Comparison of sago pith waste vermicompost characteristics to vermicomposts of different feedstock in Malaysia.

The vermicompost industry in Malaysia has grown rapidly in recent years. However, there is a lack of documentation on the quality of commercially available vermicomposts; moreover, there are no guidelines for the production of quality vermicomposts. Therefore, a trial was conducted in Universiti Putra Malaysia to convert sago pith waste into a value-added organic fertilizer through vermicomposting using cow, goat and horse dung manure as co-composting materials. Two types of sago pith waste vermicomposts were produced in Universiti Putra Malaysia and compared with fifteen different vermicomposts available in the market. The chemical characteristics of these vermicomposts were determined. Results showed that pH of the vermicomposts ranged from 4.5-6.5 indicating significant difference between the different feedstock. The macronutrients of the different vermicomposts varied greatly, that is, total N, total P and total K were 1.5-2.16, 0.54-1.89 and 0.39-1.73%, respectively. Humic acid concentration in the vermicomposts ranged from 16.7- 24%. Study results indicate that the chemical properties of the vermicomposts varied according to the type of initial feedstock and earthworms used and the vermicomposting procedure adopted.