Resumen

PIERRE, Francis; ROSELL, María; QUIROZ, Ana  y  GRANDA, Yasmil. Chemical and biological evaluation of coffee pulp compost in Caspito, Andrés Eloy Blanco municipality, Lara State, Venezuela. Bioagro [online]. 2009, vol.21, n.2, pp.105-110. ISSN 1316-3361.

Coffee pulp (PC) is a residue with a high potential of waters and soils contamination when not appropriately handled. Composts made of PC were chemical and biologically characterized in the coffee producing zone of Caspito, Andrés Eloy Blanco Municipality, Lara State, in a complete randomized design with 3 treatments and 4 repetitions. The treatments were prepared by mixing PC and goat manure (EDC) in the following proportions: 1:1 (T1); 1:0.5 (T2), and 1:0.33 (T3) PC. Each treatment was added with coffee parchment (10 %), cutted banana stalks (10 %), urea (0.5 %), and dolomitic limestone (0.8 %). Piles were conformed with the mixtures, and they were covered and mixed once a week. The following attributes were evaluated: temperature, pH, electric conductivity, organic matter (MO), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N), macroelements (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), microelements (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn), extractable organic carbon (COE), humic acids (AH), fulvic acids (AF), humification index (IH), and humification grade (GH). The results indicated differences (P≤0.05) in Cu content and IH. Highly significant differences (P≤0.01) were detected in MO content, C/N, Fe content, and GH. The treatments T1 and T2 registered the best values for the attributes evaluated, although all the composts showed values into the appropriate ranges.

Palabras clave : Macroelements; microelements; C/N ratio; organic matter; humus.