In-Soil Hatching and Propagation of Commercially Marketable Earthworm Cocoons

"The beneficial effects of earthworms on soil structure, chemistry, microbiology, and crop
yield are well demonstrated. Advanced Prairie, Inc. has developed a method of harvesting and
encapsulating earthworm cocoons to make them available for mass market distribution. A
previous SBIR proposal demonstrated the storage (at least five months) and shipping viability of
the encapsulated cocoons.
The proposed project will determine the hatch rate of hand-inoculated earthworm
cocoons in actual soil environments. An outdoor experiment will test hatch rates in active
farmland, subject to uncontrolled weather conditions. A controlled indoor experiment will
determine the effects of moisture, organic matter, and encapsulation on the hatch rate of two
species of earthworms, Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrobaena veneta, in field soil. In addition,
we will initiate longer-term experiments on earthworm propagation to make possible more
meaningful results in Phase II."