STUDENT STUDY PROJECT
VERMI WASH
Vermiwash is liquid that is collected after the passage of water through a column of worm action and is very useful as a foliar spray. It is a collection of excretory products and mucus secretion of earth worms along with micronutrients from the soil organic molecules. It is a very good foliar spray.
Foliar spray is a part of plant growth practices. The earth worms burrow the soil and make porosity and fertile. Bacteria richly inhabit these burrows, also called as the rhizospheres . Water passing through these passage washes the nutrients from these burrows to the root to be absorbed by the plants. This principle is applied in the preparation of vermiwash.
SETTING UP OF A VERMIWASH UNIT
Vermiwash units can be set up either in barrels or in buckets or even in small earthen pots. It is the principle that is important. The procedure explained hear is for setting up of a 50 litres barrel.
An empty plastic bucket is taken .10 cms above the bottom of the bucket, many holes are made for the drainage of vermiwash . This bucket is kept in big plastic tub. The entire unit is set up on a short pedestal made of few bricks to facilitate easy collection of vermiwash .
5cm layers of broken or pebbles in kept in the bucket followed by 5cm layer of coarse sand. on top of this layer is placed a 30 to 45 cm layers of loamy soil. It is moistened and in to this are Introduced about 50 numbers each of the surface (epigeic) and sub-surfaces earth worms. Cattle dung and hay is top of the soil layers and gently moistened. Water is added every day to keep the unit moist.
This water percolate through the compost, the burrows of the earth worms and get collected at the base and exuded from the small pores at the bottom of the bucket. The vermiwash a dark Brown coloured liquid is collected in the tub. Dung parts and hay may be replaced periodically based on need. The entire set up may be emptied and reset between 10 and 12 months of use. Vermiwash can be collected and stored.
Vermiwash is diluted with water (10%) before spraying. this has been found to be very effective on several plants. If needed the vermiwash may be mixed with cow’s urine and diluted (1liter of vermiwash,1liter of cow’s urine and 8liters of water) and sprayed on plants to functions as an effecting foliar spray and pesticide.
Venue : Near Botany lab DATE : 14.07.2018
Classes Involved Lecturers In charge
II B.SC S. RAMESHBABU (HOD)
A. VANITHA KUMARI
M.RAMA KRISHNA
SAIQUA ZAREEN
RABIYA TANZILA
Program Outcome :
Vermiwash prepared by students is rich in nutrients and is useful for the plants Of our campus.it is used as a biofertilizer for our plants at home. It is low cost Organic fertilizer which can be prepared by every one and can be used in home gardening.
