Dear Ibrahim,

The choice of the right species of earthworm and proper selection of earthworm for vermicomposting is the prime step as it affects the rate of waste stabilization. There are lots of earthworm's species having the potential to be used in waste management and sludge stabilization practices. The earthworm's species having the capability to colonize organic throw away naturally, high rates of organic matter consumption, digestion and assimilation, able to tolerate a wide range of environmental stress, having high reproductive rates by producing large number of cocoons, rapid growth and maturation rate of hatchlings to adults, tolerance to a wide range of temperatures, short life cycles, and endurance to handling are suitable to be used in vermicomposting process.

Few earthworm species display all these characteristics and in fact, only five have been used extensively in vermicomposting Eisenia andrei (Bouche), Eisenia fetida (Savigny), Dendrobaena veneta (Savigny), and to a lesser extent, Perionyx excavatus (Perrier), and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg). Several epigeic species of earthworms have been investigated for their potential to stabilize organic waste and produce vermicomposts. Research has shown that many organic wastes can supply the large populations of microorganisms that are necessary for the growth and reproduction of species of earthworms of the genera Eisenia, Eudrilus, Dendrobaena, Perionyx, and Pheretima .

Different varieties of earthworms have been recommended to be used in vermicomposting by various workers such as deep burrowing , shallow burrowing, and surface dwellers and it has been established that the epigeic forms (surface dwellers) of earthworms are the most suitable for vermicomposting. Several epigeic earthworms, e.g., Eisenia fetida, Perionyx excavatus, Perionyx sansibaricus, Eudrilus eugeniae, and Eisenia andrei have been identified as detritus feeders and can be used potentially to minimize the anthropogenic waste from different sources. But Eisenia fetida was, and still remains, the favored earthworm species for laboratory trial experiments on vermicomposting due to its wide tolerance of environmental variables (pH, moisture content, temperature).

Well, up to my profound research knowledge in vermicomposting for quite long period of time, all these epigeic earthworms have been researched and innovation in this specific area (ability of these earthworms in degrading different types of organic materials) is actually under way. As far as I knew, I did not come across a paper with regards to the use of Octodrilus Transpadanus in vermicomposting during perusal of internationally high-tiered scientific papers. Still, you can proceed by employing this rare specie of earthworm for your research prior from knowing the characteristics of Octodrilus Transpadanus that is; temperature limit, moisture limit, life cycle, able to tolerate a wide range of environmental stress, hatching viability etc..

Regards

Nuhaa

Dear Nuhaa thank you so much for your answer, and about Eisenia Fetida i'm totally agree with you it's the most favorable one, lot of works about it, and again thank you so much.

Regards