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Argemone species (Argemone maxicana L. and Argemone ochroleuca Sweet) were used as the feeding materials for an earthworm species Amynthus alexandri to study the effect on their biomass. It has been observed that there was a significant increase in the biomass of earthworm in these organic waste . It has also observed that earthworm not only survived, gained weight but also gave a good quality of vermicompost.

This paper describes the effect of an obnoxious weed Argemone species waste on earthworm biomass. 

Similar studies carried out by Hartenstein, R.,Neuhauser,E.F.and Kaplan, D.L.(1979) Progress report on the potential use of earthworms in sludge management, Neuhauser,E.F.,Hartenstein,R.and Kaplan,D.L..(1979) Darwin,C.(1988) The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms with observations in their habits,Graff,O.(1981)Preliminary experiments of vermicomposting of different waste materials raising Eudritus eugenie Kinberg., Kale, R.D.,Bano,K.and Krishna Moorthy,R.V.(1982) Potential of Perionyx excavatus for utilization of organic wastes,Thakur,C.(1984)Weed science, Bano,K.and Kale, R.D.(1986) Conversions of poultry resources into protein, Julka, I.M.(1986) Verms and vermicomposting,Edwards, C.A.(1988) Breakdown of animals, vegetable and industrial organic wastes by earthworms, Hartenstein, R.and Besei, M.S.(1999) Use of earthworm biotechnology for the management of effluents from intensively housed livestock, Reinecke A.J.and speech Viljoen, S.A.(1990) The influence of feeding pattern on growth and reproduction of the vermicomposting earthworm Eisenia foetida , Kale, R.D.(1991) Time and space relative population growth of earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae, Kale,R.D.(1991) Vermiculture. Scope of new biotechnology, Nainawat, R.(1997) Vermitechnological studies on organic solid waste management Bhardwaj, N.and Garg Kavita (1999) Effect of Parthenium and Lantana organic waste on earthworm biomass, Khandal, D.K.(1999) Vermitechnological study on weed management, Bansal and kapoor KK (2000) Vermicomposting of crop residues and cattle dung with Eissenia foetida, Singh A., and Sharma S.,(2002) Composting of a crop residue through treatment with microorganisms and subsequent vermicomposting, Reddy M.V., and Ohkura K.,(2004) Vermicomposting of rice-straw and it’s effects on Sorghum growth. Ansari AA., and Hanief (2015) Microbial degradation of organic waste through vermicomposting, R. Patil Soumya (2019) Production of worm biomass (Vermiprotein) and vermicompost by using Epigeic Earthworms.

The study was carried out at Jaipur (20˚ 48˚ N latitude and 75˚ 48˚ E longitude, 436 m above m.s.l.) which lies in the semiarid zone of the western India. The pot experiment was conducted during rainy season to study the effect of Argemone on earthworm biomass. The mixed dried materials of Argemone species were taken as experimental organic wastes. To prepare suitable feeding material for earthworm for production of vermicompost. Plant parts were dried and mixed with soil and cow dung. This material was kept for fifteen to twenty days for partial degradation. This partially degraded material of plant (400g) mixed with garden soil (2000g) means in ratio 1:5 and cow dung (100g). This much material was kept in one pot. Like wise fifteen pots were taken for the plant material to harvest three pots at each harvest.

Table1. Effect of Organic waste on earthworm (Amynthus alexandri) biomass 

S.No	Earthworm species	Organic wastes	Percentage change in biomass (g) after
			15 days	30 days	60 days	90 days	120 days
1	Amynthus alexandri	Garden soil (without organic waste)	22.463g   0.468 ±0.27	32.683g   2.043 ±0.17	65.260g   0.680 ±0.392	60.66g   1.154 ±0.66	50.66g   1.154 ±0.66
2		Argemone plant material	22.350g   0.522 ±0.301	33.500g   0.513 ±0.29	66.430g   1.101 ±0.63	61.500g 1.64 ±0.95	60.41g   0.72 ±0.41

Ten young worms of earthworm (Amynthus alexandri) of known weight were transferred in each pot. These pots were covered with jute or thick cotton cloth so that earthworms may not come outside and taken full care during the period of investigation. After 15,30,60,90 and 120 days three pots of material were disturbed to recover the earthworms. Their living weight was determined.

The data related with biomass of earthworms revealed that there was a significant increase in the biomass of the earthworm in both the groups viz. The garden soil and Argemone organic waste, but showed maximum increase in organic waste. It was observed that earthworm gained maximum weight during 15-19 days thereafter it became constant and then declined.

The decrease in biomass was due to loss of feeding material. It was also observed that there was a change in colour of feeding material from dark brown to black green due to fast degradation between 60 to 90 days.

Darwin (1881) recognised the activity of earthworm as beneficial for the improvement of the soil’s physical condition and for plant growth. Julka (1986) reported 3000 species of the earthworms worldwide out of which five species are in India. Eisenia foetida, Eudrilus eugeniea, Perionyx excavatus and Lumbricus ruballus are used worldwide for waste degradation and for manure and biomass production. From India, four endemic species have been certified for waste degradation, manure and biomass production. In the present study, Argemone species were used as the feeding material to observe their effect on biomass of local species of earthworm Amynthus alexandri. Plant parts of Argemone species used with the garden soil in the ratio of 1:5 and their biomass was assessed periodically. It was observed that there was a significant increase in the biomass of earthworm in the organic waste and gained maximum weight during 60-90 days and was due to availability of feeding material. Then it showed decreasing trends, since the material provided to them was limited, which was completely converted into the vermicompost and showed decreasing trend in the biomass. Neuhauser et.al. (1979) showed the materials supporting weight gain by the earthworm Eisenia foetida in waste conversion system and observed that it cannot gain weight and thrive on mineral soils, cellulose, saw dust, newspaper etc. It is highly dependent on material rich in certain kinds of organic matter.

Nainawat (1997) reported three species of earthworm. They are Metaphire posthuma, Lampito mauritii and Amynthus alexandri out of these. Amynthus alexandri was most efficient and active on Parthenium and Lantana. Some of the species of earthworms are already known for their use in biodegradation of organic waste, stabilization of sewage sludge and for their protein value (Hartenstein et.al. 1979, Neuhauser et.al. 1979). The possibility of using earthworm Perionyx excavatus, Eudrilus eugenia and Eisenia foetida for composting of various animal, plant residues under semi natural conditions has been established (Graff, 1981, Kale et.al.1982, Bano and Kale, 1986, Edwards 1988, Hartenstein and Beresi, 1989, Kale, 1991). It has also been observed that the available space and the nature of food source influence the feeding rate and biomass production (Neuhauser et.al. 1979 and Bano, 1991). It has also been found that poultry waste when added as such to worms was highly toxic and worms failed to survive in the poultry waste (Kale et.al. 1982). On the other hand the worms showed an increase production rate when slurry of the poultry waste used for the gas production in biogas plant was fed worms. Thus toxic waste like poultry droppings or silkworm excreta becomes palatable for worms when they are predigested in the biogas plants (Bano and Kale, 1986). The present study also confirmed that with proper use of noxious weed like Argemone using Amynthus alexandri a significant change in the structure, organic matter and biota of soil can be achieved in a phased manner.

It is concluded that Amynthus alexandri not only survived and multiplied in soil with organic waste (i.e.in Argemone species) but also allowed degradation efficiently converting them into vermicomposting.

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