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Earthworms as the modulators of soil properties

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125004, India
  • 2Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125004, India
  • 3Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125004, India
  • 4Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125004, India

Res. J. Agriculture & Forestry Sci., Volume 5, Issue (6), Pages 20-23, June,8 (2017)

Abstract

The scientific literature dealing with the part of earthworms in modulating the soil properties including the gist of author’s study has been reviewed. Earthworms are known to enhance the soil fertility by increasing the levels of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that makes vermicompost suitable to use as fertilizer. Partly release of carbon as CO2 due to respiration and lowering of C/N ratio has been observed during vermicomposting. Earthworms increase the organic matter’s mineralization in soil by boosting the bacterial population and reducing soil erosion. This value additive property of earthworm makes them more capable of waste management too. Various types of agricultural and household wastes can be reduced to organic manure by the process of vermicomposting. Thus, the process of vermicomposting not only encourages the sustainable development but also helps in reducing the waste into value added organic fertilizer.

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