Parthenium, water hyacinth and Medicago hispida weed substrates effect on population, biomass of earthworm Eisenia fetida and yield of compost

Farmers uproot plenty of weed biomass from their crop fields during weeding process and such biomass are generally thrown on the bunds and road side. Such weed biomass can be used for making vermicomoist to enrich crop soil. This study was done to see the effect of abundantly occurred weed biomass of Parthenium, water hyacinth and M. hispida as substrate on growth of earthworm Eisenia fetida and vermicompost yield. Increase in length and weight biomass of earthworms indicated that although E. fetida fed on all the three substrates provided to them, but most preferred weed species was Medicago hispida for the reproduction and development for the earthworm. The weight gained by total number of juveniles in different substrates indicated highest weight gain in the substrate of M. hispida (17.16 g/pot) followed by Parthenium (15.63 g/pot) and water hyacinth (13.21 g/pot). The number of cocoons recovered from which different substrates was highest in M. hispida and was statistically significant with other two substrates, while it was non-significant in Parthenium and water hyacinth. The maximum yield of vermicompost was obtained from Parthenium substrate (55.22%) followed by water hyacinth (46.05%) and M. hispida (45.22%). The vermicompost yield was not significantly different in water hyacinth and M. hispida, however, it was significantly different in case of Parthenium. Germination of Parthenium seedlings was recorded in vermicompost collected in form of the pellets of excreta individually from the vermicompost. This test unequivocally revealed that Parthenium seeds are not killed even if passed through the intestine of earthworm.