Effect of Different Rates of Coffee Husk Compost as a Soil Amendment on the Growth of Coffee Seedlings

The quality of coffee seedlings is strongly influenced by the growing medium, particularly its organic matter content and nutrient availability. Coffee husk is an abundant agro-industrial by-product that can be composted and utilized as a soil amendment to improve nursery media quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different rates of coffee husk compost on the growth of coffee seedlings. The experiment was conducted for four months in a nursery using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven compost rate treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of a control and six compost rates equivalent to 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, and 1 1/2 of the recommended dose. Observed growth parameters included seedling height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at the 5% significance level. The results showed that coffee husk compost significantly enhanced all growth parameters compared to the control. Growth increased with increasing compost rates up to the recommended dose, beyond which no further significant improvement was observed. These findings indicate that coffee husk compost can be effectively used as a soil amendment to improve coffee seedling growth when applied at an optimal rate.