Effects of soil types and enhanced nutrient levels on the productivity of earthworm (eudrilius eugeniae, kinberg)

Abstract

The productivity, in terms of ability to reproduce, of the earthworm Eudrilius eugeniae (Kinberg), was studied in the laboratory under three (sandy, loamy and clayey) soil conditions with and without cow dung enrichment, in order to determine their individual suitability for the culture and breeding of the species. Ten earthworms of equal sizes were each introduced into two groups of twelve pots, each subdivided into three groups of four pots each, containing 9500g of ordinary sandy, loamy or clayey soils (served as control), and 300g cow dung enriched sandy, loamy and clayey soils (served as experimental). Experimental and control pots were moistened with 750cm3 of water every three days for ten weeks. Both sets of pots were assessed for total earthworm population, their weights and lengths. Percentage increases in earthworm population in the control soil media were 72.5%, 92.5% and 170% in clayey, sandy and loamy soils respectively. Experimental pots yielded 560%, 1700% and 3395% increments in earthworm population for clayey, sandy and loamy soils respectively. Population increments amongst the three soil media differed significantly (P<0.05). Nutrient enriched soils produced significantly higher earthworm population than ordinary soils (P<0.05). The study shows superiority of loamy and nutrient enhanced soil in enhancing earthworm productivity.