• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.93-102
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• 2003

This research was made to determine the optimum mixing ratio cattle manure and food waste investigating the effect that gets the growth and reproductive efficiency of earthworm and productivity of earthworm casts at processing process when handled cattle manure and food waste by vermicomposting, in order to establish the treatment system of organic wastes by vermicomposting. Survival ratio of earthworm was highest in the mixing ratio 80~100% : 20~0% of cattle manure and food Waste, and the increasing ratio was highest in cattle manure 100%, and the number of young worms, the weight of young worms and the productivity of earthworm casts in plots more than the mixing ratio 60% of cattle manure were significantly higher than in the other treatment plots(p<0.05). Total nitrogen and carbon contents in earthworm cast were decreased when rearing time of earthworm was increased. Carbon and nitrogen rate(C/N) of earthworm cast in plots more than the mixing ratio 80% of cattle manure was significantly higher than in the other treatment plots(p<0.05). pH in earthworm cast was higher than that in residual matter. The contents of electrolytic conductivity in the higher mixing ratio of food waste were significantly higher than those in the other treatment plots(p<0.05).

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.105-112
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• 1994

To evaluate the role of dietary earthworm flour in liver injury by CCl4 treatment, the rats were fed 5% earthworm flour supplemented diet for 53 days and control rats were fed standard diet without earthworm supplementation. Liver damage was induced both in earthworm flour supplemented diet and control groups by two intraperitoneal injections of CCl4 at the level of 0.1$m\ell$/100g body weight(50% in olive oil) at intervals of 16 hours the increasing rate of lover weight/body weight(%) and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase activity to the control group were higher in CCl4-treated rats fed earthworm flour supplemented diet than those fed standard diet. The decreasing rate of hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity was also higher in rats fed earthworm supplemented rats by the CCl4 treatment, Hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity was sinificantly higher in rats fed earthworm supplemented diet than those fed standard diet. It is concluded that a dietary earthworm flour argument the metabolic rate of CCl in rats.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.238-242
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• 2009

The effect of earthworm and dung beetle on cattle dung pat decomposition was assessed by combining quantification of earthworm density and with or without dung beetle in pats and measurements of the decomposition rate of these pats. Cattle dung decomposition rate was higher in the pots treated with both earthworm and dung beetle than in the pots with either earthworm or beetle alone. After dung beetle and earthworm activity, the growth of oat in earthworm with dung beetle treatment was similar effect with fertilizer treatment. Dung beetle was responsible for dung decomposition until 78% moisture content in the dung, earthworm was responsible for up to 30% moisture of dung, and two group were not shown any activity for decomposition less 30% moisture content of dung. Therefore dung in the different periods could be broken down by each group. The disappearance and conveyance of dung by earthworm and dung beetle was 72% of the initial dung amount. 10.2% of 72% dung was used making brood balls by dung beetle. Earthworm activity was not an impediment on making brood balls by dung beetles. The interaction of earthworm and dung beetle may have a complementary cooperation rather than competition in the same dung pat. Indeed, development of earthworm accelerate to coexist with dung beetles instead without dung beetles. From this result, maximum benefits of the effective earthworm and dung beetle can be achieved, it is needed to preserve population of earthworm and dung beetles in pasture to sustainable agricultural environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.97-106
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• 2010

Earthworm, a prominent ecosystem engineer within many terrestrial ecosystems, can exert profound influences on various abiotic/biotic environments through bioturbation processes such as burrowing, casting and mixing of litter and soil. In this study, we investigated how the presence or absence of earthworm (Oligochaeta) can alter the soil physico-chemical conditions and ultimately the distribution and abundance of Collembola which constitutes a large proportion of the soil fauna. During September 2010, soil organisms along with soil samples were collected from randomly installed 20 plots in Mt. Gwan-ak. We examined the differences in the abundance of Collembola among plot samples in respect to the presence/absence of earthworm and soil physico-chemical conditions (i.e., pH, $PO_4^{3-}$, $NO_3^{2-}$, organic matter (OM), electrical conductance and water content). Analysis of soil physico-chemical environment revealed a significantly higher organic matter content and electrical conductance in plots with earthworm compared to plots without earthworm. Abundance of Collembola were not only higher in plots with earthworm than in plots without earthworm, but were also positively correlated with availability of OM present in the environment. The results suggest that positive impacts of earthworm on the abundance of Collembola in this study may have been due to their ability to effectively modify soil physico-chemical conditions favored by Collembola. Such conspicuous influence of earthworm's activity on below-ground community suggests their potential significance in forest restoration or revegetation process.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different plant growth media on the growth of tomato(Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) seedlings during growth stages. The media were commercial plant growth medium 100％, earthworm cast (that was produced by vermicomposting of food waste and cattle manure) 100％, earthworm cast 50％ ＋ vermiculite 50％, earthworm cast 50％ ＋ perlite 50％, earthworm cast 40％ ＋ vermiculite 30％ + perlite 30％. Plant length(mm), number of leaves, leaf area($\textrm{cm}^2$), stem diameter(mm), plant dry mater were greatest till the 2nd week growth stages in the commercial plant growth medium plots, but those were higher in the earthworm cast than those in the other plant growth media at the later stages of this study(P<0.05). And relative growth rate of biological yield, relative growth rate of shoot and relative growth rate of root were highest in the earthworm cast till the 4th week growth stage. Therefore it can be implied that there is the possibility of potential utilization of earthworm cast, which was produced by vermicomposting of food waste and cattle manure, as vegetable growth medium.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.98-106
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• 2005

