05/06/08 Looking for Worms

Looking for Worms. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. This past weekend I was working on the irrigation system around the house and came across a few worms. Two thoughts crossed my mind. I should save him for my compost box and second&I wonder it the fish are biting? Worms have an important place in our society even though we seldom see them according to Jodi Johnson-Maynard an Associate Professor of Soil Science at the University of Idaho. JOHNSON-MAYNARD: They are significant especially when we are right now when we're trying to think of a way to perhaps reduce our inputs and to make agriculture a little bit more sustainable perhaps in terms of what we have to add to it. And also reducing our expenses that go into producing foods. So they actually impact a lot of chemical, physical and other biological communities in the soil which can actually increase productivity. Earthworms aerate the soil and add rich organic matter back into the ground. But interestingly, a lot of worms are found only in certain areas. JOHNSON-MAYNARD: Well they are constrained by environmental conditions for sure and some species more than others. Some earthworms are pretty opportunistic and seem to thrive in many different locations. Other earthworm species may not do quite as well. They have a more specific range of temperature for example or moisture requirements. Worms don't usually make much in the way of headlines but one big fella has captured a lot of attention. JOHNSON-MAYNARD: We have the 2005 discovery of Americanas which is again the giant Palouse earthworm. The giant Palouse earthworm is light in color so it's going to be pretty easy to tell apart from exotic species which are normally that kind of reddish-brownish color. It's going to be longer on average, although here in the Palouse we do have some night crawlers that can approach the size of the giant Palouse earthworm. That can be anywhere from 8-12 inches in length. There had been reports of a sweet Lily-like odor but Johnson-Maynard says that can't be confirmed. The worms have been found in some other areas like Ellensburg and Leavenworth, Washington and she says that is good news. JOHNSON-MAYNARD: In my mind it is a positive thing because we are finding them somewhere even if they are still in very low numbers. The name Giant Palouse Earthworm does conjure up visions of low budget late night movies but for many, thoughts of a can of worms can really still only mean.. (Gone Fishin') That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.