Earthworm Species and Gutflora Associates

The hazardous agricultural chemicals lead to severe problems of human health and environment. A switch over from the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to organic farming is now imminent. Earthworms have been long recognized to contribute in the decomposition process and in soil fertility enhancement. Earthworms harbour a multitude of microorganisms in their gut. In the present work four earthworm species viz. Metaphire posthuma, Lampito mauritii, Eisenia foetida and Perionyx excavatus were studied to find the most predominant gut bacteria species. Besides aiding in composting, these bacteria were also found to increase the yield of the common Indian vegetables. One of these bacteria has significant role on speedier germination of seeds. The present work indicates that these earthworm gut bacteria can be efficiently utilized in various organic farming strategies and have a potential importance to be utilized as biofertilizer. Here lies the significance of the work because earthworm gut bacteria had not been previously studied to find their effect on plant growth.