Evaluating the Changes in Quantities and Types of Substrates Containing Organic Wastes on the Growth and Reproduction of the Earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

Background: The feasibility of converting organic wastes into vermicompost and the effect of adding such wastes into the substrate on the growth and reproduction of the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) were investigated in the present study through a two-factor factorial experiment with a completely randomized design in triplicate.Methods: The first factor with nine different treatment combinations included control; potato (P); carrot pulp (C); vegetables (V); sawdust (S); potato, vegetables, and carrot pulp (PVC); sawdust, potato, and carrot pulp (SPC); vegetables, sawdust, and potato (VSP); and carrot pulp, vegetables, potato, sawdust (CVPS). The second factor was related to two different amounts of ۱۰۰ and ۱۵۰ g. This research was carried out using the analysis of basket trials in Tonekabon County, Mazandaran Province, Iran, in ۲۰۲۱. The base substrate of earthworms was animal manure positioned in boxes and washed with urban tap water to reach a pH value between ۶.۵ to ۷. After ripening the vermicompost, the boxes were emptied, and the worms were counted.Results: The analysis of variance showed a significant difference in the number of cocoons between the studied treatments (P<۰.۱), but there was no significant difference in the number of worms between groups. The maximum number of cocoons (mean=۶۰۵) corresponded to the sawdust treatment combination (S), and the minimum number of cocoons (mean=۱۸۵) was found in the vegetable treatment combination (V).Conclusion: The treatment of manure bed with sawdust wastes provided the optimal conditions for the growth and reproduction of E. fetida. 

کلیدواژه ها:

Eisenia fetida ، Reproduction ، Vermicompost ، carrot ، Sawdust ، Vegetables