Nature is beautiful. God has not only created nature beautifully but also have created many species, and insects which are helpful in saving nature and also they are human-friendly.
Being a land of villages, today India is mainly a agriculture-based country, though there is a decline in agriculture sector still many villages arw dependent on it. In olden days no fertilisers were used like today instead they used organic farm, which were eco-friendly.
Today due to the excess use of fertilisers the land has become infertile and hence decline in agriculture. But here’s a nature’s gift, a worm which plays a vital role in improving the fertility of soil and yes, it is an earthworm. Earthworms are known as farmers’ best friends because of the multitude of services they provide that improve soil health and consequently plant health. Earthworms can be used for fishing and compost.
Worms are important to the ecosystems in which they live and breed.
Earthworm – a terrestrial invertebrate is one of the most important soil animals. An earthworm’s body is shaped like a tube, and the length is determined by the digestive system. And through the skin, they breathe. They consume organic material such as living bacteria, fungus, protozoa, and other creatures as well as plant materials. Earthworms are found mostly in and beneath the soil and their activities include burrowing and feeding which further helps in improving the overall quality of soil for crop production. They play an important role in the life of the farmers and organic farming as they provide a multitude of services for a healthy soil system and consequently plant health.
The density of earthworms in the soil is considered to be a good indicator of a healthy soil because they improve many soil attributes like structure, water holding capacity, moisture content etc., and also increase nutrient availability and degrade pesticide residues. In an organic field, earthworm multiplication is natural and the nutrition cycle is in full swing. The earthworm has a great role to play in maintaining the soil fertility by cycling nutrients, micro-flora and fauna population in the soil. The Vermicompost and Vermiwash compost produced from organic materials or waste with the help of earthworms play an important role in organic agricultural systems. They help in sustainable and eco-friendly farming which in turn aids the farmers in reducing or completely avoiding the usage chemical pesticides and fertilisers in the field as the vermicompost is richer in essential plant nutrients such as phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen than traditional compost.
Earthworms make their way through the soil, by loosening the soil and allowing more air to get in. Earthworms improve the quality of the soil as it recycles the organic waste into humus. This makes the soil fertile and helps the crops to grow. The earthworms reduce both acidity and alkalinity of the soil and create optimum conditions for plant growth.
Some tribals in India use earthworms as medicine to cure jaundice, piles, diarrhoea, and bladder stones, etc.
The pH, temperature, salts, aeration, texture, and accessibility of food are among the physical and chemical factors that affect the earthworm population. There are three basic types of earthworms: those that live in soil litter and eat organic stuff that is degrading in leaf litter. Worms that live in the topsoil or subsoil and dig horizontal caves to feed are classified in the second group. Worms that build long, deep vertical burrows out of plant material fall into the third group. They use these burrows to travel to the surface. By increasing the total number of new pores that are produced, earthworms have a significant or vital role in altering the physical composition of soils. This enhances the soil’s tilth, infiltration, aeration, and drainage capacity. The binding substances that improve the soil’s porosity are produced by earthworms.
The use of these organic amendments can improve the growth of plants in a range of ways; number of leaves, seed germination, root biomass, fruit abundance, number of seeds, and overall yield. It also improves the nutritional quality of crops by increasing sugar, oil and protein compounds.
It is vital that these little creatures in the soil are preserved at any cost to ensure they continue to provide their invaluable services to humankind.