Vermiculture

Vermiculture is the use of earthworms to breakdown organic food waste into the nutrient-rich substance that can provide important nutrients and support plant growth. In order to produce a sustainable harvest, the goal is to maintain growing the number of worms. Excess worms can be sold or used to start a vermicomposting business. Vermicomposting is the primary goal of vermiculture. Worm castings are fine, nutrient-rich organic soil additives that are technically pure worm faeces.

Vermiculture

The scientific practise of cultivating worms or artificially rearing worms to decompose organic food wastes into the nutrient-rich material is referred to as vermiculture. Earthworms consume farmyard manure and roughages, as well as farm rubbish, to produce vermicompost. The resulting vermicompost is rich in minerals and other plant-growth-promoting chemicals, and it can provide important mineral nutrients to help plants thrive.

Vermicompost Preparation

Different sorts of wastes, such as home rubbish, industrial wastes the form of liquid, and municipal wastes, are among the principal components utilised in the creation of Vermicompost.

Crop residues, dried leaves, bovine dung, sawdust, coir waste, rice husk, biogas plant slurry, vegetable wastes and poultry waste, are the essential resources for cultivating earthworms, and the entire procedure should be done under cover to avoid direct sunlight and floods from heavy rain.

Methods of Vermiculture

There are following methods which are applied in vermiculture;

1. Manual method
2. Migration method
3. Mechanical Method

Manual Method

This is a common method used by framers in vermiculture for the small-scale worm-selling businesses. The worms are taken directly from the earth using the hands. The earthworm-infested organic material is maintained flat and exposed to the sun. It’s worth noting that earthworms are light-sensitive and will dive beneath the surface when exposed to sunlight. Once the worms are exposed, the harvester will remove the organic layer above them and harvest them.

Migration Method

Another vermiculture approach which takes advantage of the earthworm’s inclination to migrate to a new spot in quest of sustenance is migration, which is why onion bags and screens are used for harvesting. To collect the worms, a box will be erected on the screen’s bottom surface. The migration can be done in one of two ways. The light-driven downhill migration approach, in which worms are propelled downwards in organic material. They’ll make their way through the screen mesh and into the peat moss-filled container box below. The process is continued until you get the required number of worms. 

Mechanical Method

In this vermiculture process, a mechanical harvester is employed to catch worms. Separating materials is done with a trammel screen, also referred to as a rotary screen. It has a cylindrical shape and measures around 11 feet long by 4 feet wide. Screened materials with varied mesh sizes make up the cylinder’s walls. The cylinder is driven by an electric motor. The device would be mounted on the upper side of trammel at an angle. The castings and worm beds are introduced after that. The worm castings will fall through the screen as the rotation begins, and the worms will migrate through the trammel process and into the wheelbarrow.

Vermiculture Uses

Earthworm culture is known as vermiculture. It is a great method of increasing plant and soil fertility. Vermiculture is primarily concerned with worm breeding in addition to increasing their population. Then the vermicompost is prepared to aid crop growth and development. In addition to boosting water retention and soil porosity, it causes disease in plants. This decreases the demand for chemical fertilisers and promotes the growth of organic matter.

Vermiculture Benefits

The benefits of adopting organic farming inputs are well known. Vermicompost is a great organic manure for environmentally aware farming. As a result, selling vermicompost has become a lucrative and growing business. Vermicompost retail marketing in metropolitan regions looks to be most promising. Vermicompost comes in attractive packaging with well-designed and printed packets. The production and marketing of vermicompost involves people of all ages. Vermicompost marketing could be an extra cash stream.

Benefits of Vermiculture

The benefits of adopting organic farming inputs are well known. Vermicompost is a great organic manure for environmentally aware farming. As a result, selling vermicompost has become a lucrative and growing business. Vermicompost retail marketing in metropolitan regions looks to be most promising. Vermicompost comes in attractive packaging with well-designed and printed packets. The production and marketing of vermicompost involves people of all ages. Vermicompost marketing could be an extra cash stream.

1. Vermicompost is high in essential plant nutrients.
2. Vermiculture improves the texture, aeration, and water-holding capacity of soil while also avoiding erosion.
3. For agricultural and terrace gardening, vermicompost is a nutritionally rich, environmentally friendly soil treatment.
4. It encourages the germination of seeds and the growth of healthy plants.

Conclusion

Vermiculture is the use of earthworms to breakdown organic food waste into the nutrient-rich substance that can provide important nutrients and support plant growth.

Vermicompost is rich in minerals and other plant-growth-promoting chemicals, and it can provide important mineral nutrients to help plants thrive.

There are following methods which are applied in vermiculture;

1. Manual method
2. Migration method
3. Mechanical Method

Vermicompost is high in essential plant nutrients.

Vermiculture improves the texture, aeration, and water-holding capacity of soil while also avoiding erosion.