Bacterial community present in the earthworm’s gut and its role in soil biology and health

K. Gurava  Reddy; Tadela  Susmitha; Gurumurthy  P; Shanti Devi  Bamboriya; Jitendra Singh  Bamboriya; Rupesh  Tirunagari; Sunil Kumar  Medida; Sharvan Kumar  Yadav; G Krishna  Reddy; Aishwarya  Sharma; Shanti Kumar  Sharma; Biswajit  Pramanick; B.S. Sai Siddartha  Naik; Vineet  Kumar; Ruchi  Sangal; Sanjay  Chauhan; Shailja Kumari

doi:10.14719/pst.3356

Authors

K. Gurava Reddy Department of Agricultural extension, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0322-8604
Tadela Susmitha Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, Malareddy University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 043, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2627-7078
Gurumurthy P Department of Soil science and Agricultural chemistry, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Naira, Andhra Pradesh, 532 186, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2405-587X
Shanti Devi Bamboriya Department of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1922-2573
Jitendra Singh Bamboriya Department of Soil science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342 001, India https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5293-393X
Rupesh Tirunagari Department of Soil science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi 110 012, India https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2264-7468
Sunil Kumar Medida Department of Agronomy, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0952-1131
Sharvan Kumar Yadav Department of Agronomy, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313 001, India https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2123-9313
G Krishna Reddy Department of Agronomy, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh 517 501, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9816-1165
Aishwarya Sharma Division of Zoology, Department of Biosciences, Career Point University, Hamirpur- 176 041, Himachal Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5473-5481
Shanti Kumar Sharma Department of Agronomy, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh 110 012, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2078-395X
Biswajit Pramanick Department of Agronomy, Central Agricultural University, PUSA, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh 848 125, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7116-8340
B.S. Sai Siddartha Naik Department of Agronomy, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1163-6874
Vineet Kumar Department of Microbiology, School of Life sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer-305 817, Rajasthan, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9536-7355
Ruchi Sangal Division of Zoology, Department of Biosciences, Career Point University, Hamirpur- 176 041, Himachal Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9542-1248
Sanjay Chauhan Division of Zoology, Department of Biosciences, Career Point University, Hamirpur- 176 041, Himachal Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2908-4166
Shailja Kumari Division of Zoology, Department of Biosciences, Career Point University, Hamirpur- 176 041, Himachal Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2311-9533

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.3356

Keywords:

earthworm, bacterial population, plant, soil, ecology

Abstract

Earthworms are known as ecological engineers due to their significant role in enhancing soil health and productivity. Various factors such as temperature, moisture, acidity, pH, sunlight and the availability of organic matter influence their presence in soil. Earthworms exhibit diverse feeding and burrowing behaviors, which lead to crucial ecological processes within terrestrial ecosystems. Their interactions with soil result in the colonization of their gut and surrounding soil by diverse bacterial communities, including key species such as Escherichia coli, Streptomyces, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. These bacteria aid in the digestion of organic and inorganic matter, thereby altering soil physio-chemical properties and enhancing nutrient mineralization, which promotes plant growth. Additionally, earthworms influence nutrient cycling by modifying microbial soil populations and the bacterial communities in their gut and adjacent soil contribute to phytoremediation. This review delves into the types of bacterial populations found in the earthworm’s gut and surrounding soil, elucidating their specific roles and contributions to the terrestrial ecosystem. By understanding these complex interactions, we can better appreciate the vital role earthworms and their associated bacterial communities play in soil biology. This knowledge is essential for developing sustainable agricultural practices and improving soil management strategies, ultimately contributing to healthier and more productive ecosystems.

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