GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF EISENIA FOETIDA IN VARIOUS ANIMAL WASTES DURING VERMICOMPOSTING

The effect of various animal wastes on growth and reproduction of an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida was studied under identical laboratory conditions. For each waste, viz., cow, buffalo, horse, donkey, sheep, goat and camel, five hatchlings per 100 g of waste were inoculated and monitored for biomass gain, mortality, sexual maturity, cocoons production periodically for 15 weeks. No mortality was observed in any waste. The earthworms grew rapidly in cow, sheep, and goat wastes. Maximum weight gain and highest growth rate were attained in sheep waste. Net biomass gain/earthworm in different animal wastes was in the order of: sheep > donkey > buffalo > goat ≈ cow ≈ horse > camel. The number of cocoons produced per earthworm per day in different wastes was in the order: sheep > cow ≈ horse ≈ goat > camel > donkey > buffalo. Increase in the number of earthworms was 39.5-fold in horse waste and 26-fold in cow waste. Keywords. Eisenia foetida, animal waste, physicochemical characteristics, biomass, cocoon

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