cow manure 30% with no earthworms as to analyze the difference in nutrient concentration between
control; T2, wheat straw 50%: rapeseed residues 20%: treatments using SPSS 16.0 software with significance
cow manure 30% with earthworms; T3, wheat straw 50%: level p<0.05. Post-hoc Dunnett test was applied to
rapeseed residues 20%: pig manure 30% with earthworms; determine differences among group means.

Table I.- Composition of various treatments used for vermicomposting.

S. No Treatments Wheat straw Rapeseed residues Cow manure Biochar Pig manure Earthworms
(T) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1 T1 (COM) 50 20 30 - - -
2 T2 (VCM) 50 20 30 - - Present
3 T3 (VPM) 50 20 - - 30 Present
4 T4 (VBC) 50 20 - 30 - Present
COM, compost with cow manure; VCM, vermicompost with cow manure; VPM, vermicompost with pig manure; VBC, vermicompost with biochar.
 1029 Organic Waste Management through Vermicomposting in Upland Areas 1029

Table II.- Physicochemical properties of treatments contains aminoacids and conversion of ammonium nitrogen
various treatments in different time intervals. (Pattnaik and Reddy, 2009; Cabrera et al., 2005). Joy
(2017) and Singh and Wasnik (2013) also reported increase
Time Treat- pH EC TDS Temp. in nitrogen due to vermicomposting. Pig slurry composting
interval ments (micro s/cm) (mg/l) (°C) was proved as an efficient source for nitrogen by Silva et
First COM 7.22 3.95 2.56 22.5
al. (2016). The percentage of organic carbon decreased
interval VCM 7.2 2.74 1.9 22.3
in all treatments from its initial value (Table IV). Similar
VPM 7.04 4.27 2.78 22.3
results for vermicompost were recorded by Manyuchi et
VBC 7.03 5.66 3.68 22.4
al. (2017). Decrease in carbon content can be attributed
Second COM 7.19 3.89 2.63 22.3
interval VCM 7.15 4.49 2.92 22.4
to the loss of carbon dioxide due to microbial respiration
VPM 6.87 5.17 3.36 22.4 of earthworms (Cabrera et al., 2005). Maximum decrease
VBC 6.92 4.1 2.66 22.3 in concentration was observed in VBC. The addition of
Third COM 6.94 4.23 2.25 22.4 biochar in soil increased the retention of different nutrients
interval VCM 7.1 2.01 2.11 22.4 i.e. nitrogen and carbon in soil (Barrow, 2012; Borchard et
VPM 6.8 4.53 2.44 22.4 al., 2012; Clough and Condron, 2010; Clough et al., 2013;
VBC 6.77 2.92 2.20 22.4 Farrell et al., 2014).
Overall carbon to nitrogen ratio decreased in all
EC, electrical conductivity; TDS, total dissolved solids. For other
abbreviations, see Table I. treatments as compared to their initial value (Table III).
Therefore, treating agro wastes for achieving high quality
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION product and reduced nitrogen loss, decreased C:N ratio
is recommended (Zhou, 2014). Decrease in C:N ratio is
The study was conducted to estimate the variance beneficial for soil fertility and plant growth. C/N ratio is
in nutrient content due to the application of different a precarious factor that limits the earthworm population.
treatments to increase the fertility of soil using crop It became difficult to extract sufficient nitrogen for tissue
residues and manure (cow and pig). Difference in nutrient production if C/N ratio of feedstock increased (Ashiya,
concentration was statistically analyzed. Significant 2017). Wheat straw composts with different concentration
variation was observed in different treatments. Mean, revealed that it was only partly degraded after composting
standard deviation and percentage increase or decrease in for first interval to decrease carbon to nitrogen ratio (Zhang
concentration is given in Tables III and IV, respectively. et al., 2016). Concentration of potassium increased in COM
No significant difference was observed in physicochemical and VCM (Figs. 1, 2) while decreased in VPM and VBC
properties of treatments in various intervals (Table II). (Figs. 3, 4) with respect to their initial values (Table IV).
The amount of nitrogen increased in all treatments Increase in potassium level can be attributed to physical
except VPM from its initial concentration (Table III). decomposition of organic matter by earthworms that
Nitrogen is an essential building block and its increase convert insoluble potassium to soluble potassium (Kaviraj
is attributed to the mineralization of plant residues that and Sharma, 2003). It is suggested that as compared to

Table III.- Concentrations (Mean±SD) of various nutrients in different treatments.

