Browsing by Author "Whingiri, E"

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    Effect of vermicomposting period, substrate quantity, cow dung composition and their interactions on Eisenia Fetidaduring vermicomposting
    (International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2014-08-01) Manyuchi, m; Whingiri, E
    Vermi-technologyisincreasinglybecomingpopularinvariousapplications.Theworkfocusedonthefactorsthataffecttheearthwormgrowthrateintermsofchangesinlengthandmassduringvermicomposting.Thestudylookedat3parameterswhichincludedvermicompostingperiod(days),cowdungcomposition(%(v/v))andsubstratequantity(kg).ThestudywascarriedoutatHarareInstituteofTechnologyforaperiodof50daysbetweenAprilandMay2014.Eiseniafetidawereusedasearthwormsandthesubstratecomprisedoffoodwasteandcowdungofvaryingcompositions.Vermicompostingperiodsof30-50days,substratequantitiesof2.5-5kgandcowdungcompositionof20-40%(v/v)wereemployed80.59mX031mwormbins.Aloadingrateof150worms/m2wasusedforearthwormswithanaveragelengthof50mmandmassof1g.23factorialdesignswereusedtodeterminetheoptimumconditionsrequiredforincreaseinearthworm lengthandmass.STATISTICA,astatisticalsoftwarewasusedtodeterminethesignificanteffectsat75%confidenceinterval.Paretochartsandcontourplotswereusedtoquantifytheresultsatap-valueof0.25.Increasingthevermicompostingperiod,thesubstratequantityandthecowdungcompositionincreasedtheearthwormslengthandmassbyafactorofmorethan3.Atthesametime,increasingthecowdungcompositionandtheinteractionbetweenincreaseinvermicompostingperiodandincreaseinsubstratequantityalsoresultedinincreasedearthwormmassbyafactorof2.8.Earthwormsgrowthinvermicompostingispromotedbyincreaseinvermicompostingperiod,substratequantity and substrate composition