Reproduction of mines in organic substrates and the perception of family farmers on minococulture

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the reproduction of Eisenia foetida worms in different substrates and the understanding of the family farmers of three rural of the Municipality of Coxixola, state of Paraíba, Brazil on vermicomposting. The experiment was conducted in two stages: a perception study with the farmers and a field trial, set up atthe experimental farm of the CDSA / UFCG campus Sumé-PB, to test the efficiency of different substrates for the reproduction of earthworms. The experiment was conducted from March to May 2017, with a completely randomized design, using five treatments: bovine manure (EB), sheep (EO) and goat (EC) for a period of fifteen days, organic compound ( CO) and the proportional mixture of these four organic sources (MIX); in 4 replicates, totaling 20 experimental units. After 60 days of the experiment, the number of young and adult individuals, the number of cocoons, the length and the biomass of all the individuals and the multiplication index of the earthworms were evaluated. At 60 days of breeding season, E. foetida had a significant breeding rate, with Mix and cow manure treatments presenting the best results for the studied variables. Concerning the study of the farmers' perception of the use of earthworms in agricultural production, it was verified that all were not aware of the practice, presenting a distorted view on the presence of these representatives ofthe soil macrofauna and evidencing the urgency of the dissemination of the activity as conservation practice of the soil and generating income for the peasants.