Subashini M., Divya V., Mujeebunisa M., Saravanan S. and D. Aruna
Several environmental and economic problems arise due to the accumulation of domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes. Disposal of these wastes on land may cause serious contamination problems. These wastes can be converted into useful materials to improve soil structure and fertility by earthworms. Earthworms are important elements of soil biology because they contribute to mineralization and humification of the organic matter into compost on an industrial scale. Regeneration studies have focused almost exclusively on a few, very distantly related species such as hydra, planarians and amphibians. Among the invertebrates annelids are an excellent group in which to investigate the evolution of regeneration abilities. Animals show different grades of ability to replace lost body parts through the process of regeneration. They exhibit qualitative and quantitative variation in their regeneration ability. In the present study, the predigestion mixture was prepared with cow dung in the ratio of 1:1 w/w and water was sprinkled to maintain the moisture content of 65-70%. 100gms of predigestion mixture were taken into 6 containers for experimental groups. The required concentration of pesticides, L. sporogenes and essential microbes were added. Then the amputated worms were introduced in the experiment. Periodically the worms were observed under the hand lens. The number of newly regenerated segments were counted and recorded after 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days in all experimental groups. The results are discussed in the light of enhancing regeneration by probiotic supplementation
