Editing Vermicompost (section)

==Overview==
Vermicomposting has gained popularity in both industrial and domestic settings because, as compared with conventional composting, it provides a way to treat organic wastes more quickly. In manure composing, the use of vermicomposting generates products that have lower [[salinity]] levels,<ref name="Lacanzo, 2008">{{cite journal |author1=Lazcano, Cristina |author2=Gómez-Brandón, María |author3=Domínguez, Jorge | title = Comparison of the effectiveness of composting and vermicomposting for the biological stabilization of cattle manure | journal = Chemosphere | volume = 72 | issue = 7| pages = 1013–1019 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18511100| doi = 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.04.016|bibcode=2008Chmsp..72.1013L |hdl=11093/5816 | url = http://webs.uvigo.es/jdguez/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Comparison-of-the-effectiveness-of-composting-and-vermicomposting.pdf}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Mitchell |first=Allan |date=March 1997 |title=Production of Eisenia fetida and vermicompost from feed-lot cattle manure |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(96)00022-3 |journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry |volume=29 |issue=3–4 |pages=763–766 |doi=10.1016/s0038-0717(96)00022-3 |bibcode=1997SBiBi..29..763M |issn=0038-0717}}</ref> as well as a more neutral pH.<ref name=":1" />

The earthworm species (or composting worms) most often used are red wigglers (''[[Eisenia fetida]]'' or ''[[Eisenia andrei]]''), though European nightcrawlers (''[[Eisenia hortensis]]'', synonym ''Dendrobaena veneta'') and red earthworm (''[[Lumbricus rubellus]]'') could also be used.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Dominguez|first1=Jorge|title=Biology and Ecology of Earthworm Species Used for Vermicomposting|date=2010-12-15|work=Vermiculture Technology|pages=27–40|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4398-0987-7|last2=Edwards|first2=Clive|doi=10.1201/b10453-4|doi-broken-date=2024-11-12 }}</ref> Red wigglers are recommended by most vermicomposting experts, as they have some of the best appetites and breed very quickly. Users refer to European nightcrawlers by a variety of other names, including ''dendrobaenas'', ''dendras'', Dutch nightcrawlers, and Belgian nightcrawlers.

Containing water-soluble nutrients, vermicompost is a nutrient-rich [[organic fertilizer]] and [[soil conditioner]] in a form that is relatively easy for plants to absorb.<ref name="Coyne 2008"/> Worm castings are sometimes used as an organic fertilizer. Because the earthworms grind and uniformly mix minerals in simple forms, plants need only minimal effort to obtain them. The worms' digestive systems create environments that allow certain species of microbes to thrive to help create a "living" soil environment for plants.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Edwards|first1=C.A.|title=Earthworm Ecology|date=1998|publisher=CRC Press LLC|isbn=978-1-884015-74-8|pages=189}}</ref> The fraction of soil which has gone through the digestive tract of earthworms is called the [[drilosphere]].<ref>Organic Phosphorus in the Environment, Turner, ''et al.'', Page 91. 2005</ref>

Vermicomposting is a common practice in [[permaculture]].<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|last=Reza|first=Shamim|date=24 March 2016|title=Vermicomposting – A Great Way to Turn the Burdens into Resources|url=https://www.permaculturenews.org/2016/03/24/vermicomposting-a-great-way-to-turn-the-burdens-into-resources/|website=Permaculture Research Institute}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Beyers|first1=R|last2=MacLean|first2=S|title=Developing an educational curriculum fororganic farming and permaculture in theDistrict of Santa Fe|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/pfss/files/pfss/developing_an_educational_curriculum_for.pdf|journal=La Foundación Héctor Gallego|pages=16|quote=All the permaculture farms we visited had a large, fully-functioning vermicompost which produced fertilizer that was naturally rich in nutrients and acid that was used as a substance for fumigation instead of synthetic based substances.}}</ref>

Vermiwash can also be obtained from the liquid potion of vermicompost. Vermiwash is found to contain enzyme cocktail of proteases, amylases, urease and phosphatase. Microbiological study of vermiwash reveals that it contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria like Azotobactrer sp., Agrobacterium sp. and Rhizobium sp. and some phosphate solublizing bacteria. Laboratory scale trial shows effectiveness of vermiwash on plant growth.<ref>{{Citation |last=Wollum |first=A.G. |title=Methods of Soil Analysis |chapter=Soil Sampling for Microbiological Analysis |date=2018-09-11 |chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.2.c1 |series=SSSA Book Series |pages=1–14 |access-date=2023-10-06 |place=Madison, WI, USA |publisher=Soil Science Society of America|doi=10.2136/sssabookser5.2.c1 |isbn=9780891188650 }}</ref>