Enzymatic Activities in Soil Cultivated with Coffee (Coffea arabica L. cv. ‘Bourbon’) and Amended with Organic Material

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the growth of coffee (Coffea arabica L. cv. ‘Bourbon’) in soil amended with compost, vermicompost, and bokashi at 25%, 50%, and 66% while mycorrhizal colonization and activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases and urease in soil were monitored. Treatments with 25% compost as well as higher application rates of compost and bokashi (50% or 66%) increased coffee growth. Shoot fresh weight increased 5 times when 25% bokashi or compost was applied, 8 times when 50% was applied and 10 times when 66% was applied compared to the control plants without organic fertilizer. Acid and alkaline phosphatase and urease activity increased when organic fertilizer was applied to soil. Application of organic fertilizers increased the growth and fresh weight of root and shoot of coffee plants and improved the root mycorrizal colonization and enzymatic activity of the soil.

Keywords:

• Bokashi
• compost
• phosphatases
• urease
• vermicompost

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by ‘Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT)’ as part of the project ‘Gestión y estrategias de manejo sustentable para el desarrollo regional en la cuenca hidrográfica transfronteriza Grijalva’ (grant number FORDECYT–143303). D.A. G.–V. received grant-aided support from CONACyT.