Sains Malaysiana 43(2)(2014): 169–173

 

Optimal Stocking Density for Culturing Tropical Soil-dwelling Earthworm,

Pontoscolex corethrurus

(Kepadatan Optimum untuk Pengkulturan Cacing Tanah Tropika, Pontoscolex corethrurus)

 

 

H.Y. KOK, A.A. NOR AZWADY*, K.E. LOH, M. MUSKHAZLI & S.Z. ZULKIFLI

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Diserahkan: 12 Mei 2013/Diterima: 18 Mei 2013

 

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to determine the optimal stocking density for culturing tropical soil dwelling earthworm, Pontoscolex corethrurus. F1 generation earthworms were cultured in four different stocking densities of 1, 4, 7 and 10 worms per vessel, corresponding to field densities of 50, 200, 350 and 500 individuals per m2. Earthworms were kept under laboratory conditions (25±2°C and 25% moisture) for the 14 weeks study period. The results showed that at higher earthworm densities (>350 individuals per m2), the earthworm growth was slower and sexual maturation was delayed as compared with their counterparts in lower stocking density. With the high survival rate and parthenogenetic reproduction mode, P. corethrurus could potentially be used as tropical soil rehabilitation agent.

 

Keywords: Cocoon; culture; earthworm; stocking density

 

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk menentukan kepadatan optimum pengkulturan cacing tanah tropika Pontoscolex corethrurus. Generasi pertama (F1) cacing tanah dikultur dalam empat kepadatan berbeza, iaitu 1, 4, 7 dan 10 individu setiap bekas kultur, bersamaan dengan kepadatan lapangan 50, 200, 350 dan 500 individu setiap m2. Cacing tanah dikultur dalam keadaan makmal (25±2°C dan 25% kelembapan) selama 14 minggu. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa dalam kepadatan yang tinggi (>350 individu setiap m2), pertumbuhan P. corethrurus menjadi perlahan dan kematangan seksual lebih lewat berbanding dalam kepadatan yang lebih rendah. Dengan kadar kemandirian yang tinggi dan bersifat partenogenetik, P. corethrurus berpotensi digunakan sebagai agen pemulihan tanah tropika.

 

Kata kunci: Cacing tanah; kepadatan; kokon; pengkulturan

RUJUKAN

Aziz, N.A., Morgan, A.J. & Kille, P. 1999. Metal resistance in earthworms; Genetic adaptation or physiological acclimation. Pedobiologia 43: 594-601.

Butt, K.R., Frederickson, J. & Morris, R.M. 1992. The intensive production of Lumbricus terrestris L. for soil amelioration. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 24: 1321-1325.

Butt, K.R., Frederickson, J. & Morris, R.M. 1994. Effects of earthworm density on the growth and reproduction of Lumbricus terrestris L. (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) in culture. Pedobiologia 38: 254-261.

Butt, K.R., Frederickson, J. & Morris, R.M. 1995. An earthworm cultivation and soil inoculation technique for land restoration. Ecological Engineering 4: 1-9.

Domínguez, J. & Edwards, C.A. 1997. Effects of stocking rate and moisture content on the growth and maturation of Eisenia andrei (oligochaeta) in pig manure. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 29: 743-746.

García, J.A. & Fragoso, C. 2002. Growth, reproduction and activity of earthworms in degraded and amended tropical open mined soils: Laboratory assays. Applied Soil Ecology 20: 43-56.

Garg, V.K., Kaushik, P. & Yadav, Y.K. 2008. Effect of stocking density and food quality on the growth and fecundity of an epigeic earthworm (Eisenia fetida) during vermicomposting. Envionmentalist 28: 483-488.

Klok, C. 2007. Effects of earthworm density on growth, development, and reproduction in Lumbricus rubellus  (Hoffm.) and possible consequences for the intrinsic rate of population increase. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 39: 2401-2407.

Karmegam, N. & Daniel, T. 2009. Growth, reproductive biology and life cycle of the vermicomposting earthworm, Perionyx ceylanensis Mich. (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae). Bioresource Technology 100: 4790-4796.

Laffan, M.D. & Kingston, T.J. 1997. Earthworms in some Tasmanian forest soils in relation to bioturbation and soil texture profile. Australian Journal of Soil Research 35: 1231-1243.

Lavelle, P. 1988. Earthworm activities and the soil system. Biology and Fertility of Soils 6: 237-251.

Lavelle, P., Bignell, D., Lepage, M., Wolters, V., Roger, P., Ineson, P., Heal, O.W. & Ghillion, S. 1997. Soil function in a changing world: The role of invertebrate ecosystem engineers. European Journal of Soil Biology 33: 159-193.

Lavelle, P., Melendez, G., Pashanasi, B. & Schaefer, R. 1992. Nitrogen mineralization and reorganization in casts of the geophagous tropical earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae). Biology and Fertility of Soils 14: 49-53.

Lavelle, P. & Spain, A.V. 2001. Soil Ecology. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p.654 .

López-Hernández, D., Lavelle, P., Fardeau, J.C. & Niño, M. 1993. Phosphorous transformations in two P-sorption contrasting tropical soils during transit through Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae: Oligochaeta). Soil Biology and Biochemistry 25: 789-792.

Lowe, C.N. & Butt, K.R. 2005. Culture techniques for soil dwelling earthworms: A review. Pedobiologia 49: 401-413.

Sabrina, D.T., Hanafi, M.M., Nor Azwady, A.A. & Mahmud, T.M.M. 2009. Earthworm populations and cast properties in the soils of oil palm plantations. Malaysian Journal of Soil Science 13: 29-42.

Stockdill, S.M.J. 1982. Effects of introduced earthworms on the productivity of New Zealand pastures. Pedobiologia 24: 29-35.

Teng, S.K., Nor Azwady, A.A., Muskhazli, M., Suraini, A.A. & Yan, Y.W. 2012. Evaluation on physical, chemical and biological properties of casts of geophagous earthworm, Metaphire tschiliensis tschiliensis. Scientific Research and Essays 7(10): 1169-1174.

Van Rhee, J.A. 1977. A study of the effect of earthworms on orchard productivity. Pedobiologia 17: 107-114.

 

 

*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: azwady@upm.edu.my

 

 

 

sebelumnya