Role of earthworm biodiversity in soil fertility and crop productivity improvement

Abstract

The earthworms are the biological indicator of the soil ecosystem as they indicate the health and fertility of the soil for proper cropping. In the soil for proper aeration, rich nutrient contents earthworms are very essential organisms. They enhance the nutrients contents, increase water holding capacity, and improve microbial activity in the soil. All over the world approximately 3627 species of earthworms are there. Earthworms are of two type’s micrdrilli and megadrilli, in microdrilli group about 280 species, and the rest all are under megadrilli. Megadrilli group earthworms are soil living earthworms, they are grouped under three subgroups epigeic, endogeic, and anecic. Earthworms work for formers daynight without any labor charge and make the soil more nutritious and more aerated that helps in crop production. The major problem nowadays is to be recycled the organic waste into humus like products. For crop production enhancement organic manure is a better option instead of chemical fertilizer. Earthworms decompose the organic waste into organic manure. By the use of vermi techniques (use of earthworms and organic waste) in the presence of oxygen organic waste turns into manure. The diversity and number of the earthworms in the soil change the soil texture and improve nutrient contents.