2.1. Collection of earthworm cultures
The earthworms – E. foetida and P. excavatus were obtained from the vermicomposting shed of the Animal Genetics Division, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, India (latitude and longitude – 28.40◦ N, 79.43◦ E) and maintained on the lignocellulolytic biomass based feed at the Division of Microbiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (latitude 28◦40 N; longitude 77◦12 E), New Delhi. Analyses were undertaken after
30 d of growth.