Title: Influence of some biological wastes and their combination on growth and reproduction potential of earthworm, Eisenia fetida and their effect on plant growth

Authors: R. Shanmugasundaram; T. Jeyalakshmi; M. Saravanan; Sweatha S. Mohan; Anumolu Goparaju; P. Balakrishna Murthy

Addresses: Department of Entomology/Ecotoxicology, International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India ' Department of Entomology/Ecotoxicology, International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India ' Department of Entomology/Ecotoxicology, International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India ' Department of Entomology/Ecotoxicology, International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India ' Department of Statistics, International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India ' International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology (IIBAT), Padappai, Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu – 601 301, India

Abstract: Effect on growth and reproduction potential of animal wastes viz., cow, goat, horse and a domestic waste (used tea dust) and their combinations to the earthworm, Eisenia fetida, was studied under laboratory conditions. The effect of above on growth aspects of Bhendi crop was compared with the normal compost individually under green house conditions. The effects on growth were assessed for ten weeks by releasing ten juveniles in 200 grams of the wastes. After ten weeks, worms were observed for biomass, juvenile productions and mortality. No mortality was observed in the wastes except goat waste. The net biomass gain order was: cow + tea ≥ cow > horse + cow > horse + tea > tea > horse. The juvenile production order was, cow > horse + cow > cow + tea > horse + tea > tea > horse. The effects on plant growth aspects was: horse + cow (vermicompost) > cow (vermicompost) = horse (vermicompost), tea (normal compost) > horse (vermicompost) = horse + tea (vermicompost) > cow (normal compost) = tea (vermicompost) = cow + tea (vermicompost) > cow + tea (normal compost) = horse + tea (normal compost) = horse + cow (normal compost).

Keywords: biological waste; animal wastes; tea waste; growth reproduction; Eisenia fetida; vermicompost; plant growth; combination biological waste; earthworm biomass reproduction; environmental waste management; Bhendi; compost.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2013.054260

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2013 Vol.11 No.4, pp.387 - 398

Received: 30 Sep 2011
Accepted: 02 May 2012
Published online: 20 Sep 2014 *

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