Abstract

COVA, Luis José; GARCIA, Danny Eugenio; CASTRO, Alexander Rafael  and  MEDINA, María Gabriela. Detrimental effect of Moringa oleifera (Lam.) combined with other agricultural wastes as substrates for the red worm (Eisenia spp.). INCI [online]. 2007, vol.32, n.11, pp.769-774. ISSN 0378-1844.

An experiment was carried out to study the behavior of the red worm (Eisenia spp.) fed with 5 nutritious substrates based in Moringa oleifera (Lam.) foliage, for the nutritional potentialities, and other agricultural wastes in Trujillo state, Venezuela. A randomized design with repeated measurements and three replicates was used. Initially, 1.16kg of biomass in 0.5m³ of substrate were inoculated and biomass, mature worms, young worms, baby worms and capsules were determined. The components of each substrate exhibited an appropriate chemical composition for the breeding of this annelid. However, M. oleifera showed substantial quantities of terpens, lectins, saponins and tannins. A significant effect substrates x time of measure in all stages was observed (P<0,05). When the substrates contained M. oleifera foliage, the presence of worms and capsules was not observed from the second month of evaluation onwards. With bovine manure substrate the best results (20g of biomass, 133 total worms and 29 capsules in 1900ml) were obtained after four months. The negative effect of M. oleifera foliage in the feeding of the red worm could be due to the presence of secondary metabolites with anti-nutritional and/our toxic properties.

Keywords : Lumbricultura ; Metabolitos Secundarios ; Toxicidad ; Residuos Agrícolas ; Sustratos Alimenticios .