Vol. 12, Issue 1 (2023)

Author(s):
Lalam Manikanta, Saidu Vijay Sai Sudheer, Abhijat Dhasmana and Bandaru Sudheer

Abstract:
Vermiculture has been practiced for over a century, but in recent years it has gained popularity due to ecological demands such as waste management, soil purification, and sustainable agriculture. Earthworms serve as biological stimulators, chemical degraders, aerators, and crushers in the soil, among other things. They discharge a variety of enzymes, including as proteases, lipases, chitinases, cellulases, and amylases, which swiftly biochemically transform the proteinaceous and cellulose components contained in the organic wastes that originate from farms, dairies, gardens, and homes. The process is odorless because earthworms create coelomic fluids, which are anti-bacterial and kill pathogens when added to the decaying waste biomass. Verm wash and vermicompost are products that act as biological pesticides and biological fertilizers, help to improve soil biological and physio-chemical parameters, and act as soil conditioners that subsequently improve food production and soil health.