Enhancement of wood waste decomposition by microbial inoculation prior to vermicomposting

To investigate the feasibility of microbial pre-decomposition of timber wastes to quality production of vermicompost with higher agronomic value, timber wastes were inoculated with different combinations of the fungi Phanerochete chrysosporium, Trichoderma reesei, Aspergillus niger and the bacteria Azotobacter chroococcum (MTCC 3853) and Bacillus cereus (MTCC 4079) and incubated at 28–30 °C in a mechanical composter. The inoculation enhanced the degradation of timber wastes, increased total nitrogen and improved the quality and enhanced production of vermicompost generated with the native earthworm Drawida willsi Michelsen. Total nitrogen increased from 0.16% to 1.52% and total organic carbon (TOC) decreased from 42% to 13%. Out of 10 microbial combinations tested for pre-decomposition, the combination of P. chrysosporium + T. reesei was found best in terms of ligno-cellulosic decomposition, and P. chrysosporium + A. niger + B. cereus with respect of cast output. The study shows that microbial pre-decomposition of timber wastes to produce quality vermicompost is a feasible technology.