INFLUÊNCIA DA SALINIDADE DA ÁGUA DE REGA NA SOBREVIVÊNCIA DA MINHOCA

Abstract

Due the necessity to look for alternatives to produce larger amount of quality foods, as well as to develop research that seeks viable solutions for use of waters of the low quality, this work was addressed. The objective was to know the behavior of red earthworm of California when watered with waters of different from salinity for 45 days. The experiment was installed in the earthworm house of UFERSA. The design used was randomized blocks with four treatments and six repetitions. The used treatments were watering waters with four levels of electric conductivities (T1 = 0.5 dS m-1 T2 = 5.0 dS m-1 T3 = 10.0 dS m-1 T4 = 15.0 dS m-1, being T1 originating from local well and the others obtained by the increment of chloride of sodium (NaCl) to the water used in T1. The 24 portions were composed by concrete pitchers containing 1.5 liters of tanned manure and 6 young earthworms of uniform size. The Mass of Head offices Final Average and the Relative Mass of Head offices they didn't suffer significant decrease when the salinity of the watering water increased from 0.5 to 5.0 dS m-1. The watering of earthworms with waters of electric conductivity of up to 5.0 dS m-1 didn't cause any mortality of head offices. The reduction of the Mass of the Final Population went of 1.69 g to each dS m-1 increased in the electric conductivity of the watering water. The Relative Population Growth of earthworms decreased 6,6 times when the electric conductivity of the water increased from 0,5 to 5,0 dS m-1.