Effect of coffee grounds on spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield on sod-podzolic medium loamy soil

Coffee grounds are rich in nutrients, containing high levels of proteins, oils, fibers, phenolic compounds, and other beneficial substances. Coffee grounds can be a promising source of nutrients for plants, improving water, air, and thermal regimes in soils and increasing the fertility of agricultural lands. Spring barley holds a central place in global and national agricultural production, as it is a leading grain crop with diverse applications in food, animal feed, and industrial sectors. Barley plays a key role in ensuring food security, especially in the context of global population growth and climate change. Therefore, the goal of this research was to determine the effect of coffee grounds on the yield of Vakula spring barley grown on sod-podzolic medium loamy soil in vegetation experiments. Our studies have shown that applying pure coffee grounds has a negative effect on the growth and development of spring barley. The phytotoxicity of the leached coffee residue increased with higher application rates. However, when coffee grounds were applied in combination with mineral fertilizers, the grain yield increased 1.9-fold compared to the application of pure coffee grounds and was comparable to the yield obtained with the NPK fertilizer treatment. Applying pure coffee grounds decreased both the crude protein content and its total yield in the grain crop. The highest starch yield was observed with the combined application of coffee grounds and mineral fertilizer, reaching 8 g/vessel, which was 1.2 times greater than the control. Applying pure coffee grounds reduced the starch yield in spring barley grain by 2.3-6.2 g/vessel, or 35.5-95.8%, compared to the control. The highest fat yield was observed with complete mineral fertilizer and with the combined application of coffee grounds and NPK fertilizer, reaching 211-212 g/vessel, 1.3 times greater than the control

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