Effect of coffee by-product biofertilizers on early growth and morphological quality of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) in nursery

Abstract

The effect of two biofertilizers produced from coffee by-products —honey-water biol and pulp compost— on the early growth and morphological quality of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) was evaluated under nursery conditions, in San Francisco de la Paz, Olancho, Honduras. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments, four replicates, repeated measurements over time, and subsampling was used. Continuous variables were analyzed using linear mixed models, and survival through a binomial generalized linear mixed model. Survival exceeded 98% with no differences among treatments. The Treatment × Time interaction was significant for height, root collar diameter (RCD), and slenderness index (SI) (p < .001). At the end of the trial, compost reached the greatest height (26.73 cm) and RCD (6.93 mm), followed by Biol and the Control. Biofertilizers are a viable alternative for improving the early growth of G. sepium in nurseries.