Earthworm (Eudrillus euginae) multiplication through variable substrates

Three hundred adult healthy earthworms (Eudrillus euginae) ranging length and weight from 14–29 cm (mean 21.5 ± 6.8 cm) to 1.6–3.0 g (mean 2.55 ± 1.1 g), respectively, were cultured in three different substrate for 70 days. The substrates were soil alone, (control T-1), cow (Bos taurus) dung and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (1 : 1 T-2), and partially dried neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves with kitchen waste (1 : 1 T-3). The earthworms were grown in these substrates in a wooden chamber (0.8 m × 0.5 m × 0.2 m) and these were subjected to monitoring for various growth patterns (length, biomass, number) at every fortnight (five observations) interval. The observations showed that T-2 was the best among the three treatments used. There was significant difference (P < 0.05) between the mean values of growth efficiency in food conversion among the treatments. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the mean values of survival rate of earthworm among different treatments.