Rock powder application combined with bacterial inoculation enhances the early growth of coffee plantsThe use of rock powder combined with nutrient-solubilizing and growth-promoting bacteria represents a promising alternative for nutrient supply to the soil and improved crop development. This study aimed to evaluate the development of coffee seedlings treated with rock dust and inoculated with Bacillus species. Six types of rock powder (slate, black slate, gneiss, kamafugite, pyroxenite, and a mixture of mica schist and granite) were added to standard fertilizer in the presence or absence of a Bacillus mixture (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) during coffee cultivation. We measured plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, shoot and root dry biomass, and nutrient levels in the soil and coffee leaves after. In the kamafugite treatment, adding a bacterial mixture increased plant height. When the bacterial application was considered alone, it resulted in an 85% increase in the plants’ total dry biomass. Rock powder and bacteria showed a substantial interaction effect, particularly for nutrients. Gneiss and kamafugite treatments increased phosphorus availability in the soil, whereas bacterial presence boosted calcium and magnesium content. The combination of nutrient-solubilizing and growth-promoting bacteria and rock powder improved soil chemical properties and the early development of coffee plants.
Index terms:
Coffea arabica; remineralizer; Bacillus; sustainable agriculture
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