Efficiency of Rotary Drum Composting for Stabilizing Vegetable Waste during Pre-Composting and Vermicomposting

The efficiency of drum composting of vegetable waste over direct utilization for vermicomposting was assessed for higher biomass production and carbon decomposition. Three different trials were established with 180 earthworms of two different species, i.e., Eisenia fetida (EF) and Eudrilus eugenia (EG). Trial 1 (EF) and trial 2 (EG) were carried out for 45 days without pre-treatment of vegetable waste, while trial 3 (EF) was carried out for a total of 28 days, with 8 days of prestabilization using a drum composter at thermophilic conditions. A maximum of 368, 295 and 256 numbers of earthworms (juveniles and adults) were observed in trials 1, 2 and 3, respectively. A maximum of 15.4 % of organic carbon reduction was observed in trial 3 followed by 10.4 and 9.2 % in trials 1 and 2, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that drum followed by vermicomposting was found successful with higher carbon decomposition, earthworm growth and reproduction rates in vermireactors.