Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Volume-II, Issue-VI, Nov-Dec 2012
Reproductive Performance of Eudrilus eugeniae (Kingberg) in Pongamia pinnata Leaf Medium
Jesikha. M, M. Lekshemanasamy PG and Research Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore 29, Tamilnadu, India Abstract The reproduction of Eudrilus eugeniae (Kingberg) in cattle waste and pongamia leaf waste was studied. The worm’s reproductive performances in the form of rate of cocoon production, hatchling success per egg, hatching percentage of egg or cocoon and incubation period of cocoons have been studied in both media. The reproduction performance was superior in cow dung medium compare than pongamia leaf medium. The waste can composed by earthworm to form good fertilizers but the pongamia leaves contain some chemical substrate (e.g. polyphenols) affect the reproduction of earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae.
KEY WORDS: Eudrilus eugeniae, waste, cocoon, medium
Introduction Vermicomposting is defined as a low cost technology system for processing or treatment of organic waste (Hand et al., 1988). Considerable work has been carried out on vermicomposting of various organic materials such as animal dung, agricultural waste, forestry wastes, city leaf litter and food wastes (Hand et al., 1988; Madan et al., 1988; Singh and Sharma, 2002). Similarly, industrial wastes such as guar gum industrial waste, paper pulp, and distillery wastes have been vermicomposted and turned into nutrient rich manure (Sundaravadivel and Ismail, 1995; Suthar, 2006; Suthar, 2007). Certain epigeic earthworm species such as Eisenia foetida, Perionyx excavatus and Eudrilus eugeniae are voracious feeders of organic wastes (Kale and Bano, 1985). All aspects of the worm biology such as feeding habits, reproduction and biomass production potential must be known in order to utilize the earthworms successfully in vermiculture (Prabha et al., 2007). Eudrilus eugeniae is an earthworm species indigenous in Africa but it has been bred extensively in the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia for the fish bait market, where it is commonly called the African night crawler. Eudrilus eugeniae is a large worm that grows extremely rapid and is reasonably prolific and, under optimum conditions it would be ideal for animal feed protein production (Dominguez et al., 2001); however there has been relatively little work on the biology and ecology of this species (Neuhauser et al., 1979; Viljoen and Reinecke 1992; Reinecke et al., 1992).
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Volume-II, Issue-VI, Nov-Dec 2012
In the present study, the influence of Pongamia leaf (P) and cow dung(C) substrate or feeding material on the reproduction pattern in composting earthworm species Eudrilus eugeniae has been noticed.
Materials and Methods In order to determine the reproductive performance in Pongamia leaf and cow dung culture media, the eggs and young worms were collected from the media. To find out over all reproductive performance the rate of cocoon production, hatchling success per egg, hatching percentage of egg or cocoon and incubation period of cocoons collected from different compost were studied. Rate of cocoon production: The rate of cocoon production is production of cocoon by a single earthworm in a single day (egg/day/worm). The rate of cocoon production were recorded once in 3 days for a period of first 30 days from the day of initiation of cocoon laying by adult 20 earthworms (as evidenced by the well developed and bulged clitellum). The substrates were carefully examined and eggs were collected by wet fine brush. Then counted eggs were set aside in Petri dish with similar medium with good moisture for hatchling study.
Hatchling success per egg: Baby worms in the number of that were emerging successfully from a single egg is hatchling success per egg. Fifty cocoons, collected from all four substrates were selected and each set was placed in separate petri dish filled with 60-65% moistened substrates. Emerging of hatchling were observed daily, counted by hand sorting with brush and removed daily using a fine brush in order to determine the total number of hatchlings emerged from a single cocoon and incubation period. Hatching percentage of cocoon: The viability of cocoon or hatching percentage of cocoons was determined by hatched and unhatched cocoons in the petri dish.
Results and Discussion The sexual maturity in earthworms has been suggested to be stimulated by quality and intake of feed substrate provided in culture medium (Bohlen, 2002). The time of attainment of sexual maturity varied in different species of earthworms. Even the time of maturity of one species on different substrate showed variations. The attainment of sexual maturity in Eudrilus eugeniae was reported between 35-45 days (Viljoen and Reinecke 1992) and between 35-49 days (Neuhauser et al., 1979) cultured on cattle manure and after 56 days on sludge and cattle manure (Graff, 1981). In the present study, Eudrilus eugeniae attained sexual maturity between 38-40days in pongamia leaf medium and 31- 35days in cow dung medium. It has been reported that E. eugeniae attained sexual maturity between 31- 42 days in cow dung manure and 27-38 days in pressmud (Parthasarathi, 2006).
