Effect of Pruning and Fertilizer Applications on Productivity and Quality of Arabica Coffee Beans at Phetchabun Research Station

Abstract

Arabica coffee is one of economically important crop. It is popular because of aromatic, mild flavor, and low caffeine content. Therefore, it can be consumed in the form of roasted coffee as often. However, the productivity only 1% in Thailand due to limitation of production factors, such as climate and altitude. Thus, the production need the proper manipulation in order to get a good yield and quality of coffee bean to meet the standard. This study aimed to find out the methodology of coffee production for improved yield and coffee bean quality. The experiment was obtained from Phetchabun Research Station. Split–plot in RCBD was used as experimental design which consisted of 8 treatments and 6 blocks. Main plot was pruning: and sub plot was fertilizer applications. The results indicated that the interaction of pruning with fertilizer application did effect to fruit length, total soluble solid in coffee berry, total acidity in green bean, antioxidant activity in green bean and roasted bean, and caffeine contents in roasted bean and total defect bean. The results can be concluded that chemical fertilizer ratio 15–15–15 (10 g/plant) applied on June and 8–24–24 (250 g/plant) applied on July and August, can improve the productivity of coffee bean from Phetchabun research station about 42% higher than non–fertilizer. This method also promoted coffee bean quality in term of low acidity, high antioxidant activity, low caffeine, and low total defect bean.