WELLINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A new test to detect earthworm environmental DNA (eDNA) levels in soils marks a significant development in soil health assessment, a New Zealand laboratory said on Tuesday.
The earthworm eDNA test measures tiny traces of genetic material left behind as earthworms move through the soil, according to New Zealand's privately owned testing laboratory Hill Labs which developed the test in collaboration with the government-owned AgResearch.
Hill Labs founder and executive director Roger Hill said the new earthworm eDNA test gives farmers an additional tool to better monitor soil health, helping to promote sustainable farming in New Zealand and beyond.
Earthworms are often seen as indicators of healthy soil because they need good soil conditions to thrive. They also aid in aeration and nutrient mixing, said a release of Hill Labs.
In high-quality soil, a typical New Zealand paddock would usually have earthworm populations exceeding 400 per square meter and 250 per square meter in arable land, it said.
Existing methods to assess earthworm populations are labor-intensive and require specialist knowledge, limiting the number of samples and convenience, it said, adding that the new eDNA test, used in tandem with existing field visual assessments, offers a convenient way to enhance soil health monitoring.
Hill said his laboratory is dedicated to exploring the full potential of this technology across different crops and farming methods to support New Zealand's farmers and growers.
AgResearch senior scientist Nicole Schon said having this new tool for testing the abundance of earthworms via eDNA is going to make measuring soil health easier and more efficient.
Future consultations will explore potential uses for this technology with tasks such as pest identification and pathogen detection, Hill Labs said, adding that it could help farmers decide not to plant certain crops in areas prone to specific diseases like clubroot in brassicas. ■