Review Article

Role of Earthworms in Soil Fertility Maintenance through the Production of Biogenic Structures

Table 7

Nitrogen input/output budget during the cropping phase under 5- and 15-year Jhum cycle, ( SE, ) [54].

Nitrogen balance (kg ha-1 yr-1) in different shifting agriculture cycles
5-years15-years

INPUT
Slash27.60 ( 1.30)51.4 ( 3.6)
Organic manure14.0 ( 1.1)
Inorganic fertilizer0.80 ( .04)
Crop biomass0.42 ( .05)0.9 ( .01)
Weed biomass2.85 ( 1.1)0.7 ( .03)
Precipitation4.20 ( .28)4.2 ( .26)
Input subtotal49.9057.2
Worm casts27.0 ( 1.3)65.6 ( 4.8)
Worm tissues9.5 ( .13)12.1 ( 1.4)
Mucus production75.9 ( 3.2)95.3 ( 4.5)
Input total**112.4**173.0
OUTPUT
Fire277.6 ( 23.2)657.9 ( 23.9)
Sediment158.0 ( 10.2)116.0 ( 4.5)
Percolation1.0 ( .04)1.2 ( .08)
Runoff7.3 ( 0.3)14.0 ( 1.3)
Weed removal14.25 ( 3.86)3.33 ( .26)
Crop removal15.24 ( 1.28)43.52 ( 3.20)
Output total474.39835.96
Input-Output difference312.12605.75