Invasive weed turned into nutrient-rich vermicompost for sustainable agriculture.
Researchers used earthworms to turn an invasive weed, Ipomoea staphylina, into nutrient-rich vermicompost. They mixed the weed with cow dung and mushroom spent straw in different ratios and let it decompose for 21 days before vermicomposting for 50 days. The vermicompost had lower organic matter, cellulose, and lignin, but higher nutrients like NPK, calcium, and nitrate. The 1:1:1 ratio of weed, cow dung, and mushroom straw produced the best vermicompost with high enzyme activity and suitable for sustainable agriculture. This method can help manage the weed problem and produce eco-friendly fertilizer.