Vermicompostagem de resíduos agroindustriais: influência da proporção do substrato de sobrevivência.

Abstract

The agribusiness sector contributes to generate large amounts of organic wastes. When improperly managed, such residuals cause serious environmental and social problems. In order to mitigate the involved damages, we evaluated the performance of vermicomposting for the bio-stabilization of agro-industrial wastes considering different ratios of survival substrate. The research was conducted in an environment under semiarid conditions and we monitored the following parameters: temperature; humidity; pH; electric conductivity; volatile solids; and adaptability and survival of the earthworm species Eisenia fetida. The results indicated that the survival substrate in association with the pre-compost substrate provided favorable conditions for the earthworm species and for the stabilization of agro-industrial wastes. The vermicomposting without survival substrate, however, was not viable, leading to earthworm’s death, escape and loss of biomass.