aFriCaN NiGhTcRawLeRs....wAnT sOme??

The Science week is already over. Our Science Congress, more popularly known as the defense has already ended. And I am so happy because around 80% of the things to be done in our research subject is already done. I am proud to present the rationale behind our study about Vermiculture:

As the human census increases, so does the wastes they produce. This causes various environmental problems. There is an answer to this problem and at the same time, it could also generate income. This solution is the technology called Vermicomposting. It reduces organic trash and produces efficient fertilizer through growing earthworms.The Philippines is known as a tropical country and most people earn their living through farming. Farming is an essential industry in the Philippines for it supplies the country’s food supply and consumption. Farmers use chemical fertilizers, which may be a health hazard because of its chemical components. In fact, the Philippines import millions of dollars worth of chemical fertilizers annually. Unfortunately, the country cannot meet the annual demand of metric tons of fertilizers.

With the recent scrapping of the fertilizer subsidy more and more farmers are setting their sights on the use of organic fertilizer like the earthworm castings.Earthworm castings are said to be five times more fertile than ordinary soil mixture. It contains nitrogen, phosphate, potassium and calcium. One of the ways of gathering earthworm castings is through vermicomposting.Vermicomposting is the process by which all kinds of biodegradable wastes are decomposed through the action of microorganisms and annelidic consumption.

Wastes include a variety of organic materials such as plant and animal wastes including paper and vegetable wastes. Through vermicomposting, earthworms reduce the volume of solid waste piles. The epigeic earthworm species are the ones being used in vermicomposting. Epigeic earthworms are found in the upper topsoil layer feeding on decaying matter.

This type of environment, which these species thrive on, can be duplicated in bin culture and it is certainly for this reason that it is the epigeic species are used in vermicomposting.African Nightcrawlers (Eudrilus euginae) are one of the most widely used species for vermicomposting.

Composting is environment friendly since earthworms feed on anything that is biodegradable and it also aids the garbage disposal problems. Vermicomposting does not need imported inputs and the required worms are now locally available and the materials for feeding are abundant in the locality as market wastes, grasses, used papers and farm wastes. Vermicompost is more effective as an organic fertilizer than ordinary compost. It has auxin, a naturally occurring growth hormone. It also improves soil health, no overdosage, turns trash to cash, and highly profitable both the worms and castings are saleable. Knowing the right conditions for the earthworm to survive is important in engaging in vermicomposting systems.

The researchers aimed to determine which kind of organic wastes is the most effective for fattening, lengthening African Nightcrawlers, and producing the most amount of worm castings.The study was conducted for five weeks from the month of August to September 2006 at the University of the Philippines High School Chemistry Laboratory.