THE EFFECT OF USING COMPOST ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ARABICA COFFEE AND ROBUSTA COFFEE: The compost was utilized to increase the yield of arabica coffee and robusta coffee in , Paksong District, Champasak Province

Nakhaliln PHOUNSAVATH; Phonesouk KHAYONGAEK; Inpheng DUANGVONGSA; Keobuansone RASAKHANHTY; Phoutsavath PHANHTHAVONG

Authors

Nakhaliln PHOUNSAVATH Agronomy department, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Champasack University
Phonesouk KHAYONGAEK Agriculture and Food Industrial Testing Center
Inpheng DUANGVONGSA Technical department, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Champasack University
Keobuansone RASAKHANHTY Technical department, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Champasack University
Phoutsavath PHANHTHAVONG Technical department, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Champasack University

Keywords:

Compost, arabica coffee and robusta coffee

Abstract

The compost was utilized to increase the yield of arabica coffee and robusta coffee in , Paksong District, Champasak Province. This study aimed to investigate the quality of coffee husk and wild sunflower compost for producing organic production and to evaluate the effect of coffee husk and wild sunflower compost on the yield of Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee. This study was carried out at the coffee farm of the farmers at km11 Village, Paksong District, Champasak Province. The experiment used a comparison model of applying fertilizer in the actual area of coffee farmers, using a trial area of two hectares (one-hectare Arabica coffee and one-hectare Robusta coffee), the distance for planting Arabica coffee trees was 1.5 m x 1 m equal to 6,600 trees and the distance for planting Robusta trees was 2.5 m x 2 m equal to 2,000 trees.

The results indicated that the number of nutrients in coffee husk compost had significantly higher than in wild sunflower compost, as coffee husk compost presented total nitrogen (% Total N) of 1.42%, useful phosphorus (Available P) was 6.32 ppm, useful potassium (Available K) was 0.04 ppm. The organic matter (OM) of coffee husk compost was 28.35% and the value of acidity-alkalinity was presented at 7.27. When comparing its’ nutrients with the standard value of organic fertilizers as determined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2000, found that it was shown similar values of nitrogen (N), organic matter (OM), and acidity-alkalinity (pH).

Compost expressed the change of chemical properties in the soil by increasing the number of main nutrients in the soil such as N increased from 0.17% to 0.95%, and P increased from 15.45 ppm to 19.50 ppm. Moreover, the accumulation of the number of organic matter (OM) from 3.33% to 15.75% can be improved the soil acidity (pH) from 4.67 to 6.25.

Applying both types of compost had a significant effect on the yield of arabica coffee and robusta coffee. It was found that: Both types of compost were able to increase the yield of Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee. The yield of Arabica coffee in 2020 was 10,500 kg/ha. In 2021, the application of both types of compost resembled to increase in the yield was 15,000 kg/ha, while the yield of Robusta coffee in 2020 was 9,500 kg/ha and it increased to 10,450 kg/ha in 2021.

From the result can be concluded that the use of compost in coffee cultivation can increase the number of nutrients in the soil, making the soil more fertile, and improving the yield of coffee higher.