Difference between compost and vermicompost for class 12th agriculture
Answers
Composting is an aerobic process with high temperatures, while vermicomposting is a process where worms do the work. This means that vermicomposting is a low temperature process.
Vermicomposting can be done in small bins to bathtub size vessels. The worms eat through the kitchen waste and paper that is added. It is also a moist process and any drainage is commonly used as a worm tea. Vermicomposting can be done on a larger scale, but the waste must be applied in thin layers to not to overheat the pile or overfeed the worms. Worms are sensitive animals and may take off when conditions are not right.
In composting, the minimum size is a cubic yard, otherwise the temperature will not increase high enough. Oxygen must be applied to satisfy the needs of the bacteria that do the work. This means turning and aerating. If a compost pile gets too wet or otherwise anaerobic, stink will develop. This is the issue with larger industrial facilities. Odour is the Achilles heel of the composting industry.
Municipalities and private industries are collecting food waste and yard and garden waste for composting. When food waste is a large percentage of the collected material the risk of odour is high and composting facilities need more sophistication in aeration, mixing and air and leachate containment.
Which of the two is better? it depends. For small scale use in the garden it may be vermicomposting for wet food waste, especially when fed every day. If yard waste is involved a decent size compost heap with regular turning (and a batch system where all material is composted the same time) will work. In cases where the compost is sold or given away to the public, quality standards must be met including those for sanitizing the compost in the hot process. A large commercial set-up is then required