Earthworm abundance and diversity in different cropping systems under organic and conventional farming
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Date
2021
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Earthworms form an integral part of the soil ecosystem, contributing to the
development of soil structure, nutrient cycling, pedogenisis, water regulation and
pollution remediation. The present study is an attempt to assess the earthworm
abundance and diversity in the different cropping systems (i.e. basmati-wheat,
basmati-chickpea, soybean-wheat, moong-wheat) under organic and conventional
farming systems in the fields of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The four
earthworm species found during the study period are Metaphire posthuma, Lampito
mauritti, Amynthas morissia and Travoscolides chengannure. which belong to two
families i.e. Megascolicidae and Octochateidae. Out of these Travoscolides
chengannure was reported for the first time in Punjab. The results indicate that richer
earthworm diversity is found in the organic farming systems as compared to the
conventional farming systems. The overall abundance of earthworms (60.4%) in
organic farming system was more as compared to the conventional (39.5%) farming
system. The present study reveals that the management practices adopted for
conventional farming like chemical fertilizers and pesticides had a negative effect on
the earthworm population which might be the reason for less abundance and diversity
of earthworm species in conventional fields. The correlation analysis of earthworm
abundance with the physicochemical parameters of soil in different farming systems
has revealed that the abundance of earthworms in organic farming system shows
positive but non-significant correlation with pH, nitrogen and potassium levels while
negative correlation was observed for electric conductivity, organic carbon and
phosphorus. In conventional farming system, significant positive correlation (p≤0.01)
was found for organic carbon, electric conductivity and nitrogen.
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Citation
Arshpreet Kaur (2021). Earthworm abundance and diversity in different cropping systems under organic and conventional farming (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.