Vol. 5, Issue 7, Part F (2019)

Abstract
Pond sediment (PS) is full of organic composition derived from detritus of aquatic plants, animals and microbes; hence this has to be nutritious for the earthworm Eisenia fetida and it has high CN content also. This work reveals the effectiveness of pond sediment on productivity timing and better quality of the Vermicompost using various organic wastes mixed along with paper mill wastes (PMW). Although using PMW for vermicomposting and using PS for agriculture directly has been done by many previous researchers, but the combination of both gave this research a new direction and fruitful results. Since PS are usually anaerobically settled for a long time hence it needed to be aired out before using and then when added to the pre-compost it enhanced the humification and degradation of composting matters; temperature, NH3 emission, cocoon formation and structural change in compost beads were the signs of optimised rate of vermicomposting. The amendment of PMW and PS with cow-dung and sawdust in 1:1:0.5:0.5 resulted adequate amount of vermicompost. The two-stage composting process with addition of PS certainly enhanced the production quality and rate, resulted a matured vermicompost in just 30-35 days rather than in 90-270 days in normal composting. Further the quality was ensured with Pot-seedling method as it produced an early germination, root development and growth of onion plants in lab conditions.