EFFECTS OF METHANE GAS PLANT RESIDUES, CATTLE MANURE AND ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS ON COFFEE YIELD AND QUALITY IN KENYA

Overall addition of artificial fertilizer (NPK) significantly increased clean coffee yields. Addition of organic manures did not significantly increase clean coffee yields. However, cattle manure gave the highest response followed by sludge and compost manure applications. In the absence of artificial fertilizer, cattle manure gave the highest positive response, while liquid manure gave a significantly negative response. Although no significant differences were observed among the treatments where manure and artificial fertilizer were both applied, highest responses were observed where cattle, compost and sludge manure were applied. Liquid manure and compost plus liquid manure gave the lowest response.

Organic manure and artificial fertilizer had no significant effect on the proportion of large sized coffee beans (% grade 'A' sized beans). However, artificial fertilizer was observed to lower the percentage grade 'A' sized beans.

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