Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 9
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY OF
VERMICOMPOST BACTERIA THAT
EXHIBIT USEFUL AGRICULTURAL
TRAITS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
POTENTIAL
JAYAKUMAR PATHMA
AND
NATARAJAN SAKTHIVEL
9.1 INTRODUCTION
Soil, is the soul of infinite life that promotes diverse microflora. Soil
bacteria viz.,
Bacillus, Pseudomonas
and
Streptomyces
etc., are prolific
producers of secondary metabolites which act against numerous co-ex-
isting phytopathogeic fungi and human pathogenic bacteria (Pathma et
al. 2011b). Earthworms are popularly known as the “farmer's friend” or
“nature's plowman.” Earthworm influences microbial community, physi-
cal and chemical properties of soil. They breakdown large soil particles
and leaf litter and thereby increase the availability of organic matter for
microbial degradation and transforms organic wastes into valuable ver-
micomposts by grinding and digesting them with the help of aerobic and
anaerobic microbes (Maboeta and Van Rensburg 2003). Earthworms ac-