Population dynamics in the vermicomposting bed was investigated. And harvesting efficiencies of earthworm attracting traps with different attractants, mesh sizes of net and covering materials was evaluated. Peak density of earthworm population was $5kg/m^2$ and therafter its desity kept $4.4{\sim}5.0kg/m^2$. It was evaluated that suitable mesh size of the net was 7mm and proper covering materials of the earthworm attracting trap was cotton quilt. The earthworm harvesting efficiency of trap with attractant was much higher than that of trap without attractant. With more amount of attractant in the trap and with longer setting period of trap onto the vermicomposting bed, the earthworm attracting trap harvested more earthworms. Crushed pear-peel attracted much more earthworms than paper mill sludge, but it was difficult to supply enough amount of crushed pear-peel for practical need. Sugar solution(10%) with tab water was proven to be an alternative to crushed pear-peel because its attracting effect on earthworm was as high as crushed pear-peel and it was easy to prepare and supply in large quantity.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of feeding earthworm meal on the meat safety and performance of broiler chicks. A total of 60 broiler chicks at 7 days of age were fed the commercial diet and water until 47 days of age, earthworm meal divided into three treatments, 0% (control), 0.4% (treatment-1) and 0.6% (treatment-2) of dry earthworm meal. The body weight gain and feed/gain tend to be increase fed a 0.4 to 0.6% than 0% of earthworm meal. The effects tended to be higher in 0.4% than 0.6% of earthworm meal. As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb were detected at level of 4.41, 1.23, 1.18, 0.00 and 3.39ppm in earthworm meal, respectively, but those were not detected in the chicken meat (breast and thigh meat). It was assumed that supplementing 0.4% of earthworm meal in the broiler diet, improved the performance of broiler chicks and it still did not affect meat safety.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.79-89
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• 2003

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing earthworm meal on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of feed in broiler chicks. A total of 120 broiler chicks at 7 days of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0％(Control), 0.2％ and 0.4％ of earthworm meal for 6 weeks. When fed on both starter and finisher diets, the body weight gain and amount of feed intake were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the chicks fed 0.4％ of earthworm meal than those fed 0％ and 0.2％ of earthworm meal. There were no significantly differences in feed. conversion ratio and mortality among the treatments. When fed on both starter and finisher diets, digestibility of dry matter of feed was not affected by the dietary treatment, but crude fat and crude ash digestibilities of feed were tend to increased in chicks fed earthworm meal Digestibility of crude protein of feed in chicks fed 0.4％ of earthworm meal was significantly(P<0.05) improved as compared with those in 0.2％ or control group. These results indicated that the dietary supplementations of 0.4％ earthworm meal were effective in improve digestibility of crude protein of diet resulted improved broiler performance if.. broiler chicks.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.104-112
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• 2006

Population growths of earthworm were investigated when the earthworm populations with different levels of initial densities per unit area were fed with cow dung mixed with paper mill sludge. The tested levels of earthworm densities were as follows; $1kg/m^2$, $2kg/m^2$, $3kg/m^2$, $5kg/m^2$. There were no significant differences in population growth rates 60 and 90 days after feed supply among the tested densities of earthworm. Therefore, it was suggested that initial densities of earthworm populations per unit area higher than $3kg/m^2$ should not be favorable because of the cost for purchasing earthworm. Vermicomposting rates of earthworm on feed were also investigated when different amounts of feed were supplied repeatedly to unit area of nursery bed with $5kg/m^2$ of initial densities earthworm populations. The tested amounts of feed at each supplying time were as follows; $16kg/m^2$, $24kg/m^2$, $32kg/m^2$, $40kg/m^2$. The more the amount of feed at each supplying time, the higher vermicomposting rate and population growth rate. Therefore, it should be more favorable for earthworm breeders to supply more than $40kg/m^2$ of feed at each supplying time, because it would reduce time and labor cost.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2000

This study was performed to investigate whether the earthworm cast could be reused as bulking agent in the whole processing of the food wastes using the earthworm. In addition, the growth conditions of microorganism lived upon earthworm lasts was investigated. Because the raw food wastes used in this experiment had low pH, and high moisture and organic matter contents, it was unsuitable to use as direct feeds to earthworm. However, when the food wastes were mixed with some earthworm cast, the mixtures were suitable to the feed condition and the growth environment of the earthworm. Therefore, it shows the possibility that the earthworm cast be reused as bulking agent for food wastes. In the microbiological investigation on earthworm cast, the bacteria showed most high density among the microbial species. And the microbial density showed higher under the mid-temperature than under high-temperature, and higher under the anaerobic than the aerobic condition. The drying methods of earthworm cast for the moisture adjusting, has no effect on microorganism growth whether natural or artificial drying. And the activity of enzyme presented more highly before the drying than after the drying.