Effects of five earthworm species on some physico-chemical properties of soil

Abstract

An incubation experiment was conducted to study the changes that occur in organic carbon content, phosphorous and potassium availability and other soil properties with ingestion of soil mixed with rubber leaf litter and cow dung by five earthworm species viz. Pontoscolex corethrurus, Drawida assamensis, Drawida papillifer papillifer, Eutyphoeus comillahnus and Metaphire houlletiof rubber plantation in Tripura (India). Due to earthworm activity organic C (1.56-1.63%) and available P (14.71-27.60 mg 100 g(-1)) and K (43.50-49.0 mg 100 g(-1)) content of the soil increased significantly (p < 0.05) in most of the earthworm species studied. M. houlleti and D. papillifer papillifer had the highest P (27.60 mg 100 g ) and K (49.0 mg 100 g ) mobilization capacity, respectively. Earthworms, irrespective of the species, increased the pH (7.05-7.17) and electrical conductivity (663-1383 microS cm(-1)) of the soil significantly (p < 0.05).