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IFS 401 Integrated Farming System
TUTORIAL 5
1. Differentiate between compost and humus? Compost is the decayed organic material
used as a plant fertilizer. Humus- A dark-brown or black organic substance made up of
decayed plant or animal matter. Humus provides nutrients for plants and increases the
ability of soil to retain water.
2. What is coir dust or coir pith? The dusty material that is generated when the fibre is
been extracted from the coconut is known as coir dust.
3. Why has coir pith gained importance in the Horticultural industry?
Coir pith has gained importance owing to its properties for use as a growth medium in
Horticulture.
Composting of coir pith reduces its bulkiness and converts plant nutrients to the
available form.
4. Briefly explain the reasons as to why coir pith is collected without any fiber?
These fibrous materials will not get composted and it will hinder with composting
process. It will undergo decomposition inside the soil, by taking nutrients from the soil.
5. What are the different nitrogenous materials that can be applied to the coir pith?
 Urea
 Fresh poultry litter
6. What are the benefits of coir pith composting?
 The addition of composted coir dust improves soil texture, structure and tilth,
sandy soil become more compact and clayey soil become more arable.
 It improves the soil aggregation
 It improves the water holding capacity (more than 5 times its dry weight)
contributing towards increased soil moisture.
 Composted coir dust contains all plant nutrient elements and it can provide a
supplemental effect along with inorganic fertilizers.
 There is improvement in cation exchange capacity of soils, where composted coir
pith is applied.
 Coir pith compost application increased the soil native microflora because of
addition of humic materials.
 Ammonification, nitrification and nitrogen fixation are increased due to
improved microbiological activity.
7. What are some of the limitations of coir pith composting?
 It is not economical to buy composted coir pith and put in the farm for large
areas.
 It is better to prepare compost in the own farm.
 Before buying composted coir dust, it should be ensured that the material is
composted completely and quality analysis certificate is available with the
material.
 If immature compost is applied to the soil, even after entering into the soil, it will
undergo decomposition inside the soil, by taking nutrients from the soil, because
of this, standing crop will get affected.
8. Differentiate between Vermiculture and Vermicomposting?
Vermiculture is the culture of earthworms. The goal is to continually increase the
number of worms in order to obtain a sustainable harvest. The worms are either used to
expand a vermicomposting operation or sold to customers who use them for the same
or other purposes.
Vermicomposting is the process by which worms are used to convert organic materials
(usually wastes) into a humus-like material known as vermicompost. The goal is to
process the material as quickly and efficiently as possible.
9. The end product of the vermicomposting is called Worm castings, and worm tea?
10. What are the 2 type’s earthworms that are recommended for vermicomposting?
Red Wiggler or manure worm (Eisensia foetida), and the Red Worm, another manure
worm (Lumbricus Rebellus).
11. Why is vermicomposting important?
 Vermicomposting has many benefits for the participants, their communities, and
the environment.
 In many communities garbage collection and disposal is a serious problem.
 By diverting organic material from the waste stream, this amount can be greatly
reduced.
 Diverting this waste saves the community money that would otherwise be spent
on its collection and disposal
 A person or household that utilizes vermicomposting also receives the benefits
of less waste disposal costs.
 Along with that they receive a the end product of worm castings that are a
valuable fertilizer and soil additive.
 By using the worm castings and 'worm tea' (liquid that leaches through the
worm bin), they may save money on fertilizers that otherwise would have to be
bought.
 If the system is large enough, there is the possibility of selling the worm castings
and tea as fertilizer, providing an additional income.
12. What are the advantage of vermicomposting to the soil and the environment?
 Vermicomposting (i.e. worm castings and worm tea), the product of
vermiculture, is a great additive to soil.
 It helps to increase soil structure while adding nutrients.
 Organic matter added to soil help to give the soil better structure (binding of soil
particles together). Structure increases the aeration of soil, which facilitates
oxygen reaching plant roots. This helps plants (crops) to have better growth
rates.
 Organic matter also increases the cation exchange capacity of soil (CEC). This
helps to hold cations in the soil where they are available for plant uptake. Soils
that have low CEC values lose many nutrients through the leaching process.
 The environment benefits by the reduction of waste in an area, essentially
reducing the ecological footprint of the community present.
 Usable waste is "recycled" back into the ecosystem instead of being sent to a
landfill or incinerated.
13. Differentiate between a home vermicomposting system and a community
vermicomposting.
Home Vermicomposting
Worm bins in the home can take on a multitude of different sizes, shapes, and designs.
The idea is to match the worm bin with the household.
For large households that prepare many meals, a larger worm bin is called for; a
household where there is single occupancy, may require a substantially smaller bin.
Community Vermicomposting
Community-based vermiculture is run on a bigger scale than that of the individual
family–based vermiculture bin.
Most subsistence-based communities try to utilize every piece of scrap food to feed
their animals or recycle back in to their gardens.
For those communities that are not as sustainable or already use the traditional
composting method can make use of vermicomposting as a tool towards lessening the
amount of garbage that goes in to landfills, decreasing harmful rodent populations,
enriching soils in a quicker time period, and bringing about employment and profit.