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Journal of Environmental Biology

pISSN: 0254-8704 ; eISSN: 2394-0379 ; CODEN: JEBIDP

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    Abstract - Issue Nov 2009, 30 (6)                                     Back


abstract_15

Comparative assessment in enzyme activities and microbial populations during normal and vermicomposting

 

S. Haritha Devi, K. Vijayalakshmi*, K. Pavana Jyotsna, S.K. Shaheen, K. Jyothi and M.Surekha Rani

Department of Applied Microbiology, Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati - 517 502, India

(Received: February 02, 2007; Revised received: May 20, 2008; Accepted: July 20, 2008)

 

Abstract: Changes in extracellular enzyme activities and microbial populations were studied during the normal composting and vermicomposting of fruitpulp, vegetable waste, groundnut husk and cowdung.? The microbial numbers and their extracellular enzyme profiles showed relative variation and were found increasingly more abundant in vermicompost than in normal compost leading to the conversion of agricultural waste into value added product.? In vermicompost, the maximum enzyme activities (cellulase, amylase, invertase, protease and urease) were observed during 21-35 days.? The cellulase, amylase and protease activities of vermicompost reached the maximum values by 28th day of 1175, 825 ?g reducing sugar g-1 hr-1 and 28 ? mol of aminoacid g-1 hr-1 of vermicompost samples respectively. Similarly the invertase and urease activities reached to peak values of 876 ?g reducing sugar g-1 hr-1 and 197 ?g -N g-1 ha-1 sample on 35th day respectively. Most of the enzymes showed correlation with change in number and types of different microbial groups like bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes during vermicomposting with maximum number of 126 x 106, 28 x 104 and 93 x 105 CFU g-1 sample respectively. In contrast delayed greatest enzyme activities were observed on 42-49th day i.e., last days of normal composting. Earthworms stimulated biochemical activity and nutrient cycling by 40-45% contributing to the reduction of period of degradation of agricultural wastes resulting in maturation of vermicompost by 28th day.

Key words: Normal compost, Vermi compost, Cellulase, Amylase, Invertase, Protease, Urease

?????????? PDF of full length paper is available online

 

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