NUTRIENTS STATUS OF VERMICOMPOST PRODUCED FROM THE MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS RESIDUE

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A laboratory experiment on medicinal and aromatic plants residues vermicompost of (Ocimum basilicum, Mentha, Calendula officinalis) mixed with cow dung at different ratios was conducted. The mixture containing all three plant residues and equal weight of cow dung showed the fastest conversion to vermicompost within 6 weeks. After 12 weeks, Ocimum basilicum and Mentha wastes fully converted, while Calendula officinalis took 16 weeks and higher worm activity. Vermicompost from Calendula had the highest organic carbon (33.78%) and organic matter (60.35%). The vermicompost pH ranged from 7.91 to 8.42, with increased electrical conductivity across all plant residues vermicompost. Also, results show that the Micronutrients (Mn, Zn, Fe) concentrations increased compared to initial wastes, with Zinc rising 2.14 times in the 1:3 Mentha waste: cow dung ratio and Iron increasing up to 1.41 times in the 1:1 ratio. Manganese increased most at the 1:3 ratio, reaching 3.03 times the initial content. Overall, available nutrients increased through vermicomposting, varying by plant residue and cow dung ratio.

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