The individuals of P. excavatus of different age groups were obtained
locally from cowdung dump. The stock culture of the earthworm
was maintained in earthen pots using partially decomposed
biowaste and cowdung as growth medium in laboratory condition
for further use in the vermicomposting experiment. The taxonomic
identification of the collected earthworm species was confirmed at
Zoological Survey of India, Solan, India. The distillated waste material
of citronella was collected from citronella oil industry of
Rajapara, Assam, India. Fresh urine free CD was collected locally
from a livestock farm at Guwahati, Assam, India. The physicochemical
properties of CWM and CD are reported in the Table 1.