Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

Vol 10, Issue 1, 2008; Page No.(167-171)

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF NITROGEN MINERALIZATION POTENTIALS OF NORMAL COMPOST AND VERMICOMPOST

S. HARITHA DEVI, K. VIJAYALAKSHMI AND N.D. PRASANNA

Abstract

Changes in nitrogen mineralization potentials were studied during the normal composting and vermicomposting of fruit pulp, vegetable waste, groundnut husk and cow dung. The nitrogen mineralization potentials showed variation between normal composting and vermicomposting where the rates were increasingly more abundant in vermicomposting. The NH-4F- N concentrations were found to be highest of 318 pg.g-' on 21st day of verrnicompost whereas the maximum recorded concentration of NI-14+N in compost was found on 42 day of 230 pg.gl. In vermicompost earthworms had significant effects on amount of extractable NO3-, which increased with time. At the end of vermicomposting the NO;-N and NO;-N concentrations increased from 23 to 89 ig.g and 38 to 182 pg.g-1 respectively. On the final sample day i.e., on 49' day, earthworms increased amount of extractable NO;-N by 5.00 folds in vermicompost where as the amount of extractable NO; in normal compost was increased by 3.4 folds. These results indicate that the mineralization of nitrogen and the rate of nitrification all increased with earthworm activity.

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