The II International Scientific and Practiсal Conference
"Vermicomposting and Vermiculture as Basis of Ecological Farming in the XXI Century - Achievements, Problems, Outlooks"

7-11 June, 2010
Minsk, Republic of Belarus

The Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
27 Akademicheskaya St., 220072, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
Phone: +375 17 2949219
Fax: +375 17 2841036
E-mail:  soilzool@biobel.bas-net.by

Purpose:

Purpose of the International Scientific and Practical Conference was the establishment and strengthening of international cooperation in the sphere of vermicomposting and vermiculture technologies, exchange of results and achievements in the sphere of vermicomposting and vermiculture, in problems of increasing of soil fertility and conservation of biological diversity of soil fauna.

Main activities and procedure of the Conference:

Programme of the Conference included plenary session, section sessions, poster sessions, excursions, round tables, visits to vermiculture enterprises, ceremonial event, exhibition of commodity products.

Programme:

10:00 - Official opening of the Conference: Svetlana L. Maksimova

10:00 – 10:30 – Welcoming remarks
Mikhail E. Nikiforov, Director General of the State Scientific and Production Amalgamation "The Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources"
Mr. Tubolets, Chairman of Scientific and Production Cooperative "Gambit"

Speeches:

10:30 – 11:00 Soil Fertility and Problems of Its Increasing
Aleksandr D. Naumov, Vladimir P. Zhdanovich, Galina Z. Gutseva (Belarus)
11:00 – 11:30 Resource-Saving Biotechnologies in Farming in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Vyacheslav M. Kan (Kazakhstan), Igor N. Titov (Russian Federation), A. A. Kusainova (Kazakhstan)

11:30 – 12:00 – Coffee Break

Section Session 1 "Soil Biota and Its Role in Dynamics of Biogeocenoses"

Section Session 2 "Soil Humus as an Element of Biogeocenose"

Chairman of Section Session - Vasilij N. Veremeev
Secretary - Anna S. Vas'ko

Speeches:

1. Species Composition and Structure of Complexes of Earthworms in Spruce Forests of Different Types
Nataliya V. Gurina (Belarus)
2. Earthworms (Lumbricidae) of Bottomland Ecological System with the Various Biological Diversity and Plant Productivity
Vasilij N. Veremeev (Belarus)
3. Functioning of Microbian Community in the Conditions of Sod-Podzolic Drained Soil
Tatyana S. Zinkovskaya (Russian Federation)
4. Influence of Earthworms on Structure and Biological Activity of Humic Acids
Vladimir V. Tikhonov (Russian Federation)
5. Formation of Moisture Content in Soil After Vermicomposts and Organic Fertilizer Application
Anna S. Vas'ko, N.M. Ivanova, N.A. Chemberovich (Belarus)
6. Quality Composition of Humus in the Conditions of Undulating Land in the Conditions of Application of Vermicomposts, Organic and Mineral Fertilizers
A.S. Pishch, S.M. Krut'ko, E.F. Valejsha

Section Session 3 "Biotechnological Methods in Ecology and Soil Science"

Chairman of Section Session - Svetlana L. Maksimova
Secretary - Yurij F. Mukhin

Speeches:

1. Ecological and Toxicological Evaluation of Actions for Soil Bioremediation
Gennadij A. Zharikov (Russian Federation)
2. Application of Vermiculture on a Household Plot for the Processing of Organic Waste Materials
Viktor P. Artemyev (Belarus)
3. Phytoremediation of Soils of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)
Dmitrij V. Demin, S.M. Sevastyanov, N.F. Deeva, A.A. Ilyina (Russian Federation)
4. Efficiency of Application of Vermicompost "Biogumus" for the Increasing of Postpeat Soils Fertility and Ecological Sustainability
Lyudmila V. Kirejcheva, I.V. Belova, Sergej V. Peregudov, Valerij M. Yashin (Russian Federation)
5. Ecological and Toxicological Evaluation of Influence of Glyphosate Herbicide on Soil Agrocoenosis
Mikhail G. Zharikov, Gennadij A. Zharikov (Russian Federation)
6. Influence of Vermihumates on Agroecological Properties of Sod-Podzolic Sandy Soil with the Excessive Content of Heavy Metals
Viktor A. Kasatikov, N.P. Shabardina (Russian Federation)

