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Mestrado em Engenharia do Ambiente - Instituto Superior de Agronomia Espresso coffee grounds are a waste which is produced daily in considerable amounts, and despite controversial opinions, has been pointed out as potentially interesting for small scale plant nutrition. Two experiments have been carried out: incubations at different temperatures and moisture regimes, to evaluate the potential nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization from coffee grounds amended to the soil and field conditions experiments to evaluate carrot (Daucus carota L.), spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) nutrition and growth. Immobilization of nitrogen and phosphorus was detected in all the incubations performed. Vegetables yield growth and nitrogen uptake also decreased by the presence of espresso coffee grounds, in general, for all the species studied, revealing an inhibition of N and P mineralization and of plant growth. Therefore, espresso coffee grounds use for vegetables growth had a negative effect on plants yield due to the lower availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, and probably the presence of caffeine |
