J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2014: Vol.

28 (2): 275-278 ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF VERMICOMPOSTS PRODUCED BY THREE EARTHWORM

SPECIES DRAWIDA NEPALENSIS, METAPHIRE HOULLETI AND PERIONYX EXCAVATES
AND EFFECT ON WHEAT PLANT GROWTH
Madhuri Dabral, Namita Joshi1 and R.K. Maikhuri2
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Technology and sciences, Patel Nagar,
Dehradun -248002 ,Uttarakhand ,India.
1
Department of Environmental Science, Kanya Gurukul Mahavidhyalaya, Haridwar- 249407, Uttarakhand, India.
2
G.P. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, P.B.-92, Srinagar Garhwal-246174, Uttarakhand, India

Received: 19-09-2014 Accepted: 27-10-2014

A study was undertaken to evaluate the changes in the properties of the vermicomposts when produced by three different
earthworm species viz: Drawida nepalensis, Metaphire houlleti and Perionyx excavates and its effect on wheat plant growth. The
result shows that organic carbon content was found within the range of 25.52% to 28.82%. While organic nitrogen was noted in
between 1.85% to 1.98% for the three vermicomposts type and the C: N ratio was found to be 13.79 to 14.77. The crop growth
parameters were found maximum for vermicomposts treatment with respect to control treatment. The plant height parameter
shows significant increase of 12.78%, 16.59% and 20.49% when treated with the vermicomposts produced by Drawida nepalensis,
Metaphire houlleti and Perionyx excavates with respect to control.