Poster Sessions:

1. Biotesting of Quality of Compost from the Bulk Organic Wastes with the Help of Oligochaetes
Gennadij N. Ganin (Russian Federation)
2. Application of Non-traditional Substrates in Course of Vermiculture Realization in Belarus
Svetlana L. Maksimova, Yurij F. Mukhin, Tatyana M. Shavanova, Sergej K. Krajko (Belarus)
3. Vermiculture Technologies – New Direction in Biotechnology Development in Belarus
Svetlana L. Maksimova (Belarus)
4. Application of Decomposer Microorganisms and Earthworms for the Bioremediation of Soils and River Muds Contaminated by Polychlorinated Biphenyls
G.A. Zharikov, V.V. Kapranov, N.I. Kiseleva, O.A. Krajnova, O.A. Dyadishcheva, A.I. Marchenko, A.V. Shalanda (Russian Federation)
5. Process of Vermiculture Technologies Application in Philippines
Marilou Ang Lopez (Philippines)

Section Session 4 "Biotechnology and Selection of Decomposer Organisms"

Chairman of Section Session - Mariya E. Mikhajlova
Secretary - N.A. Kamysh

Speeches:

1. Characteristics of Domesticated Populations of Composting Worms and Their Vermitechnological Potential
Viktoriya E. Mameeva, E.V. Prosyannikov, K.A. Truveler, N.Yu. Kuptsova (Russian Federation)
2. Outlooks for Application of the Cultivated Earthworm Populations in Bioremediation of Oil Contaminated Soils
Anastasiya Yu. Tarasevich (Belarus)
3. Research of Relationship Between Spatial Relationship and Genetic Diversity of Sample Collections of Earthworms Lumbricus rubellus (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)
Olga A. Shepeleva (Russian Federation), O.P. Kodolova
4. To the Question on Variability of Body Marking of Earthworm Eisenia fetida (Sav.) of Lumbricidae Family
Nikolaj M. Bolotetskij, Olga P. Kodolova (Russian Federation)

Poster Sessions:

1. Amynthas hilgendorfi (Megascolecidae ) in Vermiculture
Aleksandr Zh. Barne (Russian Federation)
2. Development of a Method of Vermiculture Cultivation
Svetlana O. Nekrasova, L.M. Vasilyeva (Russian Federation)

Section Session 5 "Waste composting, Products of Vermiculture Technology Process and Their Usage"

Chairman of Section Session - Igor I. Titov
Secretary - Tatyana M. Shavanova

Speeches:

1. Efficiency of Vermicompost in the Conditions of Maize and Spring Triticale Growing
Viktor N. Bosak, Taisiya M. Seraya, Elena N. Bogatyreva, Olga N. Martsul (Belarus)
2. Biohumus as a Substrate for Cutting Grafting
Oleg A. Greznev, Oleg V. Irikov, Andrej B. Minkin, Nikolaj B. Nikolyukin (Russian Federation)
3. Ecologically Safe Methods For Utilization of Sewage Sludge of Urban Sewage Disposal Plants
Galina Z. Gutseva, Valerij P. Zhdanovich, Aleksandr N. Nikitin (Belarus)
4. Liquid Fraction of Compost Ecosystems with Earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and its Biological Activity
Valerij P. Tribis (Belarus), A.A. Shelukhovskij
5. Products of Vermiculture Technology Process and their Usage in the Ecological System of Farmland Management in Lithuania
Juozas J. Pekarskas (Lithuania)
6. Application of Lactic-Acid Bacteria for the Composting of Organo-Mineral Mixtures by an Example of Sugar Production Wastes
Sergej V. Peregudov, Elena Yu. Shilova, V.I. Ganina, S.A. Filchakova (Russian Federation)

Poster Sessions:

