Assessment of the Effects of Chemical Fertilizers and Insecticides on Earthworm Species
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59436/jsiane.v6i2.6.2583-2093Keywords:
Earthworm, Chemical Fertilizers, Insecticides, Soil Toxicity, Chlorpyrifos, Soil Health, Agrochemicals, BioindicatorAbstract
Earthworms are considered important bioindicators of soil health due to their significant role in nutrient cycling, aeration, decomposition, and maintenance of soil fertility. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides in modern agriculture has raised concerns regarding their adverse effects on soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of selected chemical fertilizers and insecticides on earthworm species under controlled experimental conditions. Earthworms were exposed to different concentrations of urea fertilizer and chlorpyrifos insecticide for a period of 30 days. Various biological parameters including survival rate, body weight, behavioral changes, burrowing activity, and mortality were observed at regular intervals. The results revealed that exposure to agrochemicals caused significant physiological and behavioral alterations in earthworms. Increased concentrations of fertilizers and insecticides resulted in reduced body weight, sluggish movement, decreased burrowing activity, and higher mortality rates compared to the control group. Chlorpyrifos exhibited greater toxicity than urea fertilizer. Histological observations also indicated tissue degeneration and damage in treated groups. The findings suggest that indiscriminate use of agrochemicals may negatively affect earthworm populations and ultimately deteriorate soil quality and ecological balance. Sustainable agricultural practices and eco-friendly alternatives are therefore recommended to minimize environmental hazards and conserve beneficial soil organisms.
References
Booth, L. H., & O’Halloran, K. (2001). A comparison of biomarker responses in earthworms to pesticides. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 20(11), 2494–2502.
Darwin, C. (1881). The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms. John Murray.
Edwards, C. A., & Bohlen, P. J. (1996). Biology and ecology of earthworms. Chapman & Hall.
Gupta, S., Saxena, P. N., & Murthy, R. C. (2007). Impact of chlorpyrifos on earthworm survival and reproduction. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 67(2), 278–285.
Lavelle, P., & Spain, A. V. (2001). Soil ecology. Springer.
Luo, Y., Teng, Y., & Christie, P. (1999). Effects of fertilizers on earthworm populations in agricultural soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 31(8), 1237–1243.
Maboeta, M. S., & Van Rensburg, L. (2003). Vermicomposting of industrially produced wood chips and sewage sludge utilizing Eisenia fetida. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 56(2), 265–270.
Neuhauser, E. F., Loehr, R. C., & Malecki, M. R. (1985). The toxicity of selected organic chemicals to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Journal of Environmental Quality, 14(3), 383–388.
OECD. (2004). OECD guidelines for the testing of chemicals: Earthworm acute toxicity tests. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Paoletti, M. G. (1999). The role of earthworms for assessment of sustainability and as bioindicators. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 74(1–3), 137–155.
Pelosi, C., Barot, S., Capowiez, Y., Hedde, M., & Vandenbulcke, F. (2014). Pesticides and earthworms: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 34, 199–228.
Reinecke, A. J., & Reinecke, S. A. (2007). The impact of organophosphate pesticides on earthworms. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 66(2), 244–251.
Saint-Denis, M., Narbonne, J. F., Arnaud, C., & Ribera, D. (2001). Biochemical responses of earthworms exposed to contaminated soils. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 20(4), 858–866.
Suthar, S. (2008). Toxicity of insecticides on earthworms and soil ecology. Bioresource Technology, 99(17), 8017–8021.
Tomlin, C. D. S. (2009). The pesticide manual (15th ed.). British Crop Protection Council.
Tomlin, C. D. S. (2009). The pesticide manual (15th ed.). British Crop Protection Council.
Tripathi, G., & Bhardwaj, P. (2004). Comparative studies on biomass production and survival of earthworms in different organic wastes. Bioresource Technology, 92(3), 275–283.
Yasmin, S., & D’Souza, D. (2010). Effects of pesticides on earthworm behavior and physiology. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 30(3), 243–248.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maharaj Singh Educational Research Development Society
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
