Abbasi S. A.

Vermicomposting of the Pernicious Weed Salvinia Molesta, Mitchell Abbasi S. A.

Salvinia molesta Mitchell, a free-floating aquatic fern, is one of the world?s worst aquatic weeds, it has a faster growth rate that, under optimal conditions, doubles in number and biomass in less than 3 days. Excessive growth of this species prevents light penetration of the water column by forming dense floating mats that can shade out favorable vegetation and degrade habitat for fish and wildlife. Dense mats of S. molesta can impede water-based transport and recreation, reduce water quality and aesthetic values, and clog irrigation and power generation intakes. Public health problems have also been associated with nuisance growth of the plant, which restricts access to potable water supplies and harbors mosquitoes and other vectors of human diseases. Thus, attempts were made towards vermicomposting salvinia. Vermicomposting proves to be a highly promising option for not only a large scale utilization of weed, but also for its final disposal.