1. New Polyfunctional Phytoactivator on the Basis of Soil Oligochaetes
I.Yu. Bobreshova, Tatyana A. Ryabchinskaya, L.G. Kharchenko, N.A. Sarantseva (Russian Federation)
2. Microbiological Express Methods of Evaluation of Vermiculture Technology Products Safety
Anna V. Shalanda (Russian Federation)
3. Advanced Biotechnological Substances of Plant Protection on the Basis of Vermicomposts
Anna V. Shalanda (Russian Federation)
4. Producing of a Humic Complex Preparation and its Influence on the Development and Yielding Capacity of Some Agricultural Crops
Elena I. Yushkova, Ninel E. Pavlovskaya (Russian Federation)
5. Technology of Wastes Composting
Milda Radziute (Lithuania)

Resolution:

The II International Scientific and Practiсal Conference "Vermicomposting and Vermiculture as Basis of Ecological Farming in the XXI Century - Achievements, Problems, Outlooks" was organized on June 7-11 in Minsk (Republic of Belarus) on the basis of the State Scientific and Production Amalgamation "The Scientific And Practical Center For Bioresources " of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

The purpose of the International Scientific and Practical Conference was the establishment and strengthening of international cooperation in the sphere of vermicomposting and vermiculture technologies, exchange of results and achievements in the sphere of vermicomposting and vermiculture, in problems of increasing of soil fertility and conservation of biological diversity of soil fauna, and environmental conservation.

In course of the Conference work there was placed high emphasis on questions of elocological farming, recycling and utilization of different types of wastes, production of humic preparations from biohumus for the increasing of soil fertility, covering questions of production technology of nonconventional organic fertilizers, as well as biology and selection of earthworms. During the Conference there were analysed questions of creation of organisation and coordination centres both in CIS countries, and the possible creation of the united international one, which could be able to present for the interested individuals and organizations an opportunity to exchange information on this problem and would be able to organise vermiculture production at the different level.

The Conference was organized for the specialists of different professions, starting with research workers, representatives of ministries and government agencies, production workers, practical experts, and finishing with business professionals. All Conference participants were interested in the improvement of ecological situation in Belarus and in the necessity of an early adoption of the Programme of Ecological Farming at the appropriate level.

Scientists and production workers from 10 countries including CIS and far-abroad countries took part in the Conference. Total number of the Conference participants - 83. There were presented 45 speeches on the plenary session and 5 section sessions.

The Conference participants acknowledge the following:

1. Vermiculture technology (vermicomposting and vermiculture) and its end product (biohumus and biomass of earthworms) served as an effective means for environmental enhancement, increasing of yielding capacity of agricultural fields, producing of high quality products (environmentally compatible), producing of national protein feed additive for agricultural animals, producing of raw materials for the medical and cosmetic industries. All these could serve as a safe basis for the creation of the future united system for jump in agricultural production, producing of high quality products, high-volume fertilization of arable soils with organic fertilizers, and restoration of soils which were taken out from economic use.

2. At present existing in the world technologies for organic wastes recycling in the majority of cases proved to be non-waste ones and environmentally compatible, and do not require heavy spendings for energy resources. Composting with worms could serve an alternative to the existing methods.

3. Nowadays Composting with worms received widespread development all over the world. However, in contradistinction from China, India and the USA, in the CIS countries they do not give adequate consideration to this problem. In the CIS countries, inclusive of Belarus, there was started the production of biohumus, but the production output is very insignificant and in mos the cases is realized by the self-employed entrepreneurs and farmers. State bodies (Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus) are not interested in introduction of vermiculture technologies on waste processing and agricultural enterprises. In this respect, it is necessary to realize an extensive advocacy of vermiculture technologies not only among the country population, but first of all among the Ministries and Agencies.

4. In the sphere of processing and decomposition of organic wastes by means of vermiculture technologies there proved to be some theoretic and action-oriented problems, which need to be solved. In this connection, it is necessary to organize constant familiarization with the best world examples of application of vermiculture technologies and demonstration of national achievements in this field.

5. With a view to organise cooperatioon of scietists and production workers, as well as, in order to solve some production tasks it is necessary to do the following:
- organize a union of scietists, production workers and motivated representatives of different countries in the sphere of production and usage of vermicompost of products produced of their base. Establish the CIS Society of Vermiculture;
- organize international scietific conferences, dedicated to usage of vercompost and vermiculture technologies no less than once in 2-3 years; publishing of organized conference proceedings;
- coordination of activities and rendering methodic help (consultations, trainings) both for large-scale and small businesses.