Toxic Effect of Lawsonia inermis Leaf Litter on Growth and Reproduction of Earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae

The present study is to investigate the chemical composition of different crude extracts of medicinal plant Lawsonia inermis and its effects on the growth and reproduction of Eudrilus eugeniae through vermicomposting. The objective was to examine the growth and reproduction of E. eugeniae in different concentrations of L. inermis leaf litter viz. 100% (H1); 75% (H2); 50% (H3); and 25% (H4) along with the Bos taurus breed cow dung and the 100% cow dung (C1) were treated as control. Totally ten clitellated earthworms were introduced in all the treatments; the biomass and population analysis of earthworms were monitored periodically till 45th day of vermicomposting. Also identify the chemical compounds which cause retardation in growth and reproduction of earthworm; the crude extracts of L. inermis in ethanol and petroleum ether solvent were subjected to GC–MS analysis. The results revealed that, when increased in concentration of L. inermis, the reproductive potential and biomass of E. eugeniae get decreased. Reproductive potential in the experiment C1 (160 ± 0.66); H4 (35 ± 0.57); H3 (23 ± 00); and H1 and H2 motility were observed. The compounds viz. Dodecane, Tetradecane, Hexadecane, 1,2 Benzene di-carboxylicacid, Diethyl ester, Octadecane, Phytol, Pentacosane, Undecane, Pentadecane, and Eicosane were reported for their toxic effects. Hence, the bulking materials play an important role in vermicomposting, and from the study, it could be concluded that L. inermis leaf litters are not a preferred medium for vermicomposting. Overall, this study helps to avoid the dumping of a huge quantity of these leaf litters into the soil that may affect not only earthworms but also other soil organisms.