Effects of reed (Phragmites communis) mixing ratios in cow manure on physicochemical changes and earthworm (Eisenia foetida) survival during composting

This study was carried out to explore how adding different levels of reed (Phragmites communis), which is often used as roughage and bedding for cattle, would affect the physicochemical properties of cow manure during composting, and how these changes relate to the survival of earthworms (Eisenia foetida).The cow manure and reed were mixed at four different volume ratios: 100 : 0 (CR0), 90 : 10 (CR10), 80 : 20 (CR20), and 70 : 30 (CR30) (cow manure : reed), and the compost was observed over a 6-week composting period.Starting from the third week, earthworms could survive in all treatment groups.The carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio was significantly higher in reed-mixed groups than in CR0 (p < 0.05), ranging from 23.37 to 32.41 in week 3.The pH and electrical conductivity (EC) tended to be lower when more reed was added, while CR0 showed the highest values.At the point when earthworms began to survive, pH ranged from 7.58 to 7.77, and EC was between 0.95 and 1.15 mScm -1 .In general, the composting mixtures with reed showed changes in physicochemical conditions that were within the range acceptable for earthworm survival.However, to improve vermicomposting efficiency, further studies seem necessary to evaluate growth and reproduction of earthworms under various reed mixing levels.