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Earthworms and Associated Microbiome: Natural Boosters for Agro-Ecosystems

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Probiotics in Agroecosystem

Abstract

Nature has bestowed every living creature with unique qualities for maintaining an ecological balance. Earthworms are equipped with wonderful machinery, absolutely different from other organisms, which allow them to nurture the soil beautifully, having a direct impact on the production and quality of crops. Worms act as natural boosters when organic matter is converted into vermicompost and as soil conditioners bringing beneficial microbial activity to plants for growth and development. Microbial stimulation in the presence of earthworms may be due to the utilization of additional nutritive substances (secretion and excretion products) that they provide. Vermicomposting is highly nutritive and a growth promoter as compared to conventional compost. The process of vermicomposting has been well studied by earlier researchers, covering almost every aspect, but scant scientific literature is available on the relationship of earthworms with microbial diversity in different ecosystems. This chapter investigates how earthworms are natural boosters for agro-ecosystems and the role earthworms play in activating different microbes in agriculture fields.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, ITM University, Gwalior, MP, India

    Khursheed Ahmad Wani

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, MP, India

    Mamta

  3. School of Studies in Botany, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, MP, India

    Razia Shuab & Rafiq A. Lone

  4. Department of Natural Sciences, SBBS University, Khiala (Padhiana), Jalandhar, Punjab, India

    Rafiq A. Lone

Authors
  1. Khursheed Ahmad Wani
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  2. Mamta
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  3. Razia Shuab
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  4. Rafiq A. Lone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rafiq A. Lone .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Jolly Grant, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    Vivek Kumar

  2. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Manoj Kumar

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Shivesh Sharma

  4. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ram Prasad

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Wani, K.A., Mamta, Shuab, R., Lone, R.A. (2017). Earthworms and Associated Microbiome: Natural Boosters for Agro-Ecosystems. In: Kumar, V., Kumar, M., Sharma, S., Prasad, R. (eds) Probiotics in Agroecosystem. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4059-7_25

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