Plant Biostimulants in Vermicomposts
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Abstract
This chapter focuses on the scientific discoveries pertaining to the characteristics and plant growth biostimulating properties of vermicomposts. Vermicomposting is an efficient process of converting organic wastes into valuable humus-like soil amending substances with good mineral nutrient content. Wastes suitable for vermicomposting can be of various origins, ranging from agricultural and horticultural wastes to farmyard manures, food waste and sewage sludge. Although different vermicomposts vary in their mineral nutrient content, the process of vermicomposting consistently results in a product with greater content of bioavailable nutrients than the source organic waste material. In addition to their mineral nutrient content, the microbial properties of vermicomposts provide significant plant growth stimulating capability. The biostimulatory efficacy of vermicompost is likely to be attributed to the plant growth promoting substances which include humus, phytohormones and other possible unidentified novel substances. Auxins are important class of phytohormones that play crucial roles in regulating various plant growth processes.