Production and vegetative growth of coffee trees under fertilization and shade levels

Abstract

It is difficult to separate the effects of light reduction versus nutrient and water competition in agroforestry systems. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of shading and fertilizer supply on the vegetative development and yield of Coffea arabica over six years. The coffee trees were covered with shade screens (photosynthetically active radiation reduction up to 48%) and fertilized from 100 to 40% of the recommended amount from 2001 on. Leaf area, number of leaves, number of nodes, leaf area per branch and, yield were determined. Although no effect of fertilization was found, shading influenced the number of nodes, leaf area and production from the third year on. The number of nodes and yield decreased as shading increased. The effect of the yield bienniallity was more evident in the unshaded trees, which yielded an average of 2,646 kg ha -1 . The trees under 48% shading yielded an average of 2,094 kg ha -1 . After 2004 the leaf area per branch increased as the shade increased, at the end of both the maximum and minimum growth periods. During the first three years, the coffee trees do not change their vegetative or productive characteristics as a response to shading. The shade effects become more intense after the beginning of the higher yield period. The shaded coffee trees have a larger leaf area and a smaller number of nodes than the coffee trees under full sun. The yield decreases as photosynthetically active radiation limitation increases, and yield bienniallity is less intense in shaded trees. Key words: Coffea arabica, bienniallity, plant growth and development, yield Produção e crescimento vegetativo de cafeeiros sob fertilização e sombreamento RESUMO: Em sistemas agroflorestais é difícil separar os efeitos da competição por luz daquela por água e nutrientes. O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o efeito do sombreamento e do fornecimento de fertilizantes sobre o desenvolvimento vegetativo e a produtividade de cafeeiros arábica ao longo de seis anos. Os cafeeiros foram cobertos com telas sombreadoras (redução da radiação fotosinteticamente ativa em até 48%) e fertilizados de 100 até 40% da recomendação. Foram determinados a área da folha, o número de folhas, o número de nós, a área foliar por ramo e a produtividade dos cafeeiros. Embora não houvesse efeito da fertilização, o sombreamento influenciou o número de nós, a área da folha e a produção a partir do terceiro ano. O número de nós e a produtividade reduziram conforme aumentou o sombreamento. Cafeeiros sob pleno sol apresentaram maior bienalidade da produção e produtividade média de 2646 kg ha -1 . Cafeeiros sob 48% de sombreamento produziram em média 2094 kg ha -1 . Após três anos a área foliar aumentou com o aumento do sombreamento, tanto no final do período de maior quanto de menor crescimento. Nos três primeiros anos, os cafeeiros não diferiram nas características vegetativas ou reprodutivas devido ao sombreamento. Os efeitos do sombreamento tornam-se mais intensos após o início do período de altas produtividad...

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