2013 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 69-74
The agro-industrial waste has been increasing every year. Without proper management, it would cause problems to soil as well as water and air pollution to the environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the use of chicken manure in vermicompost of agro-industrial waste. The vermicompost experiment was conducted by using different agro-industrial wastes (cassava pulp, cassava peel, eucalyptus peel and oil palm) and different rates of chicken manure (2.5%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%). The qualities of each mixture and vermicompost in different treatments before and after 30 days were analyzed. Earthworms (Eudrilus eugeniae) could survive 100% in the vermicompost of chicken manure at the rate of 2.5 - 25% in cassava pulp, cassava peel and eucalyptus peel treatments, but could not survive in the oil palm treatment. After 30 days, the growth of earthworms in the vermicompost treatments with cassava pulp, eucalyptus peel, cassava peel with chicken manure were increased at 134%, 188% and 167%, respectively. Therefore, chicken manure can be used to increase the growth of earthworms in vermicompost using industrial wastes (cassava peel, cassava pulp, and eucalyptus peel) to produce biofertiliser and reduce environmental pollution problem.