Evaluation of organic fertilizers in coffee (Coffea arabica), in small holdings of Santander, Colombia

Abstract

Today, the agricultural sciences face the double challenge of meeting the increasing global food demand and ensuring a sustainable development for humanity. In this study we focused on the coffee production system, evaluating the hypothesis of whether, in the region of the study, the use of organic fertilizers for this crop offers equivalent or better results than those obtained by using traditional fertilizers. Specifically, we aimed to: Evaluate the use of bocashi (fermented rice bran) and worm compost as organic fertilizers to promote vegetative growth, and plant health in the coffee crop; and determine the influence of temperature in preparing bocashi. We applied a randomized complete blocks design with three treatments: bocashi, worm compost and traditional organic compost. The evaluated variables were: plant height, number of leaves per plant, and the incidence of fungal pathogens. Three farms were chosen in different localities in the Municipality of Ocamonte-Santander to cover the agro-climatic conditions of the region, the Castillo variety was used. Physical-chemical soil analysis was performed in order to determine the nutrients available to plants at the moment of planting. Chemical analysis was also performed for the organic composts in order to determine their influence on the evaluated variables. Our results allowed us to accept the hypothesis. Although, the bocashi showed greater values in terms of chemical composition compared with the worm compost, the latter induced a more favorable response in vegetative development in coffee plants.

Keywords

• bocashi
• worm compost
• organic coffee
• sustainable agriculture