Effect of fungicides on the growth parameters and gut bacterial population in Eisenia fetida
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Date
2017
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CCSHAU
Abstract
Earthworms plays a very important role in soil properties like bulk density, infiltrability, porosity, and aggregate stability by consuming organic matter, leaf litter and animal excreta etc. The worms have the
ability to increase the availability of nutrients to plants due to the presence and activity of micro flora in their gut. The use of agrochemicals is increasing day by day in agricultural to enhance the production to
meet the ever increasing demand of food due to population explosion. But along with benefits of good yield of various crops there are many adverse effects of use of pesticides. Their use not only kills target
species, but proves harmful to non-target organism like earthworm and due to this reason; the present
study was carried out to investigate the effect of fungicides on growth and population of gut microflora
in earthworm. The LC50 for both the fungicides was calculated and it was observed that LC50 was 1.25% & 2.00% for Thiram and Carbendazim respectively. The results also pointed out acute toxicity of two fungicides individually as well as in combination of different concentrations on earthworms in terms of survival rate, growth (length and weight), reproductive efficacy, cocoon production and gut microbial population. It was also observed that as the concentration of fungicides increased, the survival rate, growth, cocoon production and microbial population decreased. Maximum decrease in the population of earthworm and cocoon production was 75.29% & 99.5% respectively when worms
were exposed to Thiram along with Carbendazim at 1.25+1.25mg/kg. Similarly decrease in body weight (69.5%) length (44.7%) and maximim reduction population of bacteria was observed when
worms were exposed to Thiram along with Carbendazim at 1.25+1.25mg/kg. The LC50 value depicted that Thiram is more harmful in comparison to Carbendazim.
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