Transformation of phosphorus during vermicomposting

In view of the growing awareness about vermicomposting technology in recycling a wide range of organic wastes, the behaviour of phosphorus during mineralization of different organic wastes in the absence and presence of epigeic earthworms was studied. The magnitude of the transformation of phosphorus from the organic to inorganic state, and thereby into available forms was found to be considerably higher in the case of earthworm-inoculated organic wastes, showing that vermicomposting may prove to be an efficient technology for providing better P nutrition from different organic wastes. The transformation of P into three major inorganically bound forms; Al-P, Fe-P and Ca-P also tended to change substantially during the process of vermicomposting . (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.