Vermiculture and vermicomposting technologys use in sustainable agriculture in Egypt [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

This study presented the use of vermiculture and vermicomposting technologys in the sustainable agriculture in Egypt. The gas emession reduction, developing an environemental composting system for organic wastes using epigiec earthworms to increase the effeiciency of composting and introduce a new method for recycling urban organic wastes into nutrient-rich compost for sustainable agriculture were the targets under light. The study was conducted at Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC) during 2007, 2008 and 2009. The type, growth and multiply rate of earthworms, the use of breeding and growing systems, feeding, watering, earthworm habits and composting effeiciency were under investigation. Epigiec earthwoms imported from Australia, Lumbriscus Rubellus (Red Worm ), Eisenia Fetida (Tiger Worm), Perionyx Excavatus (Indian Blue) and Eudrilus Eugeniae (African Night Crawler) were used under this study beside the local type Allopophora. The feeding list of earthworms was composing from horse, cattle and rabbit manure, vegetable and fruit waste (kitchen wastes), clipping grass, pre-composted agriculture wastes newspeper and cardboard. Different systems were used in both of vermiculture and vermicomposting. For breeding system, plastic boxes were used in modified 21 days scale system. On the other hand, a containers made of brickes (1.25 x 0.75 x 4.0 m) were established to presented the growing system. The comparison study between vermicomposting and conventional composting presented that vermicomposting process resulted in a compost with high content of N, P and K content compared to conventional composting, while it content of heavy metal content. High content of macro and micro elements were found in vermiliquid compared to compost-tea of conventional composting.

Summary in Arabic.

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