Data/hora: 22/09/2024 05:14:36

Biblioteca(s): 	Embrapa Soja.	
Data corrente: 	11/03/2008	
Data da última atualização: 	11/03/2008	
Autoria: 	BROWN, G. G.; SENAPATI, B. K.; PASHANASI, B.; VILLENAVE, C.; PATRÓN, J. C.; LAVELLE, P.; BAROIS, I.; BLAKEMORE, R. J.	
Afiliação: 	George Gardner Brown, CNPSo; Bikram K. Senapati Sambalpur Univesity India; Beto Pashanasi Universidade Nacional da Amazônia Peruana Peru; Cécile Villenave Institu de Recherche pour le Dévéloppement França; José Cinco Patrón Ibarra Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla México; Patrick Lavelle Université Pierre et Marie Curie França; Isabelle Barois Instituto de Ecologia A.C. México; Robert John Blakemore Yokohama National University Japão.	
Título: 	Earthworms stimulate plant production.	
Ano de publicação: 	2007	
Fonte/Imprenta: 	In: BROWN, G. G.; FRAGOSO, C. (Ed.) Minhocas na América Latina: biodiversidade e ecologia. Londrina: Embrapa Soja, 2007.	
Páginas: 	p. 509-517	
ISBN: 	978-85-7033-019-2	
Idioma: 	Inglês	
Conteúdo: 	Earthworm effects on plant growth have been studied for over 100 years but, until the 1980`s, most of the work had been performed in the temperate region, using only a few species of Lumbricid earthworms. The present paper reviews the results of several experiments undertaken during the 1980´s and 90´s , on the effects of earthworms on plant production in the tropic, both at the greenhouse and field scale. These experiments were undertaken in eight countries, involved 19 plant species, 23 soil types, and 34 eartworm species. Additional data from the literature was also analyzed and the overall average shoot and grain biomass increase obtained due to earthworms was around 57 and 36%, respectively. Highest increases were observed in soils with sandy textures, poor in organic matter, and with a moderately acid pH. Earthworms enhanced plant growth in 75% of all cases, and in 43%  of the cases, the increase was over 20%. The earthworm species with greatest potential for influencing plant growth was Pontoscolex corethrurus. Several other species were important in particular situations, and are probably useful under wider conditions of crop and soil management. Benefits of earthworm introduction were most evident with perennial plants (tropical trees, tea) and grasses. Grain crops (sorghum, rice and maize) were enchanced in several situations while leguminous crops were less enhanced by earthworm activities. Numerous mechanisms are involved in plant growth stimulation, ranging from large scale effects on soil physical properties (aggregation and water infiltration), to the microsite level where earthworms enhance microbial activity, nutrient availability and rhizosphere processes. Simplistically, mechanisms can be divided into direct and indirect, and may be physical, chemical or biological in nature. Direct positive or negative effects are probably rare, and are usually less important than indirect ones. Positive indirect effects mostly relate to changes in nutrient, biological or physical conditions limiting root (plant) growth , while negative indirect effects are often related to dysfunctions in the soil created or induced by earthworm activity. When earthworms are to be introduced, a suite of adapted species, at realistic and sustainable numbers and biomass must be added to ensure a stable population that will induce favorable soil properties and enhanced plant production. Once earthworms are established , cropping systems involving crop rotations with long-cycle crops or perennials with sufficient organic matter additions will help secure long-lasting benefits from earthworm activities.	
Palavras-Chave: 	Efeito da minhoca sobre a planta.	
Thesagro: 	Zoologia.	
Categoria do assunto: 	--	
Registro original: 	Embrapa Soja (CNPSO)	
Exemplares: 	CNPSO - (28037-1) - UMT - PL - -- - LV 592.64098 - B8121 -  - DIS