RETRACTED: Integrating Microbial Composting and Vermicomposting for Effective Utilization of By-products of Sugar Cane-Processing Industries (Retracted article. See vol. 15, pg. 68, 2011)

In recent years integrated system of composting, with bioinoculants and subsequent vermicomposting, to overcome the problem of lignocellulosic waste degradation of different crop residues and waste industrial by-products is receiving worldwide attention of scientists. However, there appears no report available on the technical viability of the approach on waste by-products of sugar-cane industry. Therefore, in the present study, the waste by-products of sugar-cane industry viz. bagasse (b), press-mud (p), and trash (t) have been subjected to bioinoculation followed by vermicomposting with a view to shorten stabilization time, and improve the product quality. The substrate (press-mud alone and in combination of other by-products of sugar-processing industries) was predecomposed for 30 days by inoculating it with Pleurotus sajorcaju, Trichoderma viridae, Aspergillus niger, and Pseudomonas striatum in different combinations. This was followed by vermicomposting for 40 days using Drawida willsi species of the native earthworms. Results indicated that the combinations of both the systems reduced the overall time required for composting to 20 days and accelerated the degradation process of waste by-products of sugar-processing industry, thereby producing a nutrient-enriched compost product.