Handbook of Vermicomposting

Vermicompost is the product of the decomposition process using various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and other earthworms, to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. Vermicast is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by earthworms. 

This detailed, comprehensive compost guide to starting your worm bin and begin your journey to transforming organic waste into nutrient-rich soil covers everything in the process. Here are the contents:

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2: EARTHWORMS
Distribution
Factors affecting distribution
●Temperature
●PH
●Organic matter
●Organic matter
●Soil texture
Classification
Basic Requirements
●Bedding
●Housing
● Containers
● Environmental conditions
Nutrition of worms
Species
Microbiology
Reproduction
Life cycle and Population
Multiplication
CHAPTER 3: TREATMENT WITH EARTHWORMS
●Earthworms for bioconversion
●Fragmentation and Breakdown
●Consumption and Humification
●Nitrogen mineralization
●Effects on the C/N ratio
CHAPTER 4: VERMITECHNOLOGY IN WASTE MANAGEMENT
Feeds for Vermitech Systems
●Animal manures
● Kitchen & Urban wastes
●Paper pulp & Cardboard solids
●Compost & Waste products
●Industrial wastes
Other Applications
●Aquaculture
●Vermifilter
CHAPTER 5: VERMICOMPOSTING: BASIC PROCESS
●Initial pre-composting phase
●Mesophilic phase
●Maturing and stabilization phase
Mechanism of Earthworm action
CHAPTER 6: VERMCOMPOSTING SYSTEMS
●Windrow
●Wedge
●Container
a. Pits, Tanks and Cement rings
b. Commercial model
c. Beds/bins
●Continuous Flow Systems
CHAPTER 7: PROCESSING: TIME&ACCELERATION
Maturity and Stability
Composting and Vermicomposting-A comparison
Process Acceleration
CHAPTER 8: TROUBLE SHOOTING
●Temperature
●Aeration
●Acidity (pH)
●Pests and Diseases
●Odour Problems
CHAPTER 9: SEPARATION TECHNIQUES
●Light Separation
●Sideways Separation
●Vertical Separation
●Gradual Transfer
Harvesting Earthworms
Characteristics of Vermicompost
Packing and Storage
CHAPTER 10: VERMICOMPOST: QUANTITY & APPLICATION
The Value of Vermicompost
●Rich in humic acids and Enzymes
●Free of pathogens and toxic chemicals
●Plant nutrient level
●Beneficial microorganisms
●Stimulate plant growth
●Suppress disease
●Repel pests
CHAPTER 11: BY-PRODUCTS AND VALUE-ADDED
PRODUCTS
●Vermiwash
●Vermicompost Tea or Liquid Vermicompost
●Vermimeal
●Enriched Vermicompost
●Pelleted Vermicompost
CHAPTER 12: VERMICOMPOST: CUSTOMER- FEEDBACKS
AND FIELD EVALUATION
● Organic farming using vermicompost in India
● Field cultivation of vegetables using vermicompost in WIP
CHAPTER 13: FUTURE PROSPECTS
CHAPTER14: COMMERCIAL VERMICOMPOST UNIT-
REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 15: CONCLUSION