How best is vermicompost over other organic manures?
Farmers to greater extent in the country use farmyard manure. The package of practices, released for various crops from agricultural universities of the country provide the recommendations for its application to different crops. Those who are in the practice of preparing and using this manure do not follow any strict regimes to restore good nutrient status in this manure. There is no specification for the pit size, care to be taken to maintain the optimum moisture level needed for microbial activity and finally the conditions may turn anaerobic in the pits. Once the cow dung, soil and organic matter are added into pits at the end of the crop season and manure is collected only by next cropping season. This leads to loss of nutrients from the compost (FYM) and decomposing process is not completed. This has led the farmers to consider FYM as nonessential nutrient source for high yielding varieties that depend on heavy energy input. Vermicompost is prepared with utmost care using all avai
