Earth Worms and Vermicomposting: A Review on the Story of Black Gold

V ermicomposting is a term coined to explain the whole process of utilization of biodegradable material by earthworms and producing vermicasts. The process enhances the bioavailability of basic nutrients by consuming raw nutrients and reproducing useful byproducts. Vermicast is also reported for having descend of growth sufficient hormones i.e. ethylene, auxin, gibberellin and enzymes i.e. cellulose, nitrogenase, phosphatase etc. Those nutrients are produced during the passage of degradable mass through the gut of earthworm. It is also a strong belief that all such hormones and enzymes are plant growth stimulants while inhibit the pathogen invasion causing different diseases. The environmental friendly and pure organic highly nutritious fertilizer vermicompost fertilizer is used for crop production Abstract | Presenting the world state of the art review, which summarizes the core ideas from experiments performed by expert researchers on vermicomposting. Vermicompost is a finely decomposed peat like material having good aeration, high drainage, good water holding capacity, microbial activity, superior in nutrient status and buffering capacity therefore having the amiable required physiochemical charms for fertility of soil and growth of plant. The worms increase the biological decomposition of organic substrates by maintaining the aerobic conditions of the organic substrates. Experiments on earthworms and the vermicast production by different species are also included in review. The paper also reveals fitness or compatibility of different species of earthworms to 'bioprocess' variation in different forms of organic waste. The review also presents the basic idea of all those research studies about effect of vermicomposting on different parameters of plant growth.