ENHANCED MICRO AND MACRO NUTRIENTS IN THE Pongamia LEAF LITTER VERMICOMPOST PRODUCED BY Lampito mauritii (Kinberg)
S. UDAYAKUMAR *
Department of Zoology, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Villupuram – 605 602, Tamil Nadu, India.
K. PARTHASARATHI
Department of Zoology, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Villupuram – 605 602, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The micro and macro nutrients of vermicompost obtained from 3:1 mixture of Pongamia leaf litter and cowdung using indigenous earthworm, Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) have been studied. Vermicompost had reduced EC, Na and C/N ratio and concomitantly increased pH, OC, TN, TP, TK, TCa, Fe, Mn and Cu level than worm unworked Pongamia leaf litter and cowdung mixture. The decreasing and increasing micro and macro nutrient in the vermicompost are due to apparently through mineralization and incorporation of dead earthworm biomass and mucous from the gut of earthworms.
Keywords: Pongamia leaf litter, Lampitomauritii, vermicompost, mineral nutrients