The effect of inoculation with Eisenia foetida and n-fixing or p-solubilizing microorganisms on decomposition of cattle dung and crop residues

Nitrogen fixing bacteria, Azotobacter chrococcum. and phosphate solubilizin g fungi, Apergillus awamori, caused marked decrease in C:N ratio and increa se in P concentration of vermicompost prepared from farm wastes and cattle dung with Eisenia foetida. Inoculated microbial count was maximum (29.7 x 1 0(6) g(-1) of vermicompost A. chroococcum; 18.7 x 10(3) g(-1) of vermicompo st A. awamori) on day 45. Similarly, the enzymes dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase showed maximum activity of 867.7 mug TPF g(-1) vermicompost h( -1) and 327.5 mug of p-nitrophenol released g(-1) vermicompost h(-1), respe ctively, on day 45 and then declined on day 90. The phytohormone indole ace tic acid was also detected in vermicompost, produced by microorganisms. inc rease in P concentration and decrease in C:N ratio was higher in microbial and worm inoculated treatments than in the control, which indicates maturat ion of vermicompost.