Vermicomposting of Spent Mushroom Compost Using Perionyxexkavatus and Artificial Nutrient Compound
Abstract
Vermicomposting is a cost effective technology for processing or treatment of a gricultural wastes. This simple yet effective technology was easily applicable in developing countries. In Vietnam, vermicomposting is not new but has few publications. Implementing vermicomposting with spent mushroom compost (SMC) as culture medium i s one research approach not only in Vietnam but also in the world. With its poor nutrition nature, in order to be used as culture medium, SMC needs well treated and supplementing with artificial nutritional compound (ANC). This study reported valuation of moisture and light on the growth of Perionyx exkavatus. Results showed that at 80% moisture, earthworm has the most growth rate and gain 100% clitellum development after 30 days. In natural light, growth rate and manure rate reached maximum with 5.61 mg.w orm-1.day -1 and 235 mg.worm -1. ANC supplementing showed strong effects on earthworms' growth rate. Earthworms gained maximum growth rate at 20ml ANC added in three kg of substrates with over double biomass after 60 days. However, due to ANC's high acidity, with supplement volume over 25ml, there was a down trend of earthworm growth rate. ANC supplement did not show noticeable affect to manure rate of earthworms.
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Introduction
Vermicomposting is a cheap and effective technology for processing or treatment of organic wastes in many countries [1-5]. Many investigations have established the viability of using earthworms in treatment of agricultural wastes such as cattle dung, pig manure, crop residues [4,5]. The temperate earthworms Esenniafetida and Esenniaandrei[6 – 8] or tropical Perionyxexkavatus species [7-10] have been using almost all vermicomposting systems but other earthworm species are also used e.g. Dendrobaenaveneta[11], Eudrriluseugenidae, Lampitomauritii,Drawwidawillsi[12]. Physico-chemical properties of the substrate will be modified by microbial and enzyme activities in earthworm in test in track and energy was recovered as earthworm biomass and compost [13]. Usually, vermicomposting system is set up in cooperation with other processes and it is part in a larger chain of farms [14]. The vermicomposting system has been improved from small-scale (in laboratory or family level only) to large-scale (in farm or factory level) [14]. However, earthworm biomass yield obtained from plant waste is lower than from animal one [15].
Commercial mushroom industry production has been grown since the early of 20th century all over the world. In Vietnam, the mushroom industry has been spreading sine 1980s, and more than 500.000 tons of spent mushroom compost (SMC) are spurned in the mushroom farm every year (Hoang-Dung Tran, personal data). SMC is an organic and fungal biomass rich complex which poses pollution to mushroom farm itself if they were left untreated but it can serve in a number of applications. While Kakkar et al. [16] used SMC as animal feed, Shojaosadati et at.[1999)[17] mixed SMC with grounded snail shell (GSS) (shell: compost, 1:5) in a pilot-scale biofilter for removing hydrogen sulfied (H S) from leather industry 2 wastewater. Eggen (1999) [18]used SMC for degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in creosote contaminated soil i.e. Pleurotusostreatus (oyster mushroom), Lentinulaedodes(shiitake mushroom). Some farmers in Vietnam re-used SPM from cultivation of oyster mushroom to grow Volvariellavolvacea straw mushroom. Until now, there is not paper report the using SMC as the substrate for growing earthworm in vermicomposting process in Vietnam
In our work, we applied the vermicomposting system to recycle SMC from Pleurotusostreatus cultivation. We used pretreated SMC by Effective Microorganisms (EM) [19] as the main food source to earthworm. The effects of physiological factors including moisture, light and supplementation with artificial nutrient compound (ANC) on growth rare and maturation of earthworm were determined.
Conclusion
This study is the paper in Vietnam show that spent mushroom compost can be used as the substrate for vermicomposting with Perionyx exkavatus . The data showed that moisture and light have affected positively on the growth of Perionyx exkavatus . The substrate with 80% moisture made earthworm archived the most growth rate and gain 100% clitellum development after 30 days. In natural light, growth rate and manure rate reached maximum with 5.61 mg.worm -1.day -1 and 235 mg.worm -1. Artificial nutritional compound supplementing showed strong effects on earthworms' growth rate. If ANC was added with 20 ml into 3 kg of spent mushroom compost, it made earthworms gained maximum growth rate and over double biomass after 60 days. But over 25 ml of artificial nutritional compound will effect negatively to earthworm growth rate.