A preliminary study on the earthworm castings of Eisenia fetida from BT cotton fields of Medak, Telangana

Abstract

Earthworm castings are organic in nature, they are rich in nutrients. Earthworm castings and soil samples of both Bt and non BT crop fields were collected. In the present study physical and chemical properties of earthworm casts and the soil parameters like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium were analyzed. The pH of cast is almost similar in the BT and non BT fields. However, the castings pH was slightly more. There is a significant difference in Nitrogen content of Castings and that of both the crop fields. The phosphorous of cast is almost double to the levels of both BT and non BT fields and there is much significant difference and castings possess greater exchange property for Potassium ions. Potassium levels were more in casts compared to the soil samples. Earthworms play a major role in supplying organic matter to the soil food webs and make it more available to other soil micro-organisms.