EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ANIMAL MANURE ON VERMICOMPOSTING OF MIXED LEAVES LITTER BY UTILIZING AN EXOTIC EARTHWORM, EUDRILUS EUGENIAE

The main objective of this research work is effect of two different animal dung viz., goat dung and cow dung on vermicomposting of mixed leaves litter by utilizing an exotic earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae. Of the two animal dung used in the present study i.e., cow dung and goat dung the percentage of decomposition was appeared to be high in Experiment I (mixed leaves litter treated with cow dung in 1:2 ratio) over other two experiments. Number of adult worms was found to be comparatively little higher in the experiment I (Mixed leaves litter + cow dung in 1:2 ratio) than other two experiments. The physico-chemical and biological parameters of the vermicompost obtained from Experiment I (mixed leaves litter treated with cow dung in 1:2 ratio) was seemed to be good followed by Experiment III (mixed leaves litter treated with cow dung and goat dung in 1:1:1 ratio) and Experiment II (mixed leaves litter treated with goat dung in 1:2 ratio). Hence cow dung may be used for the production of vermicompost. Therefore it may be concluded that the mixed leaves litter must be mixed with cow dung in 1:2 ratio and it must be converted into vermicompost by utilizing E. eugeniae under monoculture conditions.