The Effect of Using Coffee Pulp Compost and EM-4 Dosage on the Growth of Arabica Coffee Seedlings (Coffea arabica L.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3007/3fa4fb11Keywords:
Arabica Coffee, Seedlings, Coffee Pulp Compost, EM-4, Synergistic Effect, Nursery, Ermera CityAbstract
Coffee processing generates substantial quantities of coffee pulp, a wet organic residue that, if improperly managed, causes environmental problems including nutrient leaching, methane emissions, and water contamination. Conversely, coffee pulp represents a potentially valuable organic amendment when converted to stable compost. Composting can return nutrients and organic matter to cropping systems, improve soil health, and reduce the environmental footprint of coffee production. Coffee pulp waste from Ermera Municipality, Timor-Leste, represents both an environmental burden and a locally abundant organic resource. This research aimed to evaluated the synergistic effects of coffee pulp compost and Effective Microorganism-4 (EM-4) on the growth of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) seedlings under nursery conditions.
Using a completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors coffee pulp compost dosage (K1: 100 g, K2: 200 g, K3: 300 g per polybag) and EM-4 dosage (M1: 10 ml, M2: 20 ml, M3: 30 ml per polybag) nine treatment combinations were tested with four replications each (36 experimental units). Effective Microorganism-4 (EM-4), a mixed inoculant of beneficial bacteria, yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria, is promoted to accelerate organic matter decomposition, suppress pathogens, and enhance nutrient mineralization. Synergizing composted coffee pulp with EM-4 may enhance compost maturity, nutrient availability, and ultimately plant growth. However, optimal doses for nursery production of Arabica seedlings remain under-studied, particularly under the specific agroecological conditions of Ermera.
Growth parameters recorded weekly over 16 weeks after planting (WAP) included plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and fresh biomass. Analysis of variance revealed a highly significant interaction (p < 0.01) between compost and EM-4 on all measured growth parameters. The combination K1M1 (100 g compost + 10 ml EM-4) produced the most consistent and robust seedling performance across variables, notably achieving the largest mean stem diameter (2.77 cm) at 16 WAP. While K1M3 (100 g + 30 ml EM-4) yielded the maximal plant height (14.875 cm), higher combined doses such as K3M3 (300 g + 30 ml) produced inhibitory effects on seedling growth.
Results indicate that moderate application rates of well-decomposed coffee pulp compost enhanced with low-dose EM-4 optimize early seedling development; excessive amounts of either input can suppress growth. The study recommends integrating 100 g of matured coffee pulp compost with 10 ml of EM-4 per polybag as a practical, low-cost protocol for Arabica coffee nurseries in Ermera to transform coffee processing waste into high-quality planting material and to contribute to sustainable circularity in local coffee systems.
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