Chemical Characteristics Of Several Vermicomposts In México

Compost Science & Utilization, (2007), Vol. 15, No. 1, 47-52

Rufo Sánchez Hernández (1), Víctor M. Ordaz Chaparro (1), Gerardo Sergio Benedicto Valdes (1), David J. Palma López (2) and Judith Sánchez Bolón (3)
1. Programa de Edafología, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Edo. de México, México
2. Campus Tabasco, Colegio de Postgraduados, Tabasco, México
3. Instituto Tecnológico Agropecuario, Tabasco, México

Wastes were collected (cocoa husk, sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane filter cake and bovine manure) in Tabasco State, México. These were vermicomposted, mixed and pretreated for temperature stabilization. The wastes were then vermicomposted with earthworms of the specie Eisenia andrei. Data were collected 60 days after the earthworms were inoculated. The vermicompost obtained was also chemically characterized. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the survival of earthworms (Sv) in several wastes and to assess the capacity of the earthworms to produce vermicompost (Vp). Waste with high C/N ratio had lower Vp, although the Sv was not affected. The C/N ratio was closely associated with the quality of organic matter (OM); when wastes had high content of nitrogen compounds, the C/N ratio decreased. The integration of cocoa husk in the treatment improved Sv, while the mixture of filter cake and bovine manure (1:1) was the optimum treatment for Vp. Important changes concerning the chemical characteristics of the vermicompost due to the influence of earthworms were not observed.

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