Editors: Dr. Mani Jayakumar

Dr. Natchimuthu Karmegam (2022)

ISBN: 978-93-94174-05-4

Weeds as Bioresources for Vermifertilizer Production: Present Scenario and Prospects

V. Soundarya¹, M. Prakash² and N. Karmegam^1*

¹PG and Reseasrch Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem – 636 007, Tamil Nadu, India ²Research Department of Microbiology, Kanchi Shri Krishna College of Arts and Science, Kanchipuram, 631 551, Tamil Nadu, India

The plant which is growing as unwanted or undesirable in a particular area is called weed. They are grown in terrestrial as well as aquatic region. Parthenium hysterophorus, Lantana camara, Saccharum spontaneum and Ageratum conyzoides are common terrestrial weeds worldwide. Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia molesta, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Pistia species, and Ceratophyllum species are some of the aquatic weeds. Parthenium hysterophorus is one of the most noxious weeds which is needed to be managed to sustain the environment. Alternative way to eradicate the weeds is to utilize them for vermicomposting process. Weed biomass is an organic matter available easily and it can be decomposed with the help of earthworms for enriching the soil and crop growth. Conversion of organic matter into vermicompost with the action of earthworm synergistically with microorganisms is called vermicomposting. In vermicomposting process, several earthworm species are used such as Eisenia fetida, Eisenia andrei, Dendrobaena veneta, Dendrobaena hortensis, Eudrilus eugeniae and Perionyx excavatus. Cow dung is the amendment material commonly used in vermicomposting process. Physicochemical characteristics are required monitoring at regular intervals. Micro- and macro-nutrients present in vermicompost enhance the growth of plants. Anaerobic digestion of weed biomass can generate large scale biogas with animal manure and it indirectly contributes in the reduction of global warming.

*Corresponding author; e-mail: kanishkarmegam@gmail.com

Cite this Chapter: Soundarya, V., Prakash, M., Karmegam, N., 2022. Weeds as Bioresources for Vermifertilizer Production: Present Scenario and Prospects. In: M. Jayakumar and N. Karmegam (Eds.), Recent Trends in Bioresource Management for Greener Environment. Excellent Publishers, India. pp. 162-180. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/978-93-94174-05-4_9