Environmental Research International | Year-2015 | Volume 1 | Pages 10-17 © 2015 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL Journal homepage: www.jakraya.com/journal/enri ORIGNAL ARTICLE Effect of Eudrilus eugeniae in vermibioconversion of Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms-Laubach S. Umavathi*, R. Mathivanan, Y. Thangam and S. Revathi PG and Research Department of Zoology, J.K.K. Nataraja College of Arts and Science, Komarapalayam, Namakkal (DT) - 638 183, Tamil Nadu. *Corresponding Author: Dr. S. Umavathi E-mail: umajkkn@gmail.com Received: 01/122015 Revised: 09/12/2015 Accepted: 12/12/2015 Abstract In the present study the physico-chemical status of river Cauvery was analyzed. Rapid additions of nutrients from sewage, dying and industrial effluents were enhancing the growth of aquatic plants like Eichhornia crassipes in River Cauvery. The eradication of water hyacinth is tedious due to its fast growth and lack of economically viable options. Hence in the present study an attempt has been made to produce agriculturally important vermicompost from the aquatic weed E. crassipes by employing the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae. The nutritional status of E. crassipes plant powder (ECP) and earthworm digested E. crassipes vermicompost (EWDEV) were analyzed. The cow dung (CD) medium was used as control medium. From the E. crassipes the secondary metabolites like alkaloid, flavonoid, steroid, saponin, tannin, glycosides, coumarin, chlorogenic acid anthocyanin, terpenoid and phenol were qualitatively and quantitatively estimated. Among the mediums tested the maximum weight and length was noticed in E. crassipes medium than cow dung medium after 50 days. The phytochemicals which are present in E. crassipes will not affect the growth or composting potential or nutritional status of vermicompost. The nutrients of E. crassipes digested vermicompost were enhanced by the earthworm’s digestive enzymes and gut microbes. Keywords: Eudrilus eugeniae, Vermicompost, Eichhornia crassipes, phytochemicals. 1. Introduction Indian ponds, rivers and ground water are used for domestic and agricultural purposes. The quality of water may be described according to their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. They provide habitat, sanctuary and food for many species of fish and wild life and are also a source of process water to a myriad of industries (Dinar et al., 1995). The sources provide water for various activities and in other side these sources out as the sinks for the discharge of domestic as well as industrial waste. It has been observed that major Indian rivers are polluted. The disposal of untreated waste has caused immense problem to both flora and fauna along with aquatic environment worldwide. High degree of pollution by plant nutrients, viz. nitrates, nitrites and phosphates has contributed to prolific growth of aquatic plants (water hyacinth), with coverage of 75% of the water bodies. Aquatic plants grow profusely in lakes and waterways all over the world and in recent decades their negative effects have been magnified by man’s intensive use of water bodies. Eradication of the weeds has proved almost impossible and even reasonable control is difficult. Turning these weeds to productive use would be desirable if it would partly offset the costs involved in mechanical removal. Among other uses, there has been considerable interest in using aquatic plants as pollution control, especially that the accumulation of heavy metal ions by aquatic macrophytes from the water, in which they were documented by a number of authors (Jamuna and Noorjahan, 2009; Lissy and Madhu, 2010; Valipour et al., 2011). Water hyacinth is the free floating invasive aquatic macrophytes that are known to cause severe damage to the aquatic habitat. The capability of water hyacinth to accumulate plant nutrients and heavy metal contaminants present in water bodies is well known, however, disposal of biomass with accumulated heavy metals is a major constraint. Literature revealed that the noxious weeds like water hyacinth are resisted to the all physical, chemical, biological as well as hybrid methods that have been applied to eradicate it (Abbasi and Ramaswamy, 1999). Large numbers of reports are available regarding utilization of water hyacinth, for