As the population grows and resource consumption increases, waste management has become a significant environmental challenge. A more sustainable approach to waste management is essential to maximize the recovery of materials acquired from nature. Vermicomposting is one of the answers to sustainable waste management. A study was conducted to determine the viability of vermicomposting Gliricidia sepium leaves and office scrap paper with matured compost as feedstock and to determine the vermicompost characteristics and suitability as potting mixtures for vegetable cultivation. The choy sum mustard was selected as the test crop. The plants were grown in the pots in a netted nursery in Serdang, Selangor. Treatments were mixtures of vermicompost to soil ratio by volume: control (0% no vermicompost), T1 (20% vermicompost), T2 (40% vermicompost), T3 (60% vermicompost), T4 (80% vermicompost) and T5 (100% vermicompost). Physicochemical properties of the potting media mix were determined and compared to an established growth media concentration and other ASEAN standards. Crop growth was evaluated by measuring plant height, the number of petioles, and fresh and dry weights at harvest. A significant improvement in the physicochemical properties of the media was observed, where the optimum ratio of potting media was 60% to 80% (T3 & T4). The number of petioles was 20-46% higher, plants were 39-46% taller, and dry matter accumulation was three-fold higher than controls. Crop yields were 200% higher in media treatments consisting of 60-80% vermicompost. In conclusion, G. sepium based vermicompost could be used in media mixtures for potting plants.

This study is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of watermelon tree waste compost (WMC) as a source of organic nutrients for vegetable growth. Watermelon tree waste compost is produced with a mixture of watermelon tree waste with horse manure and water and left for 2 months. Temperature and humidity results were found to decrease during composting. Vegetables grown using WMC produced high yields where the number of leaves, canopy, chlorophyll and final weight of vegetables were found to be better than control vegetables. The values of Nitrogen, Carbon, Hidrogen, Sulphur, Phosporus, Potassium WMC are 0.69 %, 8.20 %, 0.78 %, 0.051 %, 11.77 % and 2.4 % respectively. WMC was found to be able to be an alternative organic nutrient source for vegetable growth. Abstrak: Kajian ini dijalankan untuk menilai keberkesanan kompos sisa pokok tembikai (WMC) sebagai sumber nutrien organik untuk pertumbuhan sayur. Kompos sisa pokok tembikai dihasilkan dengan campuran sisa pokok tembikai bersama tinja kuda serta air dan dibiarkan selama 2 bulan. Keputusan suhu dan kelembapan didapati berkurangan semasa pengkomposan. Sayur ditanam menggunakan WMC menghasilkan hasilan yang tinggi dimana bilangan daun, kanopi, klorofil dan berat akhir sayuran didapati lebih baik berbanding sayur kawalan. Nilai Nitrogen, Carbon, Hidrogen, Sulfur, Fosforus, Potasium WMC masing-masing ialah 0.69 %, 8.20 %, 0.78 %, 0.051 %, 11.77 % dan 2.4 %. WMC didapati berupaya menjadi sumber nutrien organik alternatif untuk pertumbuhan sayur.