Growth and reproductive potential of Eisenia foetida (Sav) on various zoo animal dungs after two methods of pre-composting followed by vermicomposting.

The study focusses on comparing different dung processing methods using various animal manures, assessing the growth and reproductive state of earthworm Eisenia foetida, and characterizing the quality of the resulting compost material.

Research Objective and Methodology

• The research aimed to evaluate two distinct pre-composting methods: Traditional composting, and Bokashi pre-composting on different types of zoo animal dung. The studied dung included four from zoo animals and one from a horse.
• The growth and reproductive potential of Eisenia foetida was observed on these pre-composted samples, which were then subjected to a vermicomposting process for three months.
• Additionally, the researchers assessed the quality of the produced vermicompost through various parameters including organic C, cation exchange capacity (CEC), total N, available P, C/N ratio, and pH.

Research Findings

• Results showed that traditional pre-composting followed by vermicomposting led to higher permanence (PEf) values and reproductive potential (RP index) for Eisenia foetida. This was in comparison to Bokashi pre-composting followed by vermicomposting, with the exception of horse dung.
• Interestingly, both pre-composting treatments reached standard vermicompost norms based on several parameters, including measured electrical conductivity (EC), CEC, organic C, total N, available P, C/N ratio, and pH values. This implied that the quality of the resulting vermicompost was satisfactory for both treatment methods.
• However, the Bokashi pre-composting method followed by vermicomposting demonstrated superior maturity indices in terms of organic matter loss, N loss, and CEC/organic carbon (OC) ratio compared to the traditional pre-composting method. This indicates that this method may be more successful in developing mature compost for use in farming.

Research Implication and Future Directions

• The results from the study suggest that both traditional and Bokashi pre-composting methods can effectively treat various types of animal dung to produce high-quality vermicompost. In particular, Bokashi pre-composting may yield a more mature compost.
• However, the study authors highlighted the need for additional research with plants to evaluate the effects of these two pre-composting methods on plant growth. Such trials would provide clear insights into the agricultural benefits and potential limitations of each method.