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Agriculture
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Vermicompost in Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition
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Vermicompost in Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Soils".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1795

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Gederts Ievinsh

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Guest Editor
Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Street, LV-1004 Rīga, Latvia
Interests: plant functional diversity; coastal plants; plant interactions; plant adaptations; halophytes; salinity; edaphic factors; nitrophytes; metal tolerance and accumulation; metalophytes; phytoremediation; green walls
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable crop production requires new means of fertilization in light of both the use of renewable resources and improving soil quality. The processing of biological waste by the concerted action of earthworms and microorganisms leads to the production of vermicompost—an organic fertilizer with high microbiological activity, rich in mineral nutrients and humic substances. Vermicompost is an extremely promising type of amendment, as evidenced by many studies at laboratory and field level, as well as the results of practical application. In organic farming, vermicompost can be used as a basal soil fertilizer, providing plant-available mineral nutrients and organic matter as a source for additional nutrients and microbiological activity. In conventional farming, vermicompost can substitute chemical fertilizers. It is evident that the benefits from the application of vermicompost in agriculture are related to direct and indirect effects on crop plants as well as to the improvement of soil properties, leading to a long-term increase in soil sustainability. However, a lack of understanding of the specific mechanisms of beneficial influence hinders the ability to scientifically predict the outcomes of vermicompost application in different crop production systems. Therefore, additional scientific knowledge is necessary to characterize the functional relationships involved in vermicompost production and the results of its application in soil, leading to a certain quality of use of this organic fertilizer. Contributions to this topic are welcome that report results both from laboratory and field studies concerning earthworm/microorganism/soil/plant interactions at different levels from vermicompost production to application, including those related to crop yield and quality.

Prof. Dr. Gederts Ievinsh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vermicompost
  • organic fertilizer
  • sustainable crop production
  • soil sustainability
  • mineral nutrition
  • microbiological activity
  • organic farming

