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AUTHOR(S): Mzia Kokhia, Eka Tskitishvili, Oleg Gorgadze, Madona Kuchava, Manana Lortkipanidze, Nino Kiknadze
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TITLE Nematodes and Earthworms: Their Interaction and Role in Enhancing Soil Fertility |
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ABSTRACT These invertebrates are responsible for the necessary nutrient cycles, microbial regulation and structural improvement of the soil to enable sustainable soil production and a healthy population. Vermitechnologies become a very popular organic farm method, providing alternatives to chemical fertilizers and soil rehabilitation. The biodiversity of nematodes in different substrates used in vermicomposting is evaluated in this study with the determination of nematodes, which were extracted by flotation. Of these specimens we obtained 44% of which were identified: 40% bacterivores, 20% plant feeders, three predatory species, and four fungivorous nematodes. These experiments identified shifts in species composition as well as new taxa which are not detected on the first test run. Interestingly, 35% of nematodes were found in cattle manure before the introduction of earthworm. Earthworm population and food population dynamics were also studied in the context of dieting. Animal husbandry supplemented with hay doubled the populations of Eisenia fetida and Georgian red earthworms exhibited gradual increases. On the contrary, earthworms rejected rapeseed substrates, which is probably attributed to its high caloric and lipid contents. Chemical analyses of soil, biohumus and manure were performed in the Institute of Earth Sciences, Ilia State University. These results endorse vermicompost as an environmentally friendly method in restoring fertility in the soil, controlling pests and recycling organic materials. |
KEYWORDS Eisenia fetida, Earthworm, fertility, life activity, Dorylaimida, nematode, soil, vermicompost |
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Cite this paper Mzia Kokhia, Eka Tskitishvili, Oleg Gorgadze, Madona Kuchava, Manana Lortkipanidze, Nino Kiknadze . (2025) Nematodes and Earthworms: Their Interaction and Role in Enhancing Soil Fertility. International Journal of Biology and Biomedicine, 10, 79-89 |
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