Coffee waste reused as an alternative substrate for the production of Joannesia princeps

Abstract

The use of agricultural residues as an alternative in the formulation of substrates is a relevant possibility in the production of forest species seedlings, reducing simultaneously the costs and the accumulation of these products in the environment. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of substrates composed of coffee production residues for Joannesia princeps Vell. seedlings development. We used experimental design entirely randomized with three treatments in eight replications with 14 seedlings per plot (formulate 1: 10% vermiculite and 90% coconut fiber; formulate 2: 10% vermiculite, 30% carbonized rice peel and 60% coconut fiber; formulate 3: 10% vermiculite, 30% carbonized coffee husk and 60% coconut fiber). The substrates were fertilized using 4000 g m^-3 of Osmocote®. Evaluations of the seedlings height and diameter were carried out at 150 days and 210 days after the transplanting of the seedlings into tubes. There was no statistically significant difference in the treatment level for the two evaluations. Carbonized coffee husk is presented as an alternative component to carbonized rice husk for substrate formulation in the production of J. princeps seedlings.