EARTHWORM SPECIES USED IN VERMICOMPOSTING

 EARTHWORM SPECIES USED IN VERMICOMPOSTING

 

VERMICOMPOSTING:- Vermicomposting  is a method of making compost with the use of earthworms                                 which generally live in the soil eat biomass and excrete it is digested form. This compost is generally called vermicompost.

 

 

TYPES OF EARTHWORM IN VERMICOMPOST

Ø EPIGEIC: e.g. Eisenia foetida, Eudrilus engenie, Perionix excavates.

Ø ENDOGEIC:e.g. Pentoscolex spp, Eutopius spp, Drawida spp.

Ø ANECEIC:e.g. Polypheretima elongate, Lampito marutt.

 

 

 EARTHWORM SPECIES

ü Eisenia fetida

ü Eisenia anderi

ü Dendrobaena hortensis

ü Eudrilus eugeniae

ü Perionyx excavatus

 

 

 

11) Eisenia fetida

·      Common  Names : Tiger Worm, Manure Worm,  Brandling Worm

·      Color : Rust brown with yellow stripes around its body just like a tiger!

·      Length : Up to 130mm

·      Ideal Working Temperature: 15-25⁰C

·      Reproductive rate : Approximately 10 young per worm per week under ideal conditions.

·      Average number of young per cocoon: Approximately 3

·      Time to emergence from the cocoon : Approximately 30-75 days under ideal conditions.

·      Time to sexual maturity: Approximately 85-150 days under ideal conditions.

22) Eisenia anderi

 

 

·      Common Name: Red tiger worm

·      Color :Dark red to purple with maybe some stripes

·      Length: Upto 130mm

·      Ideal Working Temperature Range: 15-23⁰C

 

 

 

 

 

 

33) Dendrobaena  hortensis

·      Common Name: Dendras, Blue noses

·      Color: Violet, Purple or Olive brown and sometime stripped

·      Length: Upto 155mm

·      Ideal Working Temperature: 18-25⁰C

 

44)Eudrilus eugeniae

 

 

·      Common  Name: African Nightcrawler

·      Color: Uniform Purple- Grey

·      Length: Upto 130mm and posterior  segments are evenly tapered to a point

·      Temperature Range: Minimum- 45⁰F, Maximum- 88⁰F, Ideal range- 70⁰F to 80⁰F

·      Reproductive range: Approximately 7young per worm per week under ideal conditions.

·      Average number of young per cocoon: Approximately 2

·      Time to emergence from the cocoon: Approximately 15-30 days under ideal conditions.

·      Time to sexual maturity: Approximately 30-95 days under ideal conditions.

 

55)Perionyx excavatus

·      Common Name : Composting worm, Blues or Indian Blues

·      Color: Deep reddish brown

·      Length: 8- 12cm

·      Number of body segments : 152-165

·      Maximum body mass : 600mg

·      Rate of cocoon production(days) : 1.1

·      Cocoon:  shape- cylindrical with projections at both ends, length- 3 to 5mm, weight- 5 to10mm

·      Temperature tolerance: 35⁰C

·      Life span under laboratory condition: >1years

 

66) Lumbricusrubellus

·      Common Name: Red worm, Blood worm

·      Color: Dark red to maroon, no stripes and light yellow underneath

·      Length: up to 105mm

·      Ideal working temperature range : 18-23