Vermiwash: An effective nutritive boon to foliage and crops

Abstract

Earthworms are often known as soil scientist. They are the main driving force that helps in sustainable production of food. They maintain the soil’s physical, chemical and biological health and act as a bio fertiliser. Their excreta and body fluids (vermiwash) has a significant effect in promoting the growth of the agricultural plants. The shoot length, root length, number of twigs, flowers, fruit, grains and biomass, were increased significantly in all the plants that were treated with this biofertilizer. The analysis of the wash showed the high content of various macro and micro nutrients like Ca, K, P, S, organic carbon, Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe etc. It also helps the plants for attainment of maturity and reproduction at faster rate, thus reducing the ‘life-cycle’ of crops and shortening their ‘harvesting time’. So, it can be concluded there is significant increase in vermicompost treated plants as there is reduction in the incidence of ‘pest and disease attack’, and we can now control pests without pesticides’ and ‘now we can have a better taste of chemical-free organic food products.