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1595 KiB  
Article
Vermicompost Tea in the Production, Gas Exchange and Quality of Strawberry Fruits
by Gabriel Lobo de Mendonça, Jader Galba Busato, Ernandes Rodrigues de Alencar and Alessandra Monteiro de Paula
Agriculture 2025, 15(15), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15151607 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 379
Abstract
The water-soluble extract from vermicompost, also known as vermicompost tea (VT), has attracted interest in sustainable production research due to its potential to increase crop yields. However, information regarding the influence of this bioinput on strawberry cultivation remains limited. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
The water-soluble extract from vermicompost, also known as vermicompost tea (VT), has attracted interest in sustainable production research due to its potential to increase crop yields. However, information regarding the influence of this bioinput on strawberry cultivation remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different VT solution concentrations on the mass fruit, physiology, and fruit quality of the hybrid strawberry cultivar ‘Portola’. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, with foliar and substrate applications of VT solutions at varying concentrations (0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8%) over 150 days. Evaluations included the chemical composition of the VT, as well as the physiological and agronomic parameters of the strawberry plants, such as gas exchange, biometric data, the physicochemical quality of the fruit and the nutritional composition. Significant differences in gas exchange parameters, particularly intercellular CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance, were observed at the final growth stage. Of the quality and compositional parameters of the strawberries, only the soluble solids/titratable acidity (SS/TA) ratio was affected. The various VT dilutions induced physiological alterations in the strawberry plants, with energy being allocated towards mass fruit at the expense of fruit quality, specifically in terms of the SS/TA ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vermicompost in Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 2743 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Application of Different Types of Vermicompost Produced from Wine Industry Waste on the Vegetative and Productive Development of Grapevine in Two Irrigation Conditions
by Fernando Sánchez-Suárez, María del Valle Palenzuela, Cristina Campos-Vazquez, Inés M. Santos-Dueñas, Víctor Manuel Ramos-Muñoz, Antonio Rosal and Rafael Andrés Peinado
Agriculture 2025, 15(15), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15151604 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 403
Abstract
This study evaluates the agronomic potential of two types of vermicompost—one produced solely from wine industry residues (WIR) and one incorporating sewage sludge (WIR + SS)—under rainfed and deficit irrigation conditions in Mediterranean vineyards. The vermicompost was obtained through a two-phase process involving [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the agronomic potential of two types of vermicompost—one produced solely from wine industry residues (WIR) and one incorporating sewage sludge (WIR + SS)—under rainfed and deficit irrigation conditions in Mediterranean vineyards. The vermicompost was obtained through a two-phase process involving initial thermophilic pre-composting, followed by vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida for 90 days. The conditions were optimized to ensure aerobic decomposition and maintain proper moisture levels (70–85%) and temperature control. This resulted in end products that met the legal standards required for agricultural use. However, population dynamics revealed significantly higher worm reproduction and biomass in the WIR treatment, suggesting superior substrate quality. When applied to grapevines, WIR vermicompost increased soil organic matter, nitrogen availability, and overall fertility. Under rainfed conditions, it improved vegetative growth, yield, and must quality, with increases in yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN), sugar content, and amino acid levels comparable to those achieved using chemical fertilizers, as opposed to the no-fertilizer trial. Foliar analyses at veraison revealed stronger nutrient uptake, particularly of nitrogen and potassium, which was correlated with improved oenological parameters compared to the no-fertilizer trial. In contrast, WIR + SS compost was less favorable due to lower worm activity and elevated trace elements, despite remaining within legal limits. These results support the use of vermicompost derived solely from wine residues as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, in line with the goals of the circular economy in viticulture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vermicompost in Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 1442 KiB  
Article
The Role of Vermicompost and Vermicompost Tea in Sustainable Corn Production and Fall Armyworm Suppression
by Ivan Oyege and Maruthi Sridhar Balaji Bhaskar
Agriculture 2025, 15(13), 1433; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15131433 - 3 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 642
Abstract
Integrating organic soil amendments such as vermicompost (VC) and vermicompost tea (VCT) in agriculture has received increasing attention as a sustainable strategy to improve soil fertility, enhance plant growth, and suppress pest infestations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations [...] Read more.
Integrating organic soil amendments such as vermicompost (VC) and vermicompost tea (VCT) in agriculture has received increasing attention as a sustainable strategy to improve soil fertility, enhance plant growth, and suppress pest infestations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations of VCT (10%, 20%, and 40%), alone and in combination with VC (2.47 ton/ha), on the development and yield of corn (Zea mays), and suppression of fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) infestation. The experiment was conducted in seven raised beds with seven treatments: V0 (control), VCT10, VCT20, VCT40, VC1 + VCT10, VC1 + VCT20, and VC1 + VCT40. Six weekly applications of VCT were applied starting at the V2 stage, and soil and plant nutrient contents were determined post-harvest. Additionally, relative chlorophyll content, height, cob yield, dry biomass, and FAW infestations were assessed. Results show that both VC and VCT significantly enhanced soil nutrient content compared to the control treatment (V0). VCT20 and VC1 + VCT10 improved plant N, K, and micronutrient uptake. Corn treated with VCT10 and VC1 + VCT10 had the highest biomass (6.52 and 6.57 tons/ha, respectively), while VCT20 produced the highest cob yield (6.0 tons/ha), which was more than eight times that of V0. SPAD values and corn height were significantly high across all treatments, with VCT20 achieving the highest SPAD readings while the control achieved the lowest. For FAW infestation, the control treatment experienced moderate infestation. At the same time, there was complete suppression in VCT20 and VCT40 treatments and a reduction in VC + VCT treatments, likely due to the bioactive compounds and beneficial microbes in VC and VCT that strengthened plant immunity. The results suggest that VCT20 is a cost-effective, eco-friendly amendment for improving corn performance and FAW resistance. This study contributes to sustainable agriculture by demonstrating how organic amendments can enhance crop resilience while supporting environmentally friendly farming practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vermicompost in Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition)
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