S. Treatment COM VCM VPM VBC

No Nutrients Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final
1 N (%) 1.51±1.54 2.28±0.17 1.82±0.21 2.32±0.25 2.48±0.10 2.83±0.15a 1.21±0.67 1.80±0.07
2 C (%) 37.03±0.11 36.79±0.15 38.17±2.11 35.01±2.35 35.17±2.15 35.01±2.60 46.74±1.06 41.35±1.07
3 C/N 24.51±0.16 16.27±1.18a 21.01±1.32 15.18±1.75 14.18±2.21 12.42±2.29a,b 38.66±1.02 23.34±1.20b
4 TK (ppm) 12.62±0.71 13.16±2.42 10.22±0.41 12.45±1.53 14.89±0.95 13.89±1.84 34.32±1.27 17.17±3.99
5 TP (ppm) 4.13±2.91 3.72±0.49 2.22±0.42 4.00±0.30 2.27±0.25 6.55±0.47 3.03±0.61 2.34±0.50
6 Ca (ppm) 32.02±2.88 22.68±1.91 11.01±0.68 22.24±1.25 42.63±5.33 29.32±3.70 26.87±0.60 23.99±1.24
7 Mg (ppm) 2.56±0.17 3.24±0.27 4.10±0.36 3.40±0.30 9.89±1.09 4.80±0.60 7.41±0.14 4.57±0.49
8 Mn (ppm) 0.20±0.05 0.25±0.02 0.14±0.04 0.31±0.02 0.14±0.07 0.31±0.07 0.05±0.08 0.28±0.07
9 Cu (ppm) 0.02±0.00 0.02±0.00 0.04±0.00 0.02±0.00 0.80±0.05 0.23±0.00 0.03±0.00 0.02±0.00
10 Fe (ppm) 1.91±0.77 1.26±0.38 0.95±0.21 1.52±1.02 3.32±0.25 1.44±0.50 3.64±0.17 2.11±0.33
11 Zn (ppm) 0.01±0.00 0.03±0.00 0.06±0.00 0.03±0.00 0.80±0.03 0.19±0.02 0.04±0.00 0.02±0.00
P <0.05 different from COM group by ANOVA with post-hoc Dunnett test. bP <0.05 different from VPM group by ANOVA with post-hoc Dunnett test.
a

For other abbreviations, see Table I.

1030 S.T. Raza et al.

Table IV.- Percentage increase or decrease in concentration of nutrients in different treatments.

S. Treatment COM VCM VPM VBC

No. Nutrients Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Decrease
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1 N (%) 50.99 27.47 14.11 48.76
2 C (%) 0.65 8.28 0.45 11.53
3 C/N 33.62 27.75 12.41 39.63
4 TK (ppm) 4.28 21.82 6.72 49.97
5 TP (ppm) 9.93 80.18 188.55 22.77
6 Ca (ppm) 29.17 102.00 31.22 10.72
7 Mg (ppm) 26.56 17.07 51.47 38.33
8 Mn (ppm) 25.00 121.43 121.43 460.00
9 Cu (ppm) 0.00 50.00 71.25 33.33
10 Fe (ppm) 34.03 60.00 56.63 42.03
11 Zn (ppm) 200.00 50.00 76.25 50.00
For abbreviations, see Table I.

Fig. 1. Variation in concentrations of nutrients in VCM (cow manure) treatment.

Fig. 2. Variations in concentrations of nutrients due to COM (composting).

1031 Organic Waste Management through Vermicomposting in Upland Areas 1031

Fig. 3. Variation in concentrations of nutrients in VPM (pig manure) treatment.

