MSc

The study on the “Production and evaluation of proteinaceous earthworm meal” was conducted at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during the period of 2011-2012. The experiment was done to compare the efficiency of different substrates on the mass multiplication of exotic earthworms, to formulate viable techniques for the collection and multiplication of native worms, to develop a protocol for the preparation of worm meal using exotic and native earthworms and to evaluate the nutritive content of different worm meal preparations. In order to attain the objectives three separate experiments were conducted.
The first experiment included the comparative evaluation of different substrates for the mass multiplication of exotic earthworm Eisenia foetida. In order to study the influence of different substrates on the mass multiplication of exotic earthworms, three different substrates like silkworm waste, banana pseudostem and azolla were used along with cow dung in 1:1 ratio by volume. The results revealed that the best substrate for the multiplication of exotic worm was azolla. The contents of crude protein, carbon and nitrogen were higher in silkworm waste as compared to azolla and banana pseudostem. The compost matured within 12 weeks for the treatment with silkworm waste as the main substrate, where as it attained maturity within six weeks with azolla and banana pseudostem. Among the worm casts from different treatments, the worm cast produced from azolla as the main substrate, recorded the contents as 1.43% N, 0.91% P, 1.29% K, 0.79% Ca and 0.83% Mg.
The second experiment mainly included the viable techniques for culturing native earthworms. For collecting the native worms, a hand full of cow dung with leaf litter was spread in the surface of soil and covered with wet jute bag. Moisten the bag without flooding. After a fortnight interval worms were found to be at the surface and were collected by digging and hand sorting. The collected worms were identified and cultured for the multiplication with different substrates like silkworm waste, banana pseudostem and azolla along with cow dung and soil in the ratio 1:1:1 by volume. Among the three treatments, the treatment with azolla as main substrate was the most efficient one. However a mortality of native worms was recorded in all the three treatments within a period of 30 days of vermicomposting. Considering the manurial value of native worm cast, the treatment with azolla as the main substrate was found to be better than other treatments (0.78% N, 0.39% P, 0.59% K, 0.17% Ca and 0.47% Mg). Irrespective of the substrates and types of worms, the worm cast maintained a pH range of 6.5 to 7.8.
The third experiment, the preparation of earthworm meal and comparative evaluation of nutritive contents of different earthworm meals, was done to identify the best feed material in terms of protein, along with readymade and locally prepared feeds. A simple and cost effective method was proposed for the preparation of worm meal with the clearing of earthworm’s gut using cellulose material. The crude protein (46.37%), crude fibre (1.00%) and crude fat (10.33%) were found to be comparatively rich in exotic worm meal. The total protein content was also higher in exotic (43.45%) than native worm meal (41.61%), but the total carbohydrate was low in both cases with the values 15.03 and 19.06% (as compared to FAO specifications for fish feed) respectively. All the essential and non essential amino acids except proline, tryptophan, cystine and cystine hydrochloromonohydrate were qualitatively detected in all the feeds including worm meals. There is no appreciable change in pH and EC of aquarium water with the continuous use of worm meal as a feed for the ornamental fish, Red Oscar.