Impact of Biofertilizers on Growth and Reproductive Performance of Eisenia fetida (Savigny 1926) During Flower Waste Vermicomposting Process.

ABSTRACT

The growth and reproductive performance of epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida in biofertilizers enriched flower waste vermicomposting was studied for 80 days in the laboratory. Six feeding compositions – Co-Flower waste (FW) alone; A- FW + Earthworms (E. fetida); B- FW+ EW + Azospirillum (Azos); C- FW + EW+ Phosphobacteria (PB); DFW+ EW+ Blue green algae (BGA); E- FW + EW + Rhizobium (Rhizo). Maximum number of earthworms was recorded in C and minimum number in A, highest average body weight was observed in E and least in A. Maximum average body length was noted in B and minimum in A. Higher reproductive performance of earthworms under the influence of biofertilizers were clearly visible in C and E than A. The microbial populations and availability of food materials from biofertilizers enriched flower waste increases the biomass, average body weight, average body length and also increases the reproductive performance of earthworms in the vermicomposting process.