In this paper, we assessed the growth of rice seedlings(Chucheong variety) in commercial organic growth medium that was substituted with different ratios of vermicast of oyster mushroom waste grown under potting alone, and potting and floor layering treatment. The commercial organic growth medium was substituted with vermicast at ratios of control, 2%, 4% and 6%, respectively. The contol consisted of commercial organic growth medium alone without vermicast. Incorporation of 4%~6% vermicast of oyster mushroom waste into a commercial organic growth medium enhanced the growth of rice seedlings significantly as compared to commercial organic growth medium alone(control), and 2% amended with vermicast in potting treatment. This results demonstrate that substitution with low ratios of vermicast(4~6%) will promote growth of rice seedlings. The growth of rice seedlings in commercial organic growth medium alone without vermicast was enhanced significantly as compared to the substituted with vermicast in floor layering treatment, it may due to nutrient uptake by elongated root from the vermicast when applied to on the floor layering. Floor layering treatment is an effective method for potting processing of vermicast. The vermicast of oyster mushroom waste should have a high safety and great potential as materials of growth media for increasing plant growth, either as soil conditioner, or as substitution or amendments to commercial organic growth medium. For the enhanced growth of rice seedlings, demand to increase with total nitrogen, and decrease with the carbon and nitrogen ratio(C/N) of commercial organic growth medium supplied by such as vermicast.

In this study, the effect of commercial organic growth medium amended with different ratios of vermicast on the growth of rice seedlings. The amended ratios of vermicast were 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 20% and 40%, respectively. A bioassay with two rice varieties (Chucheng and Black) was conducted to assesses the amendment effect of vermicast on the seedling growth in two potting methods. In potting treatment, the Chucheng variety with late maturity showed significantly higher values on growth parameters excepted root weight (RW) up to 20% and Black variety with early maturity up to 10% amended with vermicast, respectively. In floor layering treatment, all of the growth parameters significantly increased up to 5% amended with vermicast in both rice variety. The seedling growth of rice in floor layering treatment attained the highest values at lower amended ratios of vermicast than those of potting treated only, it may correspond with increased uptake of nutrient by elongated root grown under the layering amendment of vermicast. Vermicasts can be used as soil amendments or components of plant growth medium for seeding organic agriculture.

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different feed conditions on growth, cast production and conversion efficiency of organic matter to the earthworm. The experiment was tested on cow manure(CM) mixed with rice hulls (RH) or rice straw(RS). The mixture ratios were designed as one time, two times and three times of cow manure volume, respectively. The CM and RH mixtures resulted better on growth rate, reproductive efficiency and wormcast production than those for CM and RS mixtures. Especially on three times of RH mixture showed the highest growth characteristics compared to the other mixtures. Although both were between 20 and 34 on carbon and nitrogen ratio, the result inferred that the difference on the growth might have been caused by feeding conditions. On the mixtures of cow manure with rice hulls(CM+RH) was significantly higher on values on the conversion rate and conversion efficiency of organic matter to earthworm tissues than the mixtures of cow manure with rice straw(CM+RS). The most concerned point of the mixture of earthworm feed is that high contents of volatile solid and total carbon that increases in conversion efficiency of organic matter to earthworm tissues, and also causes the increase in growth rate and reproductive efficiency. The wormcast could be used as a valuable plant growth medium or soil conditioner for sustainable agriculture and it may be due to their high qualities of physico-chemical properties.

This study was conducted to develope efficient vermicomposting using of different mixture ratios of cow manure and rice hull by feeding these to earthworm and then by studying the growth and reproductive efficiency of earthworm, and the chemical composition of worm cast and its production. The results are summarized as follows. C/N ratio of feed was 20.43~31.16 and it increased according to the higher proportion of rice hull, and survival of earthworm was 97.6~98.4%. Number of young worms were significantly higher in 10~40% addition of rice hull(number of 824~844) than number of 769 of real cow manure treatment(P＜0.05). Fresh weight of young worms was 8.00~11.8g and it was significantly higher in 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P＜0.05). The cast production of earthworm was significantly lower in the 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P＜0.05). But digested matters were showed in the tendency of becoming higher in the 40% addition of rice hull than in 10~30% addition of that. C/N ratio of worm cast was significantly higher in 40% addition of rice hull than for other treatments(P＜0.05). Heavy metal concentrations of worm cast were showed in the tendency of becoming lower in the 40% addition of rice hull than in 10~30% addition of that.

This study was conducted to develope efficient vermicomposting using of different mixture ratios of cow manure and sawdust by feeding these to earthworm and then by studying the growth and reproductive efficiency of earthworm, and the chemical composition of worm cast and its production. The results are summarized as follows. C/N ratio of feed was 20.43~45.20 and it increased according to the higher proportion of sawdust, and survival of earthworm was 97.6~100%. Number of young worms were significantly higher in 30 and 40% addition of sawdust (number of 899.6 and 927.8) than number of 769 of real cow manure treatment (P＜0.05). Fresh weight of young worms was 8.00~14.35g and it was significantly higher in 40% addition of sawdust than other treatments(P＜0.05). The cast production of earthworm was showed in the tendency of becoming lower in the 40% addition of sawdust than in 10~30% addition of that, but digested matters were significantly higher in 10~40% addition of sawdust than real cow manure treatment(P＜0.05).

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different mixture ratios of vermicasts on the growth of leaf beet(Beta vulgaris var. cicla), young radish (Raphanus sativus L), spinach(Spinacia oleracea) and lettuce(Lactuca sativa) The mixture of ratios of vermicast(fermented pig manure with sawdust) and peatmoss were 100%+0%, 60%+40%, 40%+60% and 0%+100%(control), respectively. The bulk density, particle density, pH, electrolytic conductivity, ash, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, available phosphorous and exchangeable cations increased significantly compared to those grown in the 100% of peatmoss(control). The significantly higher values of plant length, leaf area, shoot dry weight, root weight, root length and biological yield obtained were 40%~100% and 40% of vermicast in leaf beet and lettuce, respectively. The young radish and spinach showed that significantly differences of shoot dry weight, root weight and biological yield in the mixture ratios of vermicast were 40%~60% and 40% in young radish and spinach, respectively.

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different plant growth media on the growth of tomato(Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) seedlings during growth stages. The media were commercial plant growth medium 100%, earthworm cast(that was produced by vermicomposting of food waste and cattle manure) 100%, earthworm cast 50%, vermiculite 50%, earthworm cast 50% ＋ perlite 50%, earthworm cast 40% ＋ vermiculite 30% ＋ perlite 30%. Plant length(㎜), number of leaves, leaf area(㎠), stem diameter(㎜), plant dry mater were greatest till the 2nd week growth stages in the commercial plant growth medium plots, but those were higher in the earthworm cast than those in the other plant growth media at the later stages of this study(p＜0.05). And relative growth rate of biological yield, relative growth rate of shoot and relative growth rate of root were highest in the earthworm cast till the 4th week growth stage. Therefore it can be implied that there is the possibility of potential utilization of earthworm cast, which was produced by vermicomposting of food waste and cattle manure, as vegetable growth medium.