Suitable characters for selective breeding in Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta)

Selective breeding of invertebrates has been suggested by many but studied by few. The possibilities of improving characters like biomass, maturation time, coccoon production rate, and hatching success of cocoons for the earthworm Eisenia fetida were examined in the present study. The results showed that biomass, maturation time, and number of hatchlings could be successfully improved by selective breeding, although a concomitant tendency to a lower reproductive rate, as found in vertebrates, was observed. Other characters like cocoon production rate, hatching success, and number of hatchlings per cocoon also showed promising results.