• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.267-274
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• 1993

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of mixture ratios of worm cast and soil on the growth orchardgrass seedlings, and estimate the adequate mixture ratio of worm cast for plant growth media. Mixture ratios of worm cast and soil were 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100, respectively. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The value of dry weight of shoot(SW), dry weight of root(RW), number of tillers per plant(NT) and biological yield(BY) were the highest in the mixture with 60% of worm cast. Particularly, the dry weight distribution to root in 20%-60% mixture ratios of worm cast were higher than those grown in 80%-100% mixture ratios of worm cast, it may due to the enhancement of root growth by adquate worm cast mix. 2. The orchardgrass seedlings in the 60% mixture ratio of worm cast grown in favourable soil conditions compared to those grown in other mixtrure ratios of worm cast and soil without worm cast. The soil analysis data showed that 60% mixture ratio of worm cast contained pH 6.16, 13.84% of organic matter, 0.84% of total nitrogen, 1,413.9ppm of available phosphorus and 16.7me／100g of cation exchange capacity, respectively. 3. Biological yield(BY) indicated positive significant correlation with the dry weights of shoot(SW) and root(RW). And, the dry weight of shoot(SW) had positive correlation with the number of tiller per plant(NT) and dry weight of tiller(WT).

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 1994

Worm cast is one of the effective and the least harmful organic fertilizer. The purpost of this work is to elucidate the physiological role of worm cast in the plant growth. Worm cast extract contains 17.83ppm of zinc, but either cadmium or lead were not detected in it. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. H. N. Semiwhite) was germinated and incubated with percentage-varied extract. While 10% extract stimulated sprouting of seeds, 100% extract had no effct on it. 50% extract and 100% extract enhanced hypercotyl elongation and fresh weight most effectively. Dry matter and zinc concentration in hypercotyl were increased as percentage of extract increased. Protein con-tent was not affected by extract, 100% extract inhibits water uptake of seedling. Considering these, enhancement of seedling growth was mainly based on increment of water uptake.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 1990

This study was conducted to characterize red worm(Lumbricus rubellus) and its cast reared six months using with pulp sludge, mixture of pulp sludge and methane sludge, and cow manure and methane sludge. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The optimum growth temperature ranged from $16^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$ and monthly weight increase was about one kilogram per square meter. 2. The weight of red worm increased 9 to 11 percent reared with mixture of cow manure and methane sludge compared to pulp sludge. 3. Red worm contained large amount of amino acid, including. Lycine, which, might be a good source for a feed additive. 4. Yields of red worm cast ranged from 90 to 95 ton/10a/year on dry weight base. 5. CEC of red worm cast varied from 19.4 to 49.9 meg/100g and O.M content ranged from 26.4 to 35.1 percent. It contained lots of nutrients resulting in a good fertilizer source.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 1999

In order to investigate the possibility of treating the different mixture ratios of apple pomace and nightsoil sludge by vermicomposting was performed and the stability of worm casts, and availability of worm casts as plant growth media was evaluated by the analysis of chemical composition. The results were obtained as follows ; 1. The value of cast production at 100% apple pomace treatment was higher than those of other mixture ratios of apple pomace and nightsoil sludge. 2. The highest values of increasing rate and reproductive efficiency were obtained at mixture ratios of 60% apple pomace with 40% nightsoil sludge. 3. The value of increasing rate at 100% nightsoil sludge treatment was lower that those of other mixture ratios of apple pomace and nightsoil sludge. 4. Organic matter, available inorganic nutrients and stability of worm casts showed high values in all treatments. It means that worm casts are an excellent plant growth media source with a high chemical composition and their stability.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 2004

To select a promising technologies for removal of odorous gases emitted from a wastewater pump station, four methods such as activated carbon (A/C) adsorption, chemical absorption (acid and alkali scrubber), and two biofilters (polyurethane (PU) and worm cast) were investigated. The average odor removal efficiencies in the PU biofilter and A/C column was over 98%, but in a worm cast biofilter and chemical absorption were below 60-80%. The removal efficiency of PU biofilter was very stable (about 98-99%) in the range of retention times of 4-36s, and a maximum elimination capacity was $1.6${\times}$10^{ 7}$ $OUm^{-3}$$h^{-1}$ Deodorization costs for an activated carbon adsorption and a biofiltration method were investigated. With increasing odor intensity, the operating cost of the A/C column increased linearly, but the operating cost of the biofilteration increased slightly. The capital cost in a biofilter is about two times higher than that in an A/C column, but the operating cost is very lower than that of in A/C column. In conclusion, the biofiltration was evaluated one of the most promising technologies to control odor in a wastewater pump station.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.421-431
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• 2006

This study was conducted to develope efficient vermicomposting using of different mixture ratios of cow manure and rice hull by feeding these to earthworm and then by studying the growth and reproductive efficiency of earthworm, and the chemical composition of worm cast and its production. The results are summarized as follows. C/N ratio of feed was $20.43{\sim}31.16$ and it increased according to the higher proportion of rice hull, and survival of earthworm was $97.6{\sim}98.4%$. Number of young worms were significantly higher in $10{\sim}40%$ addition of rice hull(number of $824{\sim}844$) than number of 769 of real cow manure treatment(P<0.05). Fresh weight of young worms was $8.00{\sim}11.8g$ and it was significantly higher in 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P<0.05). The cast production of earthworm was significantly lower in the 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P<0.05). But digested matters were showed in the tendency of becoming higher in the 40% addition of rice hull than in $10{\sim}30%$ addition of that. C/N ratio of worm cast was significantly higher in 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P<0.05). Heavy metal concentrations of worm cast were showed in the tendency of becoming lower in the 40% addition of rice hull than in addition of that.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2001

