Influence of substrate composition and pre-composting duration on the efficiency of poultry manure vermicomposting

Environmentally safe utilization of poultry manure requires a better understanding of how pre-composting duration and substrate composition affect the efficiency of the vermicomposting process. This study aimed to evaluate these factors based on the bio-ecological responses of the earthworm Eisenia foetida (survival and reproductive activity) and changes in substrate physicochemical properties. Five substrate treatments (T1–T5) with different proportions of chicken manure (50–100 % of the mixture) and structural additives (straw + peat) were co-composted aerobically for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the survival of adult worms, numbers of cocoons and juveniles, as well as pH, moisture content, organic matter, total phosphorus and potassium in the substrate. As pre-composting time increased and the physicochemical properties of the substrate stabilized, the inhibitory effect of manure on earthworms decreased: mortality dropped, while cocoon production and juvenile output recovered. The best biological performance was obtained after 12 months and of pre-composting in treatment T2 (60 % manure, 20 % straw, 20 % peat), where the numbers of surviving worms, cocoons and juveniles were significantly higher than (p < 0.05) in the other treatments. These results confirm the ecological relevance of co-composting poultry manure with straw and peat and identify optimal pre-composting duration and substrate composition to ensure a stable vermicomposting process.

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