Eighth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Due to fast growing population in Iran, the government supports a small farming community and edge-urban self-sufficiency in food production. The use of vermicompost instead of or as a complement of mineral fertilizers is considered a good environmentally eco-friendly practice for plant nutrient management in urban (and edge-) agriculture. This study was carried out in Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz during 2015-2016. Experimental design was split plot. Main plot included different crop residue types (rice, wheat, corn and sugarcane) and sub-plot included residue weight rates (30%, 40% and 50% by volume) with 3 replications. Chemical and, biological properties of vermicompost produced and, consequently, its effect on Mung been yield were measured. Our result showed that highest total earthworm weight (352/3 gr) belonged to vermicompost produced by wheat residue with 50% weight ratio. The highest total earthworm numbers (7193) belonged to vermicompost produced by rice residue with 30% weight ratio. Highest grain yield (188.5 g/m2) and highest biological yield (476/45 g/m2) was belonged to vermicompost produced by rice residue with 40% weight ratio. Vermicompost fertilizer production had priority for N, P and K than crop residue. But, vermicompost had lowered C/N ratio than crop residue. We concluded that converting crop residue to vermicompost will improve the chemical characters of fertilizers. Vermicompost produced from crop residues had better biological situation than produced from manure or directly use of crop residue. Also, different crop residues as a base substrate had different effects on final vermicompost fertilizer.