Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

A Simple Push–Pull Strategy to Harvest Earthworms from Coconut Leaf Vermicompost Produced in Tanks


Affiliations
1 Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod 671 124, India
 

The process to recycle lignin-rich coconut leaves, produced in abundance from coconut gardens, to vermicompost, using a local isolate of Eudrilus sp. is an important value-addition technology from ICARCentral Plantation Crops Research Institute helping coconut farmers and entrepreneurs to enhance their economic returns. Vermicompost is produced in cement tanks and at the end of the composting period, earthworms are hand-sorted from the mature and partially composted materials by employed workers. The scarcity of labour for earthworm sorting and nonavailability of earthworms at the required time for further vermicomposting had become an impediment in sustained production of vermicompost leading to abandonment of the technology by many adopters. To overcome this situation, a simple push–pull/pull–pull strategy was developed for harvesting the earthworms, wherein freshly ground mustard solution was used as repellant (push agent) and cow dung (with or without bagasse/banana wastes) was used as an attractant (‘pull’ agent). The strategy is simple, efficient and saves on labour, eliminates drudgery, reduces production cost and time. It will pave way for sustained adoption of vermicomposting technology by coconut farmers and entrepreneurs.

Keywords

Coconut Leaf Vermicompost, Cow Dung, Earthworm Harvesting, Mustard Solution, Push–Pull Strategy.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Prabhu, S. R., Subramanian, P., Bidappa, C. C. and Bopaiah, B. M., Prospects of improving coconut productivity through vermiculture technologies. Indian Coconut J., 1998, 29, 79–84.

  • Gopal, M., Gupta, A. and Thomas, G. V., Opportunity to sustain coconut ecosystem services through recycling of the palm leaf litter as vermicompost: Indian scenario (a technology/research note). Coconut Res. Dev., 2010, 26, 42–55.

  • Jaganthan, D., Thamban, C., Jose, C. T., Jayasekhar, S. and Anitha Kumari, P., Analysis of organic farming practices in coconut in south India. J. Plantation Crops, 2013, 41, 71–79.

  • Lawrence, A. P. and Bowers, M. A., A test of the ‘hot’ mustard extraction method of sampling earthworms. Soil Biol. Biochem., 2001, 34, 549–552.

  • Pelosi, C., Bertrand, M., Capowiez, Y., Boizard, H. and RogerEstrade, J., Earthworm collection from agricultural fields: comparisons of selected expellants in presence/absence of hand-sorting. Eur. J. Soil Biol., 2009, 45, 176–183.

  • Pyke, B., Rice, M., Sabine, B. and Zalucki, M. P., The push–pull strategy – behavioural control of Heliothis. Aust. Cotton Grow., 1987, 7–9.

  • Cook, S. M., Khan, Z. R. and Pickett, J. A., The use of push–pull strategies in integrated pest management. Annu. Rev. Entomol., 2007, 52, 375–400.

  • Kostecka, J. and Garg, V. K., Use of various baits for extraction of earthworms from vermicompost. J. Ecol. Eng., 2015, 16, 87–92.

  • Gopal, M., Gupta, A. and Thomas, G. V., Importance of producing nucleus earthworm culture for the dissemination and popularization of coconut leaf vermicomposting technology. Indian Coconut J., 2009, 51, 8–12.

  • Zirbes, L. et al., Earthworms use odor cues to locate and feed on microorganisms in soil. PLoS ONE, 2011, 6(7), e21927.

  • Huang, J., He, J., Zhang, J. and Yu, Z., Identification of volatile organic compounds in manures of cow, hog and chicken by solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Se Pu (Chinese J. Chromatography), 2007, 25, 425– 429.

  • Laor, Y., Koziel, J. A., Cai, L. and Ravid, U., Chemical-sensory characterization of dairy manure odor using headspace solid-phase microextraction and multidimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry–olfactometry. J. Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 2008, 58(9), 1187–1197.

  • Gopal, M., Gupta, A. and Thomas, G. V., Optimum weather conditions for efficient vermicomposting of coconut leaves by Eudrilus sp. in coastal tract of Kerala. J. Plantation Crops, 2004, 32(Suppl.), 486–490.

  • Thomas, G. V., Palaniswami, C., Gopal, M. and Gupta, A., Recycling coconut leaf-agro wastes mixture using Eudrilus sp. and growth promotion properties of coconut leaf vermicompost. Int. J. Innovative Hort., 2012, 1, 113–118.

  • Suthar, S., Bioconversion of post-harvest crop residues and cattle shed manure into value-added products using earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg. Bioresour. Technol., 2008, 32, 206–214.

  • Oboh, B. O., Akintobi, D. O. and Ejidereonwu, C., Morphometric tric studies in Eudrilus eugeniae populations from different locations in Lagos, Nigeria. Nat. Sci., 2007, 5, 16–21.

  • Kale, R., Origins and Spread of Vermicomposting in India. Focus on Sustainable Agriculture. In Vermiculture Technology. Earthworms, Organic wastes, and Environmental Management (eds Edwards, C. A., Arancon, N. Q. and Sherman, R.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2011, pp. 453–467.


Abstract Views: 306

PDF Views: 78




  • A Simple Push–Pull Strategy to Harvest Earthworms from Coconut Leaf Vermicompost Produced in Tanks

Abstract Views: 306  |  PDF Views: 78

Authors

Murali Gopal
Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod 671 124, India
Alka Gupta
Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod 671 124, India

Abstract


The process to recycle lignin-rich coconut leaves, produced in abundance from coconut gardens, to vermicompost, using a local isolate of Eudrilus sp. is an important value-addition technology from ICARCentral Plantation Crops Research Institute helping coconut farmers and entrepreneurs to enhance their economic returns. Vermicompost is produced in cement tanks and at the end of the composting period, earthworms are hand-sorted from the mature and partially composted materials by employed workers. The scarcity of labour for earthworm sorting and nonavailability of earthworms at the required time for further vermicomposting had become an impediment in sustained production of vermicompost leading to abandonment of the technology by many adopters. To overcome this situation, a simple push–pull/pull–pull strategy was developed for harvesting the earthworms, wherein freshly ground mustard solution was used as repellant (push agent) and cow dung (with or without bagasse/banana wastes) was used as an attractant (‘pull’ agent). The strategy is simple, efficient and saves on labour, eliminates drudgery, reduces production cost and time. It will pave way for sustained adoption of vermicomposting technology by coconut farmers and entrepreneurs.

Keywords


Coconut Leaf Vermicompost, Cow Dung, Earthworm Harvesting, Mustard Solution, Push–Pull Strategy.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi1%2F138-144