Earthworms are considered as the most important soil
invertebrates in term of biomass and activity 1-3. Several studies
have emphasized the importance of earthworms in consumption
and degradation of litter and incorporating plant residues in
the upper soil horizon. They can consume 30% of their own
weight per day. According to researchers earthworm cast can
positively affect plant growth in the tropics, due to higher
concentration of plant available nutrients4-6,3. Thus the activities
of earthworms have been shown to enhance plant yield because
of their beneficial effects on soil properties3,6,7,8,9,. Vermiculture
scientist all over the world knew about the role of earthworms
as waste managers as soil managers and fertility improvers
and plant growth promoters for long time. Now researches are
being done to know which are the best organic substrates
form among the diverse organic waste that can be produce
most nutritive vermicompost competing with the chemical
fertilizer and the best methods of vermicomposting including
the selection of composting worms that can give rapid and
good results10. With similar objective the present study has
been conducted to (i) evaluate the changes in properties of
the vermicompost when produced by three different earthworm
species Drawida nepalensis, Metaphire houlleti and Perionyx
excavates and (ii) to evaluate the effects of vermicompost
produced by the three species on wheat plant growth with
respect to control.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The earthworms were sampled from 15 dug pits of the size
25x25x30 cms. randomly on regular monthly basis for two
years from Narayankoti district Rudraprayag (29030'3" N and
79077'02" E and altitude ranges 1200-1800 msl). Then the
earthworms of the species D.Nepalensis, M.houlleti and
P.excavatus were cultured in 3 experimental pits having size
1.5x0.5x0.5 m partially decomposed cattle dung with partially
decomposed agricultural refuse used in equal amounts (w/w).
The 3 earthworm species with 80 individuals /pit were introduced
separately in pit 1, pit 2 and pit 3 respectively. 40-50% of
moisture and regular water supply should be maintained in
the pits to retain moisture level.
The finished vermicompost obtained after 75 days were dried,
grinded and sieved at 2mm sieve and were analyzed as per
standard methods. Moisture content was calculated as percent
of the weight after oven drying at 105o Celsius. pH by a digital
pH meter in 1:2.5 soil/water solution. Organic matter was
determined using complete oxidation method11. Soil nitrogen
was analyzed by the microkjeldahl method 12. Available
phosphate was measured spectrophotmetrically by the
molybdenum blue method after extraction with sodium
bicarbonate extracting solution 13. Potassium by flame
photometer method after extraction with ammonium acetate
buffer at pH 7.
 Comparative Study of Vermicomposts Produced by Three Earthworm Species
Now to study the effects of vermicomposts on wheat plant four
plots of size 1mx1m were taken. Indigenous variety of wheat
k-68 was sown to all the four plots. Then VDn (Vermicompost
of Drawida Nepalensis), VMh (Vermicompost of Metaphire
houlleti), VPe ((Vermicompost of Perionyx excavates), were
applied @ 10 t/h or 1kg/m2 to plot 1,2,3 and plot 4 was taken
as control (without vermicompost). The vermicompost were
applied in two splits during the study period (i) at the time of
sowing of seeds and again when plants have attained a knee
high stage. At the time of crop harvest the wheat plants were
taken out of the plot and growth performances were noted with
respect to five parameters (i) plant height in cms (ii) number of
tillers per plant (iii)ear size in cms (iv) dry weight of plant
excluding ears in gms (v) dry weight of ears per plant (in gms).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The three species of earthworms D. nepalensis, M. houlleti
and P. excavates were maintained and utilized for the
stabilization of the agriculture refuse. The data on the physic-
chemical properties of the three vermicompost are presented
in Table-1. However the data on effects of three types of
vermicompost on the growth of wheat plant with respect to
control are presented in Table-2.
No significant differences were found within the physic-
chemical properties of the three vermicompost types. The
vermicompost of the three species i.e. VDn, VMh and VPe
contain moisture percent 43.85%, 51.3% and 50.2 %
respectively, which was in accordance with the preferred range
of moisture in finished compost i.e. 40-45% by Dougherty.14 In
vermicomposting process the moisture content is usually kept
within the range so that it can fulfill the needs of microbes and
earthworms, while Lofs-Holmin15 and Edwards and Neuhauser16
suggested that the vermibeds in which the process of
vermicomposting ongoing needs to have moisture content in
between 60-90%. workers reported that 67% moisture content
is appropriate for the vermicomposts17. pH is the numerical
measure of acidity and alkalinity or hydrogen ion concentration
of a material during present study the pH recorded within 5.6-
5.9 which were found to be acidic. As active calciferous glands
in the earthworms contain large quantities of carbonic
anhydrase which catalyze the fixation of CO2 in the form
calcium carbonate. Thus results the fall in pH of the body
fluid18. Tolerance of soil pH varies from species to species in
earth worms, usually they can live in soils with pH ranging
(276)
from 4.5-8.7, but neutral soils have greater density of
earthworms as compared to alkaline and acidic soils.19 Several
workers concluded that earthworms decompose organic matter
quickly and the vermicompost formed which contain more
carbon content than the parent soil.19 The organic carbon
content was found within the range of 25.52% for VMh - 28.82%
for VPe20,21. Organic matter content in the composting material
showed a decrease towards maturity due to the degradation
by microorganism. Nitrogen content ranges in between 1.85%
- 1.98%. It has been reported that earthworms increases the
nitrate production by stimulating bacterial activity and through
decomposition of their own bodies.22 Researchers found that
microbial activity in the gut of earthworms improves level of
nitrogen present. Phosphorus and Potassium were found
maximum for VMh and VDn respectively23. Many studies have
shown that the earthworms cast have increased concentration
of these elements or they have been transformed to accessible
form for plant uptake.24, 25 The ratio of carbon to nitrogen in
organic matter added to soil is very important since plant can't
assimilate mineral nitrogen. Earthworms profoundly affect
microbial activities and organic matter dynamics in soil that
passes through their gut, which seems to be the most
important factor in the development of sustainable earthworm
distribution.26,27,2 The C: N ratio of the vermicomposts was found
higher in VPe than that of VDn and VMh. Workers studied
changes in chemical properties during composting of organic
residues as influenced by earthworm activity28. According to
them there was a decrease in C: N ratio. The organic carbon
was lost as CO2 and N content of compost is decomposed on
the initial N present in the waste and extent of decomposition29, 30.
Some worker have reported higher content and micronutrient
in vermicompost31, 32.
The result on crop growth experiment showed that compared
to the control total plant height, dry weight of plants and dry
weight of ears/plant was found higher in vermicompost
treatments. Plant height was increased significantly (F 3,8 =
50.25, P<0.01) 12.78% in VDn, 16.59% in VMh and 20.49%
in VPe. Dry weight of plant (excluding ear) were also showed
a significant (F3,8 = 4.68, P<0.05) increase of 20.30% with
VDn, 31.30% with VMh and 43.01% with VPe compared to
control. In continuation of this the dry weight of ears /plant
showed an increase of 21.74%, 24.64% and 36.76% when
treated with VDn, VMh and VPe respectively. It is due to
application of vermicomposts which improves the physical,
(277) Dabral, Joshi and Maikhuri

Table-1. Physico-chemical parameter of the three vermicomposts.

Table-2. Effect of the three vermicomposts on growth parameter of wheat plants with
respect to control.

[*Significant at P<0.01.**Significant at P<0.05]

chemical and biological conditions of the soil. Vermicasts ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

provides a potentially significant source of readily available Authors are thankful to Dr J.M. Julka (Scientist) ZSI, Solan,
nutrients for plant growth and thereby increasing growth of for identifying the earthworms and GBPIHED, Garhwal unit,
wheat plants with all the three types of vermicomposts. There Srinagar Garhwal for providing Lab facilities.
have been several reports that earthworm and its
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