17.3.4 Vermi-Agro-Production Technology
As the name indicates, this technology is useful in improving the total yield of
the plants. In this technique, the earthworms were used as soil engineers to restore
the soil fertility for high productivity (Islam et al. 2018; Ganeshnauth et al. 2018).
The main purpose of this technology is to produce a high yield of the crops without
using harmful chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides.
17.4 Impacts of Earthworms on Physicochemical
Properties of Fly Ash
17.4.1 Electric Conductivity (EC)
The electric conductivity (EC) of the samples shows the ionic strength of the
samples. An increase in electric conductivity of the sample indicates high ionic
strength. The earthworms are capable of making the proper balance in EC of the
sample by decreasing or increasing according to the nature of the sample. Many
studies have shown that the earthworms are helpful to increase the electrical conductivity of the fly ash samples during vermicomposting. So, in this way, earthworms are helpful in maintaining the mineral contents of the fly ash, which is very
important for good agricultural practices. The earthworms are also capable of
decreasing the EC of the sample via increasing the precipitation and volatilization
of mineral salts and ammonia during vermicomposting (Wong et al. 1995; Singh
et al. 2010; Lim et al. 2012).
17.4.2 The Potential of Hydrogen (pH)
The neutral pH is showing the biological stabilization of the samples (Kiehl and
Yamanouchi 1985). The good and healthy plant growth is the expression of the pH
level of the soil. It was reported that a pH range from 5.0 to 9.0 supports the better
growth of earthworms (Edwards 1995). The earthworms have the potential to
balance the pH by adding their casts to the sample, which is very neutral in nature
(Lee and Ramakrishnan 1985). They help to balance the pH of the acidic samples
(low pH) by increasing the mineralization of organic materials and increasing the
organic acid formation (Ndegwa et al. 2000). The earthworms decrease the pH of the
fly ash via increasing aerobic digestion and various metabolic compound formation
such as NH 3 (ammonia), CO 2 (carbon dioxide), and NO 3 (nitrate) during
vermicomposting (Bhat et al. 2015b; Niyazi and Chaurasia 2014).
288
B. Sohal and A. P. Vig
As the name indicates, this technology is useful in improving the total yield of
the plants. In this technique, the earthworms were used as soil engineers to restore
the soil fertility for high productivity (Islam et al. 2018; Ganeshnauth et al. 2018).
The main purpose of this technology is to produce a high yield of the crops without
using harmful chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides.
17.4 Impacts of Earthworms on Physicochemical
Properties of Fly Ash
17.4.1 Electric Conductivity (EC)
The electric conductivity (EC) of the samples shows the ionic strength of the
samples. An increase in electric conductivity of the sample indicates high ionic
strength. The earthworms are capable of making the proper balance in EC of the
sample by decreasing or increasing according to the nature of the sample. Many
studies have shown that the earthworms are helpful to increase the electrical conductivity of the fly ash samples during vermicomposting. So, in this way, earthworms are helpful in maintaining the mineral contents of the fly ash, which is very
important for good agricultural practices. The earthworms are also capable of
decreasing the EC of the sample via increasing the precipitation and volatilization
of mineral salts and ammonia during vermicomposting (Wong et al. 1995; Singh
et al. 2010; Lim et al. 2012).
17.4.2 The Potential of Hydrogen (pH)
The neutral pH is showing the biological stabilization of the samples (Kiehl and
Yamanouchi 1985). The good and healthy plant growth is the expression of the pH
level of the soil. It was reported that a pH range from 5.0 to 9.0 supports the better
growth of earthworms (Edwards 1995). The earthworms have the potential to
balance the pH by adding their casts to the sample, which is very neutral in nature
(Lee and Ramakrishnan 1985). They help to balance the pH of the acidic samples
(low pH) by increasing the mineralization of organic materials and increasing the
organic acid formation (Ndegwa et al. 2000). The earthworms decrease the pH of the
fly ash via increasing aerobic digestion and various metabolic compound formation
such as NH 3 (ammonia), CO 2 (carbon dioxide), and NO 3 (nitrate) during
vermicomposting (Bhat et al. 2015b; Niyazi and Chaurasia 2014).
288
B. Sohal and A. P. Vig