Economic Importance of Earthworm

Merits

One of the oldest use of earthworm is that it is used as bait for catching fish.

Earthworm are friends of farmers because they enrich the soil by nephridial excretion, it increases the fertility of soil, also known as vermicompositing.

Earthworms help in ploughing of fields, make the soil porous. Acts as natural ploughmen or tillers of soil.

During ancient times, earthworms were used as medicines for removing stones of gallbladder, impotency, piles, rheumatism, gout, pyrrhoea, diarrhoea, etc.

Used for dissection in laboratories.

Used as food in some countries like China, Japan, Australia.

Demerits

Some species are ectoparasite on frog.

Destroy golf ground.

Soil erosion in hilly areas.

Cause damage to plants

(a) P.elongata to roots of Piper betal.

(b) Malabaria padudiculal and Aphanescus oryzivorous to roots of paddy.

(c) Perionyx to stem of cardamon.