IoT-Based Environmental Control System for Vermiculture to Enhance Vermicompost Production Efficiency

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to: 1) develop an intelligent environmental control system for earthworm farming using Internet of Things (IoT) technology; 2) study the effects of this system on African Nightcrawler (AF) and Blue Worm (Blue) species; and 3) analyze vermicompost yield, microbial quantity, and worm growth under the IoT-controlled conditions. The system comprised temperature and humidity sensors (DHT11), soil moisture sensors, and an ESP32 microcontroller, all connected to a real-time monitoring application. The experiment was conducted from February 15 to March 1, 2025, at the Integrated Learning Center, Sompor Asa Club, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Lampang, covering a single production cycle experiment. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean), paired two-sample t-test for means to compare the results between groups, and microbial quantity was calculated using a biological equation.The research findings showed that the IoT-based control system significantly increased vermicompost yield and average worm length in the AF group at 0.05 level of significance. The system maintained temperature and humidity effectively, promoting optimal worm growth. Moreover, the experimental group using the IoT system exhibited higher microbial counts than the control group, but lower microbial diversity. These results suggest that IoT-based environmental control can enhance productivity and improve farm management in commercial earthworm farming.