Earthworms contribute to 6.5% of world grain production: Study

Most gardeners know that earthworms help keep soils healthy, now scientists have assessed just how important their underground activities are to global food production — and how to protect them.

Evidence suggests they also help plants protect themselves against common soil pathogens by stimulating their defences. "Their contribution may even be larger," said Steven Fonte, an associate professor at Colorado State University in the United States who co-authored the study. The authors said their findings represent one of the first attempts to quantify the contribution of a beneficial soil organism to global agricultural production.

They attributed this to soils there generally having higher acid and clay content and being less exposed to fertiliser, increasing the role earthworms play in plant growth.

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