before. An experiment was conducted with various compositions of cattle manure
and mica waste to evaluate changes in potassium content in the final product. During
this study, 5 kg of air-dried cattle manure was mixed with mica waste in belowmentioned proportions. Four (4) treatments in this experiment were only cattle
manure (T 1 ), cattle manure + 250 g mica waste (T 2 ), cattle manure + 500 g mica
waste (T 3 ) and cattle manure + 750 g mica waste (T 4 ). Initially, cattle manure had
total organic C 571.2 Æ 30.8 mg g
À1 with C/N ratio 110.27 and total K
4.83 Æ 0.33 mg g
À1 . All the treatments were maintained in triplicate and kept in
suitable-size earthen pots for vermicomposting. One hundred fifty Eudrilus eugeniae
earthworms were introduced in each treatment. Moisture content in these treatments
was maintained within 65–75% by periodical sprinkling of water throughout the
study period.
Total organic C content in all the treatments was steadily decreased during
vermicomposting (Fig. 13.4). Initial total organic C content in cattle manure was
453.82 Æ 18.65 mg g
À1 , which was decreased up to 206.96–167.15 mg g
À1 during
vermicomposting. The completion of vermicomposting was determined by stabilization of total organic C content. The lowest total organic C was recorded in
vermicompost of T 4 treatment; however, total organic C contents of different
treatments did not vary significantly during vermicomposting. Therefore, mixing
of mica waste did not show any effect on total organic C content of organic
substrates during vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is the biochemical alteration
of organic wastes into nutrient-rich organic amendment (Pramanik and Chung
2011). Loss of organic C in the form of carbon dioxide leads to the relative increase
in concentration of major nutrients in organic substrates during vermicomposting
Study duration (Days)
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
Total organic C (mg g -1
)
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
T 1
T 2
T 3
T 4
Fig. 13.4 Changes in total organic C content in cattle manure and mica waste combinations during
vermicomposting
214
P. Pramanik et al.
and mica waste to evaluate changes in potassium content in the final product. During
this study, 5 kg of air-dried cattle manure was mixed with mica waste in belowmentioned proportions. Four (4) treatments in this experiment were only cattle
manure (T 1 ), cattle manure + 250 g mica waste (T 2 ), cattle manure + 500 g mica
waste (T 3 ) and cattle manure + 750 g mica waste (T 4 ). Initially, cattle manure had
total organic C 571.2 Æ 30.8 mg g
À1 with C/N ratio 110.27 and total K
4.83 Æ 0.33 mg g
À1 . All the treatments were maintained in triplicate and kept in
suitable-size earthen pots for vermicomposting. One hundred fifty Eudrilus eugeniae
earthworms were introduced in each treatment. Moisture content in these treatments
was maintained within 65–75% by periodical sprinkling of water throughout the
study period.
Total organic C content in all the treatments was steadily decreased during
vermicomposting (Fig. 13.4). Initial total organic C content in cattle manure was
453.82 Æ 18.65 mg g
À1 , which was decreased up to 206.96–167.15 mg g
À1 during
vermicomposting. The completion of vermicomposting was determined by stabilization of total organic C content. The lowest total organic C was recorded in
vermicompost of T 4 treatment; however, total organic C contents of different
treatments did not vary significantly during vermicomposting. Therefore, mixing
of mica waste did not show any effect on total organic C content of organic
substrates during vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is the biochemical alteration
of organic wastes into nutrient-rich organic amendment (Pramanik and Chung
2011). Loss of organic C in the form of carbon dioxide leads to the relative increase
in concentration of major nutrients in organic substrates during vermicomposting
Study duration (Days)
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
Total organic C (mg g -1
)
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
T 1
T 2
T 3
T 4
Fig. 13.4 Changes in total organic C content in cattle manure and mica waste combinations during
vermicomposting
214
P. Pramanik et al.