The Effective Tool to Convert Floral Waste into the Black Gold: The Vermicompost

Vermicomposting is an ecofriendly rapid technique of composting various types of biodegradable wastes. It is a biotechnological process, in which organic materials are converted into valuable product by earthworms. The nutrient contents of vermicompost are higher than traditional compost. The vermicompost alters the soil fertility in different ways, such as better aeration, porosity, bulk density, water holding capacity, pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content. The application of the vermicompost enriches the soil microorganism, plant growth (size of leaf, stem length, root length, leaves per plant) and nutrient content of the yield. In holy cities of India like Varanasi, Ujjain, Somnath etc. huge amounts of floral waste are generated due to the tradition of offering flowers in temples which is a major cause of pollution. The temple waste can be utilized and managed to get valuable products such as vermicompost which will lead to a healthier and waste free environment with increased crop productivity. In this paper a review is given with special reference to vermicomposting of floral waste that is converted into compost also referred to as black gold. The review describes about the organic waste management, floral waste degradation via vermicomposting, earthworms species involved in the process and economical importance of the vermicompost.