Effect of microbial inoculation during vermicomposting of different organic substrates on microbial status and quantification and documentation of acid

phosphatase
Waste Management Volume 29, Issue 2, February 2009, Pages 574578

P. Pramanika, G.K. Ghoshb, P. Banika

a

Agricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700108, India b Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Bolpur, India Accepted 24 June 2008. Available online 8 August 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2008.06.015, How to Cite or Link Using DOI Cited by in Scopus (12) Permissions & Reprints

Abstract
In this experiment, three microbial strains were inoculated in two different organic wastes to study their effect on the humic acids content, acid phosphatase activity and microbial properties of the final stabilized products. Pyrophosphate extract of vermicomposts were analyzed through polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to study the nature of a isozymes in different treatments. Results suggested that vermicomposting increased humic acids content and acid phosphatase activity in organic substrates and microbial inoculation further enhanced the rate of humification and enzyme activity. Although humic acids content in different microorganism-inoculated vermicomposts were statistically at par, acid phosphatase activity in these treatments was significantly (P < 0.05) different. Results revealed that microbial respiration was increased due to vermicomposting, but a reduction in microbial biomass was recorded after stabilization of organic wastes. Although vermicomposting increased the value of microbial quotient (qCO2), microbial inoculation did not show any significant effect on qCO2. The zymogram revealed that two isozymes of acid phosphatase (group II and group III) were present in all vermicompost samples

and higher acid phosphatase activity in fungi-inoculated vermicomposts might be due to the presence of an additional isozyme (group I) of acid phosphatase.

Changes in microbial properties and nutrient dynamics in bagasse and coir during vermicomposting: Quantification of fungal biomass through ergosterol estimation in vermicompost

P. Pramanik

Agricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Kolkata 700108, India Accepted 5 December 2009. Available online 12 January 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.12.007, How to Cite or Link Using DOI Cited by in Scopus (5) Permissions & Reprints

Abstract
In this experiment, different microorganisms viz., Trichoderma viridae, Aspergillus niger and Bacillus megaterium were inoculated in bagasse and coir with the objective to study their effect on nutrient dynamics and microbial properties, specially effect on fungal status in these waste materials. Fungal biomass (FBC) was calculated from the ergosterol content in the vermicompost samples. Inoculation of B. megaterium registered comparatively higher TP content in the final stabilized product. Vermicomposting increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) content in bagasse and coir. Microbial biomass carbon to nitrogen ratio (MBC/ MBN) was comparatively narrower in fungi inoculated vermicomposts and FBC/MBC ratio was increased up to 11.69 from 9.51 of control during vermicomposting.

Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) Activates Fungal Growth, Triggering Cellulose Decomposition During Vermicomposting

Manuel Aira, Fernando Monroy and Jorge Domnguez Microbial Ecology Volume 52, Number 4, 738-747, DOI: 10.1007/s00248-006-9109-x

Abstract
Cellulose is the most abundant polymer in nature and constitutes a large pool of carbon for microorganisms, the main agents responsible for soil organic matter decomposition. Cellulolysis occurs as the result of the combined action of fungi and bacteria with different requirements. Earthworms influence decomposition indirectly by affecting microbial population structure and dynamics and also directly because the guts of some species possess cellulolytic activity. Here we assess whether the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Savigny 1826) digests cellulose directly (i.e., with its associated gut microbiota) and also whether the effects of E. fetida on microbial biomass and activity lead to a change in the equilibrium between fungi and bacteria. By enhancing fungal communities, E. fetida would presumably trigger more efficient cellulose decomposition. To evaluate the role of E. fetida in cellulose decomposition, we carried out an experiment in which pig slurry, a microbial-rich substrate, was treated in small-scale vermireactors with and without earthworms. The presence of earthworms in vermireactors significantly increased the rate of cellulose decomposition (0.43 and 0.26% cellulose loss day1, with and without earthworms, respectively). However, the direct contribution of E. fetida to degradation of cellulose was not significant, although its presence increased microbial biomass (Cmic) and enzyme activity (cellulase and -glucosidase). Surprisingly, as fungi may be part of the diet of earthworms, the activity of E. fetida triggered fungal growth during vermicomposting. We suggest that this activation is a key step leading to more intense and efficient cellulolysis during vermicomposting of organic wastes.