Fig. 4. Variation in concentrations of nutrients in VBC (biochar) treatment.

maize straw, wheat straw is an ineffective substrate for and zinc concentration increased in COM and decreased
rapid natural composting (Zhang et al., 2016). The amount in rest of treatments. Iron concentration increased in VCM
of total phosphate increased with time in VCM and VPM while decreased in other treatments as compared to the
while showed decreased concentration in COM and initial value. These results are inconsistent with previous
VBC treatments (minimum variation in compost) while results of vermicomposting with maize crop residue.
maximum increase was observed in vermicomposting Manyuchi et al. (2017) also recorded increase
with pig manure. Lazcano (2010) also reported increase in calcium with time and attributed it as earthworms’
in phosphorus concentration due to pig slurry. When the catabolic activity on carbonic anhydrase which are found
soil was amended with cow manure based vermicompost, in calciferous glands of worms in the presence of maize
it caused increase in total phosphorus content (Dass et al., as a substrate. El-Haddad et al. (2014) concluded that
2008). Increase in concentration of phosphorus is attributed earthworms can consume all kinds of organic matter
to phosphorization of organic matter due to earthworms and converted the quantity into vermicast equal to their
(Manna et al., 2003). Significant variations were observed body weight per day that was rich in magnesium, nitrate,
in level of calcium. It increased significantly in VCM while phosphorus and calcium. According to Dortzbach et al.
decreased in other treatments while magnesium, copper (2010), pig manure significantly enhanced the accumulation
1032 S.T. Raza et al.

of Mn, Cu and Zn in soil, which is consistent with our Appl. Geogr., 34: 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
results. Accumulation of Zn and Cu in soil is inconsistent apgeog.2011.09.008
with results of de Conti et al. (2016) and L’Herroux et Bhattacharya, S.S., Iftikar, W., Banashree, S. and
al. (1997), later found increased concentration of these Chattopadhyay, G.N., 2012. Vermicomposting
elements with application of pig manure for four years. converts fly ash to enrich soil fertility and sustain
Addition of earthworms to the soil increased potassium, crop growth in red and lateritic soils. Resour.
phosphorus and nitrogen along with micronutrients i.e. Conserv. Recycl., 65: 100-106. https://doi.
copper, iron, zinc and manganese (Mondal et al., 2015) org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.05.008
but these results are relatively inconsistent with current Borchard, N., Wolf, A., Laabs, V., Aeckersberg, R.,
research but significant increase of N content in nutrients Scherer, H.W., Moeller, A. and Amelung, W., 2012.
and reduction in C:N ratios during this process shows Physical activation of biochar and its meaning for
conversion of harmful wastes into useful fertilizer. soil fertility and nutrient leaching-A greenhouse
experiment. Soil Use Manage., 28: 177-184. https://
CONCLUSION doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2012.00407.x
Cabrera, M.L., Kissel, D.E. and Vigil, M.F., 2005.
The study clearly highlighted the importance of using Nitrogen mineralization from organic residues:
earthworms to convert organic waste into bio fertilizer that Research opportunities. J. environ Qual., 34: 75-
would help in economical sustainability. Vermicomposting 79. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2005.0075
helps in getting rid of various organic waste materials and Choudhary, M., Bailey, D. and Cynthia, G., 1996. Review
agricultural residues. Nitrogen is an important component of the use of swine manure in crop production:
in soil for plant growth. Increase in nitrogen content of soil Effects on yield and composition and on soil and
and reduction in C:N ratio make vermicomposting efficient water quality. Waste Manage. Res., 14: 581-595.
source as fertilizer. Different VC treatments were prepared https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X9601400606
using wheat straw and rapeseed residues that resulted Clough, T.J. and Condron, L.M., 2010. Biochar and the
in soil nutrient enrichment but varied with reference to nitrogen cycle: Introduction. J. environ. Qual., 39:
different nutrients, but these treatments were relatively less 1218-1223. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2010.0204
efficient than other substrates used for vermicomposting. Clough, T.J., Condron, L.M., Kammann, C. and Müller,
C., 2013. A review of biochar and soil nitrogen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT dynamics. Agronomy, 3: 275-293. https://doi.
org/10.3390/agronomy3020275
This study was supported by International College, Dass, A., Lenka, N.K., Patnaik, U.S. and Sudhishri,
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (IC-UCAS) S., 2008. Integrated nutrient management for
and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and National production, economics, and soil improvement in
Key R&D Program (Grant No. 2016YFD0200309-7). winter vegetables. Int. J. Veg. Sci., 14: 104-120.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19315260801934266
Statement of conflict of interest de Conti, L., Ceretta, C.A., Ferreira, P.A.A., Lourenzi,
There is no conflict of interest. C.R., Girotto, E., Lorensini, F., Tiecher, T.L.,
Marchezan, C., Anchieta, M.G. and Brunetto, G.,
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