Sains Malaysiana 43(11)(2014): 1699–1705 Comparison of Bioproduct Quality from Vermiconversion of Spent Pleurotus sajor- caju Compost and Commercial Livestock Excreta (Perbandingan Kualiti Bio Produk daripada Pengolahan Vermi untuk Kompos Pleurotus sajor-caju dan Sisa Najis Ternakan Komersial) A.B. AZIZI*, M.S. SHAFIZA, Z.M. NOOR & NOORLIDAH ABDULLAH ABSTRACT Vermiconversion study was conducted to compare the use of commercial livestock excreta i.e. cow dung (CD) and goat manure (GM) in the vermiconversion of spent mushroom compost (SMC) utilising red worms i.e. Lumbricus rubellus to obtain good quality compost with high nutrient content. This study was performed for 70 days after 21 days of pre- composting at different ratios of livestock excreta and SMC. The highest multiplication and growth of earthworms in number and biomass was recorded in T E with increment of +296.57 and +484.20%, respectively. Moreover, paired samples t-test indicated a signiicant difference (p<0.05) in earthworms’ number and biomass. The results for non-mixed substrate showed, CD (T A ) bioproduct obtained, contained the highest concentration in exchangeable K (1.98%). However, GM (T D ) vermicompost recorded the highest content of total N (1.66%) and available P (0.64%). In conclusion, 50% of GM is recommended in vermiculture as well as producing nutrient enriched bioproduct compared with CD with SMC as bulking agent. Furthermore, heavy metal i.e. Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu and Zn content in bioproduct produced from all treatments were lower compared to compost limits set by USA, European countries and Malaysian Recommended Site Screening Levels for Contaminated Land (SSLs). Keywords: Earthworms; livestock waste; nutrient element; spent mushroom substrate; vermitechnology ABSTRAK Penyelidikan pengolahan vermi dilakukan untuk membandingkan beza kegunaan antara sisa najis ternakan komersial iaitu najis lembu (CD) dan najis kambing (GM) dalam pengolahan vermi kompos cendawan terpakai (SMC) dengan menggunakan cacing merah iaitu Lumbricus rubellus untuk menghasilkan baja kompos vermi yang berkualiti dengan kandungan nutrien yang tinggi. Kajian ini dijalankan selama 70 hari selepas 21 hari pra-pengomposan dalam pelbagai nisbah sisa najis ternakan dan SMC. Peningkatan tertinggi bilangan dan biojisim cacing tanah direkodkan dalam T E dengan peningkatan +296.57 dan +484.20%. Tambahan pula, ujian-t sampel berpasangan menunjukkan perbezaan yang signiikan (p<0.05) dalam bilangan dan biojisim cacing tanah. Keputusan untuk substrat tidak bercampur menunjukkan CD (T A ) menghasilkan bio produk yang mengandungi kandungan K yang boleh bertukar tertinggi (1.98%). Manakala kompos vermi GM (T D ) mencatatkan nilai tertinggi untuk keseluruhan N (1.66%) dan sedia ada P (0.64%). Kesimpulannya, 50% GM adalah digalakkan untuk dijadikan sebagai agen pukal dalam kultur vermi berserta penghasilan bio produk yang kaya dengan nutrien berbanding CD dan SMC. Selain itu, kandungan logam berat iaitu Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu dan Zn di dalam bio produk terhasil daripada semua perlakuan adalah lebih rendah berbanding had kompos yang ditetapkan oleh USA, negara-negara Eropah dan Cadangan Aras Pemerhatian Tapak untuk Tanah Tercemar Malaysia (SSLs). Kata kunci: Cacing tanah; elemen nutrien; sisa ternakan; substrat cendawan terpakai; teknologi vermi INTRODUCTION Incessant disposal of organic waste in Malaysia landills today is a quandary to organic waste management. The organic waste can be recycled into value added product and it is widely known that composting is an eficient method to unravel this problem. Conversely in a more ingenious way, vermiconversion or vermicomposting is acceptably better than the accustomed method of composting whereby the nutritional content of vermicompost is frequently higher. Apart from that, vermiconversion is considered as green technology, an environmentally sound method to practice sustainable development in livestock management and agro-industrial sector. In 2010, Malaysian government has put in initiatives in Asia-Paciic Economic Cooperation (APEC) by encouraging green technology installation speciically on the production of organic fertilisers from both crop and animal waste as a new source of income to local farmers while maintaining sustainable production system. Consequently, Malaysia remains committed to advance the agriculture sector by increasing food production and generating income for farmers. In response to that, biological treatment approach,