Shipitalo, M.J. and Protz, R. and Tomlin, A.D. (1988) Effect of diet on the feeding and casting activity of Lumbricus terrestris and L. rubellus in laboratory culture. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 20 (2). pp. 233-237.
![[img]](http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png) |
PDF
Restricted to ICRISAT researchers only |
Abstract
Feeding and casting activities of Lumbricus terrestris L. and L. rubellus Hoff. were monitored in laboratory cultures with each species provided with alfalfa, bromegrass, maize, red clover or no-food diets. Both species produced predominantly surface casts under experimental conditions. Food consumption values of L. rubellus ranged from 5 to 52 mg g-1 live worm day-1 and were several times higher than those for L. terrestris (2-13 mg g-1 live worm day-1) for all food sources except bromegrass, which both species rejected as food. Cast production was also greater for L. rubellus with values ranging from 80 to 460 mg g-1 live worm day-1 vs 70 to 180 mg g-1 live worm day-1 for L. terrestris. Both species exhibited large weight gains of alfalfa or red clover leaves, slight weight gains when provided with maize leaves, but lost weight when provided with bromegrass leaves or no food. Rejection of bromegrass may have been related to its chemical composition or state of decomposition. Estimates of field food consumption suggested that food supply may limit casting activity of earthworm populations in alfalfa fields, whereas food quality may limit population levels and, thereby, limit casting activity in fields used for maize production
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Author Affiliation: | Univ. Guelph, Dep. Land Resource Sci., Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada |
| Subjects: | Plant Protection > Pesticides Soil Science and Microbiology |
| Divisions: | Other Crops |
| Depositing User: | Mr B Krishnamurthy |
| Date Deposited: | 24 May 2011 05:40 |
| Last Modified: | 24 May 2011 05:40 |
| Official URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(88)90042-9 |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/2060 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
