Researchers in Brazil have discovered dozens of native bacterial strains that could potentially help reduce coffee farmers’ reliance on synthetic fertilizers. The research was carried out by scientists from the Federal University of Viçosa and the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, with the results published this month in the journal International Microbiology.
Researchers collected soil samples in 2023 from Arabica coffee farms located in Araponga, Minas Gerais. After collecting 38 strains of bacteria, they went on to test their ability to help plant growth. Crucially, several of the bacteria demonstrated characteristics suggesting that they could be developed into biofertilizers. These included the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and produce natural hormones that encourage root development. Moreover, all the sample strains displayed an ability to dissolve phosphorus, a vital nutrient for coffee plants.
The world’s largest coffee producer, Brazil grows around 2.2 million hectares of coffee per year. In order to maintain high levels of productivity, coffee farmers must rely on chemical fertilizers, with nitrogen featuring most heavily. However, inorganic nitrogen fertilizers are highly inefficient, with much of the potential benefit lost to leaching and other factors. This raises production costs and also contributes to atmospheric warming and the pollution of rivers and streams.
With all this in mind, the results of the study are incredibly encouraging. According to the study’s authors, bacteria capable of performing many functions at once could be developed into microbial inoculants for coffee production. This could help farmers improve efficiency, reduce the environmental impacts associated with chemical fertilizers and decrease the reliance on fertilizer use.
The researchers involved in the research note that it is too early to be sure that the findings will lead to successful real world application. Seeing as the study was carried out in a laboratory, further field testing will be needed before proceeding with commercial application.