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of supplementing phosphorus to Korean cow manure on the growth and cast production of earthworm(Eisenia Foetida), and to estimate the optimal phosphorus level for the growth and cast production of earthworm and ratios of available phosphorus and calcium content of cast in optimal phosphorus levels. Phosphorus supplementing ratios to Korean native cow were 0, 1%, 2%, 4% and 8A%, respectively. The volume of raising box was 3375cm$^3$(15$\times$15$\times$15cm), and 500g of cow manure filled up to 10cm layer. Raising density was 90㎤ per worm during the experimental period(60 days). The maximum fresh weight and cast production of earthworm were obtained at 2~4% and 1% levels of phosphorus supplementation to Korea native cow manure. The total phosphorus and available phosphorus contents of earthworm tissues were not significant among in all treatments. There was a positive significantly differences between total phosphorus and available phosphorus of cast and residual matters. Available phosphorus content of cast were ranged from 9.3mg/g to 17.3mg/g at 1~4% levels of phosphorus supplementation. Ratios of available phosphorus and calcium contents of cast were 1.94~3.15:1 and 0.87~1.33:1 at 2~4% and 0~1% levels of phosphorus supplementation.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.51-62
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• 2005

The effects of the processing mixture of food wastes and various organic wastes when vermicomposted on earthworm(Eisenia foefida) growth, the cast production amounts and the chemical properties of casts were evaluated. The substrates used in this experiments were cow manure, pig manure sludge, fermented pig manure with sawdust, nightsoil sludge, and sewage sludge and were respectively mixed with food wastes at a ratios of 50:50(v/v). The control consisted of food wastes alone without other wastes. All of earthworm died in the food wastes 100%, therefore the process of food wastes alone by vermicomposting was impossible in this experiment. Worm cast produced sufficiently contained quantities of available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable magnesium, and cation exchange capacity. The increase of earthworm's biomass occured on the mixtures of food wastes and cow manure, fermented pig manure with sawdust. Dry weight of worm cast was the highest on the mixtures of food wastes and fermented pig manure with sawdust and the proportion of cast weight after vermicomposting was significantly the highest on the mixtures of food wastes and cow manure($p{\leq}0.05$). Also, the mixtures of food wastes and cow manure, and fermented pig manure with sawdust showed a positive values of conversion rate and conversion efficiency rate of organic matter to earthworm tissue than that of other treatments. These results suggested that cow manure and fermented pig manure with sawdust are adequate to process with food wastes by vermicomposting.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 1995

This experiment was carried out to the effects of population density and C/N ratios of feed on the growth, reproductive effciency and cast producation of the earthworm(Eisenia foetida). The population densities of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 individuals of the earthworm fed with different C/N ratios of 25, 35, 45 and 55 cow manures were studied in rearing box($6,400cm^3$), and at the fertility stage during a period of 60 days. The results were summarized as follows; The survial rate(SR), increasing rate(IR), reproductive efficiency(RE) and cast production of the earthworms showed highest values in C/N ratio of 25. These results may indicate that C/N ratio of 25 is a very favourable feed for the growth of the earthworms. The survial rate(SR) indicated significant positive correlation with reproductive efficiency(RE) in different C/N ratios of feeds. The survial rate(SR) showed highest values in population densities of $50{\sim}100$ worms/$6,400cm^3(64.0{\sim}128.0cm^3/worm$). On the contrary, increasing rate(IR) tended to decreased with the increased population densities. The survival rate(SR) indicated significant negative correlation with reproductive efficiency(RE) in different population densities of the earthworms. The cast production estimated were $31.6mg{\sim}67.4mg/day/worm$ grown in optimum population densities($50{\sim}100\;worms/6,400cm^3$). The earthworm casting are an excellent soil conditioning material or organic fertilizer sources with a high chemical composition and their physical properties.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 1996

In order to investigate the possibility of treating nightsoil sludge, the growth trend experiments with vermicompsting was performed and the stability of worm castings was evaluated by the analysis of minerals according to growth periods. Survival rate(SR) of earthworms decreased as earthworms grow up to 7 weeks. The growth period of the earthworms could be classified into two phases on the basis of the ratios of cast to feed ingested(ID). The growth period of the earthworms up to 3 weeks, the high percentage of dry weight of feed ingested(ID) is mainly utiliz-ed to an increase in fresh weight of earthworms, and after the 3 weeks, it is utilized to cast production in this experiment, respectively. The highest values of increasing rate(IR) and biomass of the earthworms(BE) were obtained at 3 weeks and those were 10.59mg/day and 14.48g, respectively. Between the increasing rate(IR) and biomass of the earthworms(BE), a highly positive correlation coefficient(p<0.001) ap-peared. The highest values of biomass of the earthworms(BE) and cast production(CW) were obtained at 3 and 7 weeks, respectively. All the concentrations of minerals except calcium(Ca) in worm castings was lower than the values in nightsoil sludge. It was considered that the major portion of minerals in nightsoil sludge may have been retained in the bodies of earthworms. And these values were lower than the regulated levels in organic fertilizers that the regula-tion standards. In conclusion, the worm castings are very stable for the use as soil conditioner or organic fertilizers.