Earthworms are classified as a) epigean: they live on the soil surface and feed on organic matter, b) endogean, the best known, they live inside the soil, dig horizontal galleries and eat and defecate organic matter rich in humus, and c) anecic, they live inside the soil, dig vertical galleries and during the night they rise to the soil surface feeding on organic matter.
▶ The earthworm is classified in the animal kingdom, group annelids, order oligochaetes, family lumbricidae. The most commonly used species are: Eisenia andrei or tiger earthworm, Eisenia foetida or Californian red earthworm and Eudrilus eugeniae or African red earthworm. However, other species have also been used for waste transformation, such as: Peryonix excavatus, Lumbricus rubellus, Amynthas gracilis, Dichogaster sp. and Bimastus sp. among others.
▶ Credits: ccafs – [Image of Public Domain]
Earthworms can be used to manufacture products for agriculture such as worm humus, which is the product resulting from the digestive transformation in the form of excreta that this small annelid exerts on the organic matter it consumes.
Although as an organic fertilizer it can be said that it has an excellent value in macro nutrients, it should also be mentioned the range of organic compounds present in it, its availability in consumption by plants, its resistance to fixation and washing.
Liquid worm humus has multiple benefits among these, it increases the biomass of micro organisms present in the soil, stimulates greater root development, retains moisture in the soil for a longer time, increases the production of chlorophyll in plants, and most importantly, increases crop production.
NOTE: Reference material.