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Microbial and Functional Diversity of Vermicompost Bacteria

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Book cover Bacterial Diversity in Sustainable Agriculture

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development and Biodiversity ((SDEB,volume 1))

Abstract

Vermicompost, an excellent biofertilizer, is the product of non-thermophilic biodegradation of organic material produced by the combined action of earthworms and associated microbes in the process termed as vermicomposting. Vermicompost is a finely divided peat like material with high porosity, aeration, water holding capacity, low C:N ratios, excellent nutrient status and microbial diversity and activity. The microbes associated with vermicompost promote the plant growth directly by production of plant growth-promoting (PGP) enzymes and hormones such as 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), phosphate solubilization and siderophore production. Microbes also enhance plant growth indirectly by the suppression of plant pest and diseases. Vermicomposting technology apart from producing the biofertilizer enriched with beneficial microbes, also acts as a “panacea” for management of tons of organic wastes generated each day from urban and rural areas which if not disposed properly will have a serious impact on the environment and life on earth. Thus, vermicompost microbes help to improve soil fertility, promote plant growth and play a key role for effective management of wastes.

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, 605014, India

    Jayakumar Pathma & Natarajan Sakthivel

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  1. Jayakumar Pathma
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  2. Natarajan Sakthivel
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Correspondence to Natarajan Sakthivel .

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  1. Dept. of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India

    Dinesh K. Maheshwari

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Pathma, J., Sakthivel, N. (2014). Microbial and Functional Diversity of Vermicompost Bacteria. In: Maheshwari, D. (eds) Bacterial Diversity in Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05936-5_9

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