What is Compost?
Compost is made through the process of composting. In the process of composting, organic waste naturally breaks down in an environment that is rich in oxygen to form compost. Composting depends upon various environmental factors including temperature, oxygen, and moisture. Compost is used as a plant fertilizer in crops to enhance the soil’s biological, chemical, and physical properties. Compost is formed by decaying food waste, plants, organic materials, and manure. Compost plays an important role in organic farming where chemicals or any kind of synthetic fertilizers are not allowed. There are many benefits of compost in farming as it enhances soil structure, offers a variety of plant nutrients, increases the number of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, and, often after many years of application, it increases crop production.
Difference Between Compost and Vermicompost
Agriculture is an important contributor to the GDP of India, and in agriculture, one of the main contributors is manure. Manure is the basic ingredient for achieving high yields in farming. Manure is the product that enhances the vital nutrients in the soil, and it can be of many types, including farmyard manure, compost, green manure, etc. Compost refers to the byproducts created when organic matter is biodegraded, whereas vermicompost refers to the final product created when organic matter is degraded. Vermicompost is a type of compost that is made by using earthworms. The basic difference between compost and vermicompost is that the former is a crumbly mass of rotten organic matter generated from decomposed plant materials and food wastes by the action of microorganisms, whereas the latter is a humus-like substance created from organic waste using worms and microorganisms.