THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MICROBIAL INFLUENCE ON TAPIOCA SOLID WASTE VERMICOMPOSTING
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Date
2010
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Abstract
Vermicomposting is the most economical and sustainable option for organic waste management.
Tapioca solid waste (TSW) is one of the major biodegradable wastes containing high
amounts of organic matter. Utilization of earthworms to breakdown organic wastes is gaining
importance in solid waste management in different parts of the world. Trichoderma viridae, a
cellulase producing fungi and Bacillus polymyxa a free living nitrogen fixing bacteria enrich the
nutrient content of final compost. The present study has investigated the suitable ratio of tapioca
solid waste (TSW) and cow dung (CD) to obtain high quality vermicompost and also to assess
the combined effects of poly culture worms and microbes on tapioca solid waste vermicomposting
by analyzing the physico-chemical properties of the final compost on the /S'” day.
The increased levels of nutrients suggest that the suitable ratio of TSW and CD treatment mixture
was 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1.The per cent increase in N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and other trace elements
were significantly high in the 3:1 ratio sample, which proved to be the most effective
treatment mixture. Similarly, there was an increase in the macro and micronutrients (N, P, K.
Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mo) and decrease in Na, Cu and S contents in media treated with a combination
of earthworms with microorganisms. Thus, our study showed that the combined use of
T. viridae and B. polymyxa with polyculture worms was the best method for tapioca solid waste
composting.