carry a mandatory label declaring their nutritional composition. Specification of
compost quality is important as it enables compost users to more effectively manage
their ‘plant growing systems’ (Cerda et al. 2018; Fan et al. 2016; Brinton 2000).
Brinton (2000) provided an in-depth analysis of the status of compost standards in
North America and Europe, but other countries including India have also developed
such guidelines. Table 18.2 shows compost parameters used in the USA and India
for guiding the agronomic use and management of composts. Generally, the development of compost standards has placed greater emphasis on environmental than on
agronomic considerations. Accordingly, compost quality is commonly categorized
based on heavy metals, non-organic content, maturity and stability (Cerda et al.
2018). Table 18.3 shows typical maximum permissible values of selected heavy
metals in composts adopted in the indicated countries. The wide country-to-country
variation on acceptable permissible levels of heavy metals indicates the need for
ongoing international engagement to establish permissible metal levels for critical
compost quality parameters, which have greater universal acceptance. It is noteworthy that only India has attempted to develop standards for vermicomposts. Therefore,
Table 18.2 Typical physiochemical characteristics of selected composts and vermicompost in
USA and India (Source: Mupambwa and Mnkeni 2018)
Compost parameter
USA
a
India
b
Municipal compost
City compost
Vermicompost
pH
6.0–7.5
6.5–7.5
–
Soluble salts (dS/m) 5.0 or below
4.0 or below
–
C:N ratio
–
<20
–
Nutrients
N (%)
1.0 or above
0.8 or above
1.0 or above
P (%)
1.0 or above
0.17 or above
0.35 or more
K (%)
–
0.33 or above
0.66
Organic matter content (%)
50–60
21
31
Water holding
capacity (dry basis)
(%)
100 or more
–
–
Moisture content
(%)
40–50
15-25
15-25
Particle size
Bulk density
0.47–0.59 g/cm
3
<1.0 g/cm
3
0.7–0.9 g/cm
3
Particle size
Pass through 1 mm screen or
smaller
90% must pass
through a 4 mm IS
screen
Growth screening
Must pass seed germination
test and plant growth assay
–
–
Stability
Stable to highly stable
–
–
Pathogens
–
Nil
–
a Brinton (2000)
b
http://ncof.dacnet.nic.in/Training_manuals/Training_manuals_in_English/BF_and_OF_in_FCO.
pdf. Downloaded 19 Dec 2017
18 Some Perspectives on Vermicompost Utilization in Organic Agriculture
315
compost quality is important as it enables compost users to more effectively manage
their ‘plant growing systems’ (Cerda et al. 2018; Fan et al. 2016; Brinton 2000).
Brinton (2000) provided an in-depth analysis of the status of compost standards in
North America and Europe, but other countries including India have also developed
such guidelines. Table 18.2 shows compost parameters used in the USA and India
for guiding the agronomic use and management of composts. Generally, the development of compost standards has placed greater emphasis on environmental than on
agronomic considerations. Accordingly, compost quality is commonly categorized
based on heavy metals, non-organic content, maturity and stability (Cerda et al.
2018). Table 18.3 shows typical maximum permissible values of selected heavy
metals in composts adopted in the indicated countries. The wide country-to-country
variation on acceptable permissible levels of heavy metals indicates the need for
ongoing international engagement to establish permissible metal levels for critical
compost quality parameters, which have greater universal acceptance. It is noteworthy that only India has attempted to develop standards for vermicomposts. Therefore,
Table 18.2 Typical physiochemical characteristics of selected composts and vermicompost in
USA and India (Source: Mupambwa and Mnkeni 2018)
Compost parameter
USA
a
India
b
Municipal compost
City compost
Vermicompost
pH
6.0–7.5
6.5–7.5
–
Soluble salts (dS/m) 5.0 or below
4.0 or below
–
C:N ratio
–
<20
–
Nutrients
N (%)
1.0 or above
0.8 or above
1.0 or above
P (%)
1.0 or above
0.17 or above
0.35 or more
K (%)
–
0.33 or above
0.66
Organic matter content (%)
50–60
21
31
Water holding
capacity (dry basis)
(%)
100 or more
–
–
Moisture content
(%)
40–50
15-25
15-25
Particle size
Bulk density
0.47–0.59 g/cm
3
<1.0 g/cm
3
0.7–0.9 g/cm
3
Particle size
Pass through 1 mm screen or
smaller
90% must pass
through a 4 mm IS
screen
Growth screening
Must pass seed germination
test and plant growth assay
–
–
Stability
Stable to highly stable
–
–
Pathogens
–
Nil
–
a Brinton (2000)
b
http://ncof.dacnet.nic.in/Training_manuals/Training_manuals_in_English/BF_and_OF_in_FCO.
pdf. Downloaded 19 Dec 2017
18 Some Perspectives on Vermicompost Utilization in Organic Agriculture
315