Vermicomposting: Solid Waste Management and Crop ImprovementPaperback, 5 September 2012

The living standard of the people has increased across the world due to the rapid economic development which directly leads into more material consumption and more waste generation. Waste management is a challenging problem in all countries. Disposal of Organic waste, uses large quantities of land for disposal and are often a source of soil and groundwater pollution. Vermicomposting is the process by which earthworms are used to convert organic materials (usually wastes) into a humus-like material known as vermicompost. Vermiculture or vermicomposting is derived from the Latin term vermis, meaning worms. Vermicomposting is a simple biotechnological process of composting in which certain species of earthworms are used to convert the biodegradable solid wastes or organic wastes into a nutrient-rich end product, vermicompost, which is used as a soil conditioner. Vermicompost can have great effects upon the germination, flowering, fruiting and yields of a crop particularly high value crops.Because vermicompost are so rich in plant nutrients, they promote plant growth and yields at relatively low application rates into plant growth media and soils.