MVN, JS & RVR College of Arts and Science || Malikipuram || E.G.Dt. || 533253 || A.P.
Affiliated to Adikavi Nannaya University, Rajamahendravaram
Re-accredited by NAAC with B grade (2.78 CGPA)
www.mvnjsrvrcollege.org . prinmvn@yahoo.com . prinmvn@mvnjsrvrcollege.org.
Report on "Field Trip"
to Vermicompost Centre
Ramalakshmi Vermicompost
EastKhaza, Yalamanchilli Mandal, Narsapur District.
12/07/2022
The second B.Sc.(CBCBT) degree students of the 2021-2022 batch of MVN, JS & RVR Degree College went on a study tour to the vermicomposting centre, East Khaza, Yelamanchilli mandal, Narsapur District, on 12.07.2022. We started at the college at 10.00 AM and reached the Vermicomposting centre at 10.40 AM. The centre is located 13 Kilometers away from Malikipuram. The student group was lead by A.SND Prasad, Lecturer in-charge in Biochemistry and Biotechnology.
The vermicomposting centre (Ramalakshmi Vermicompost) present at East Khaza was started 25 years back ie, in 1997 by Sri. Srinivasa Raju an eminent agriculturist. He gave an overall view of Vermiculture and Vermi Composting. Vermiculture is the cultivation of earth worms. Vermicomposting is a process by which the earthworms are used to convert organic waste materials into a humus like material known as vermicompost. Mr. Srinivasa Raju explained that the Foundation centre is located in 5 acres in which 0.5 acres are utilized for vermicomposting. In the remaining 4.5 acres horticultural and commercial crops are
cultivated.
The process of vermicomposting starts with the construction of a vermibed. He told that beds can be constructed of different sizes depending on the space available. The vermibed are constructed under the shade of big trees like Neem and sheds also constructed. To construct a bed compost fertilizer must be used. Care should be taken to avoid plastic and glasses pieces in the compost which is used for vermibed. The bed should be sprinkled with water so that it is kept moist. If it is in the summer season more water must be sprinkled. Then selected earthworm species must be released onto the bed. In this centre two species namely Eisenia foetida (Chinese worm) and
Eudryllus segena is used. The director of the centre stated that roughly 3,000 earthworms are
present in one square meter area, and one kilogram contains 800 to 900 earthworms. i.e for one vermibed 4 to 5 kilograms of earthworms have to be used.
The earthworms used in vermicomposting are generally epigenetic that live on the surface of the bed. The earthworms feed on the organic waste present in the bed. The excreta of earthworms is ejected through the anus in the form of faecal pellets or worm
castings which look like sand crystals. In about 6 weeks some worm casting are seen on the surface of vermibed. In 3 to 4 months the bed is filled with rich black fertilizer comprising of partially decomposed bedding and worm castings which look like sand crystals Sri Srinivas Raju has shown us the collection procedure of vermicompost. He told that manual labour is necessary at this point of vermicomposting. For each bed 4 to 6 people are employed to collect the material in the form of sand crystals into a sieve and packed into Gunny bags & plastic bags.
Then they are sold to the farmers. From 400 tons of organic waste 150 ton of vermicompost can be prepared.
In these beds we collected earthworm’s cocoons and observed the emergence of small earthworms by pressing the cocoons. The net income in the 0.5 acres of vermicompost is about 1 lakhs per annum.
We thanked the director Sri. Srinivas Raju for explaining about Vermiculture and vermicomposting and clearing our doubts. We returned back from the centre at around
12.15 PM hoping to start a vermicompost bed in the college campus, and home and utilize the canteen waste that is vegetable and food waste for this purpose. We thank our Management and Principal for giving permission to
organizing a field trip to vermicomposting centre which is knowledgeable, skill based also
enjoyable.
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