Comparative Study of Vermicomposting: Apple Pomace Alone and in Combination with Wheat Straw and Manure

Considering the sporadic number of scientific studies on vermicomposting apple pomace waste, this research conducts a comparative analysis of vermicomposting processes using Eisenia fetida, focusing on apple pomace both independently and in combination with wheat straw and/or manure (experiment 1: 60% apple pomace and 40% cattle manure; experiment 2: 60% wheat straw and 40% cattle manure; experiment 3: 80% apple pomace, 10% wheat straw, and 10% cattle manure; and experiment 4: 100% apple pomace). After a 240-day substrate transformation period, all four variations of vermicompost produced demonstrated favorable sensory properties, along with high microbiological and physicochemical quality. Throughout the vermicomposting process, the pH of all vermicomposting mixtures changed, converging towards approximately neutral values by the process’s conclusion. There was an increase in dry matter content, as well as total N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, along with organic matter. Notably, the levels of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb) in both the vermicomposting materials and resulting vermicomposts remained significantly below the maximum permissible levels stipulated by Republic of Serbia and European Union legislation, which is directly linked to the ecological origin of the raw materials used. The microbiological quality of the final vermicomposts was deemed satisfactory. Over time, there was a decrease in the counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria as well as Escherichia coli. The counts of sulfite-reducing clostridia in all substrates remained below 102 CFU/g, while Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected in either the composting materials or the resulting composts. The vermiculture of apple pulp exhibited advantageous characteristics, notably a shortened vermicomposting period (150 days) compared to other agricultural waste. This reduction in processing time contributes an additional layer of advantage to the overall quality and efficiency of the resulting vermicompost.