EARTHWORM CAST AS SOIL AMENDMENT AND VARIABILITY IN SOIL MICROBIAL COMPOSITION

ABSTRACT

This experiment investigated the effect of Earthworm cast, poultry manure, urea fertilizer and on the microbial composition in a potted soil (Ultisol) experiment. The experiment had four treatments (control, earthworm cast, poultry manure and urea amended soils). These treatments were replicated thrice to give a total of twelve (12) pots contain 15kg soil that were used in this experiment. The pots were thereafter laid out in a way Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Microbial analysis was carried out to determine average mean of bacteria and fungi population and possible bacteria and fungi isolated before and after the experiment. The results showed earthworm cast (Ec) and poultry manure (pm) positively influenced the growth of the microorganisms: with bacteria mean population of 5.24 cfu/g and fungi mean population of 4.52 cfu/g. In poultry manure amended soils, the microbial population were 5.17 cfu/g for bacteria and 4.71 cfu/g while Nitrogen fertilizer amended soils had the lowest bacteria and population of 4.84 cfu/g and 4.42 cfu/g respectively. Based on the findings of this experiment, earthworm cast and poultry manure had a higher microbial population and would be deduced that they promote higher growth of beneficial microorganisms for growth of Amaranthus caudatus.