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Volume-II, Issue-VI, Nov-Dec 2012
In Eudrilus eugeniae maximum cocoon numbers (worm -1) and reproduction rate (cocoon/worm/day) were recorded as 1.42 ± 0.009 cow dung medium and the lowest reproduction rate was recorded as 0.67 ± 0.005 in pongamia leaves medium (Fig no: 1) . The cocoons collected from cow dung medium showed highest hatchling success (Fig no: 3) and better incubation period (Fig no: 2). The lowest hatchling success and incubation period were noticed in pongamia leaf medium. Livestock rearing waste such as cattle dung, pig and chicken excreta makes excellent feedstock for earthworms (Sinha et al., 2008). A relationship between reproductive strategies and ecological categories in tropical earthworms was proposed by Lavelle et al., (1998) and Barois et al., (1999). The excellent egg hatching percentage of Eudrilus eugeniae was noticed (82 ± 1.15) on cow dung medium and the lowest hatching percentage recorded on Pongamia leaves medium (Fig no: 4). Eudrilus eugeniae is a fast growing and productive earthworm in animal waste, and in ideally suited as a source of animal feed protein as well as for rapid organic waste conversion. It is more productive in terms of rates of growth than other species and seems to be a suitable candidate for vermicomposting systems, in tropical and tropical countries both feasible and economic. Michon (1957), Avel (1959) and Nowak (1975) have worked on different species of earthworms. They reported three phases of growth: (a) a rapid increase of growth rate during pre-productive phase followed by (b) a phase of steady decrease after attainment of sexual maturity and (c) a post-productive phase of very slow growth and decrease in body weight in senescent worms. The present findings of accelerated growth rate during the pre-reproductive phase of L. mauritii and E. eugeniae cultured in three fed substrates were more or less similar with the findings of Mba (1983). Chaudhuri (2002) stated that the maximum size and development of an animal are determined by heredity and nutrition. The same species of earthworms when cultured on different fed substrates show variation in their reproduction which reflects the nutrient superiority of the feed substrates (Kale and Bano, 1992; Viljoen and Reinecke, 1992; Dominguez et al., 2001). On the otherhand, Eudrilus eugeniae cultured on cattle dung attained a maximum biomass (Viljoen and Reinecke, 1992) and reproduction (Kale and Bano, 1992). Similar reproduction has also been reported in Eudrilus eugeniae when cultured in pressmud substrate (Parthasarathi, 2006).
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Earthworms management in tropical agroecosystems (eds) P Lavelle, L Brussaard and P Hendrix (London: CAB International) pp 57–84. Bohlen, P. J. (2002) Earthworms. Encyclopedia of Soil Science, Marcel Dekker. Inc. USA (2002). Chaudhuri, S. K. (2002) Concise Medical Physiology, 4th Edn., New Central Book Agency (P) Ltd., Calcutta (2002). Dominguez, J., Edwards, C. A. and Ashby, J. (2001) The biology and population dynamics of Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) (Oligochaeta) in cattle waste solids. Pedobiologia. 45: 341-353. Hallatt, L., Viljoen, S. A. and Reinecke, A. J. (1992) Moisture requirements in the life cycle of Perionyx excavatus (Oligochaeta); Soil Biol. Biochem. 24: 1333–1340. Hallatt, L., Viljoen, S. A. and Reinecke, A. J. (1992) Moisture requirements in the life cycle of Perionyx excavatus (Oligochaeta). Soil Biol. Biochem. 24: 1333–1340. Hand, P., Hayes, W. A., Frankland, J. C. and Satchell, J. E. (1988) The Vermicomposting of cow slurry. Pedobiologia. 31:199-209. Kale, R. D. and Bano, K. (1986) Field trials with vermicompost – an inorganic fertilizer. In: Proceedings of the National Seminar on Organic Waste Utilization of Vermicompost, eds 1986. Kale, R. D. and Bano, K. (1992) Niche divergence – A limiting factor for recommendation of earthworms for biotechnology. Proc. Nat. Sem. Org. Fmg., Bangalore. pp. 42-44. Lavelle, P., Barois, I., Blanchart, E., Brown, G., Brussaard, L., Decaëns, T., Fragoso, C., Jimenez, J. J., Kajondo, K. K., Ángeles Martinez, M. D. L., Moreno, A., Pashanasi, B., Senapati, B. K. and Villenave, C. (1998) Earthworms as a resource in tropical agroecosystems. Nature Resources. 34 : 26–41.
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FIGURES Figure no 1: Reproduction rate of Eudrilus eugeniae in P and C media
1.5
1
0.5
Reproductionrate(e/d/w) 0 P C
Figure no 2: Incubation period of Eudrilus eugeniae in P and C media
25 20 15 10 5
IncubationPeriod (day) 0 P C
Figure no 3: Hatchling success es of Eudrilus eugeniae in P and C media
2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 Hatchiling Hatchiling success 0 P C
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi -Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Volume -II, Issue-VI, Nov-Dec 2012
Figure no 4 : Hatching percentage of Eudrilus eugeniae in P and C media
100
80
60
40 Hatching % 20
0 PC
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