The potential of liberoid coffee cultivation on the peatlands (a case study: the peatlands in the Meranti island, Riau)

Abstract

The Meranti Islands is one of the liberoid coffee production centers in Indonesian of which 94% of its total land area consists of peatland. The objective of this study was to disclose the potential of liberoid coffee cultivation in the peatlands of the Meranti Islands, Riau Province. The study was conducted from July to December 2015 in the Meranti Islands Regency. This study was conducted by means of survey method. The data used were the primary and the secondary data. The results of the study showed that liberoid coffee was adaptive on peatlands of the Meranti Islands and had a high economic value, therefore it can be used as an alternative usage of peatlands in Indonesia. The superior varieties of coffee recommended for the development of liberoid coffee are Liberoid Meranti 1 and Liberoid Meranti 2. These varieties are classified as open-pollinated composite types with respective yield potential of 1.69 and 1.98 tons ha−1 of coffee, good seed quality, “excellent” flavor, and caffeine content of 1.02 and 1.11%. This variety is adaptive on peatlands with a climate A type or other areas that have the same agroecosystem as that of the Meranti Islands Regency.