Like Marigold, powdered rock lime could be used to control giant earthworms (Pheretima elongate), the ruinous pest that has been damaging the Ifugao Rice Terraces.
Since powdered rock lime is used in Brazil as a source of phosphate fertilizer when mixed with manure to revitalize the soil, this author and Dr. Nancy Ann P. Gonzales thought of testing if it could be used as a control agent for giant earthworms. They also thought of testing powdered shell lime because it is also good for the soil as it is used to neutralize soil acidity.
To test the effectiveness of the materials, the researchers conducted ‘a laboratory study in the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry. They collected moist soil “and giant earthworms from an infested paddy in Banaue. And since giant earthworms are aerobic and stay favorably in moist soil approximately 1-3 feet below the paddy, during their experiment, they placed five worms in each of the 1.4 feet high plastic pails filled with moist soil.
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Posted on November 19th, 2008 under SPOTlight. Tags: Earthworm, Pests. Comments: None
