Recycling coconut leaf-agro wastes mixture using Eudrilus sp. and growth promotion properties of coconut leaf vermicompost

The ability of the indigenous coconut leaf vermicomposting earthworm, Eudrilus sp., to degrade agro-wastes from pineapple, banana, glyricidia and sugarcane was evaluated individually and in 1:3 ratio (w/w) with coconut leaves. In large-scale trials in tanks, Eudrilus sp. was able to convert more than 50% of the agro-wastes tested to vermicompost when mixed with coconut leaves. The mixture of banana pseudostem with coconut leaves yielded highest earthworm recovery followed by coconut leaves alone and coconut leaves + glyricidia mixture. There appeared to be a direct relationship with moisture content of the material to the earthworm multiplication and dry matter content to the vermicompost output. The mixture of banana pseudostem with coconut leaves had higher organic carbon, major and micro nutrient contents compared to coconut leaves alone. The earthworm recovery too was highest in the same combination. Analysis of the bacterial, actinomycetal and fungal content of the coconut leaf vermicompost and vermicast showed that it contained high numbers of Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, Actinomyces and Streptomyces. When mixed at 10, 20 and 30% in soil, coconut leaf vermicompost was able to improve the growth and robustness of coconut seedlings. Our findings clearly show the coconut leaf vermicomposting earthworm, Eudrilus sp., has broad-spectrum agro-wastes degrading capacity. Thus, the wastes produced from intercrops normally grown in coconut garden can also be mixed with coconut leaves to produce good quality vermicompost in the farm itself.