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vermicompost application alone or after fortification with microbes such as Trichoderma

harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis significantly improved the growth
and nutritional status of tomato plants. Furthermore, disease incidence was found to be lower

in plants treated with vermicompost biofortified with biocontrol agents, especially Trichoderma
herzianum, compared to control plants [48].

Table 4. Plant diseases and pests suppressed by the use of vermicompost [49]

No Disease/pest Crop

1 Jassid (Empoasca verri), aphid (Aphis craccivora) Groundnut

2 Damping off and root rot Cucumbers and Radishes
3 Damping-off Tomatoes

4 Damping-off Impatiens walleriana

Tetranychus urticae, Pseudococcus sp. Bush beans, Eggplant, tomato,
5
Myzus persicae Cucumber, and Cabbage

6 Collar rot Chickpea

7 Fusarium wilt Chick pea
8 Helicoverpa zea and Pieris rapae Cabbage

9 Meloidogyne incognita Brinjal

10 Earworm (Helicoverpa zea) Corn plant
11 Aphid (Lipaphis erysimi) Mustard

12 Fusarium wilt Tomato

13 Damping- off Cucumber
14 Polyphagotarsonemus latus Chili

15 Late blight disease Potato

16 Fusarium wilt Cucumber

Vermicasts can also manage arthropod pests such as caterpillars: like tomato hornworms,
cabbage white caterpillars and cucumber beetles including sucking arthropods such as aphids,

spider mites and mealy bugs. Vermicomposts derived from food waste are known to
significantly control mealybug attacks on cucumber and tomato, two-spotted spider mite

(Tetranychus urticae) attacks on bush bean and egg crops, and aphid (Myzus persicae) attacks

on cabbage, even at low amounts [50]. Vermicompost also has a positive effect on the
occurrence and number of plant nematodes. It was reported that vermicast application at the

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