poster - International Conference of Agricultural Engineering

YIELD AND BEAN SIZE OF COFFEA ARABICA (CV CATUAÍ)
CULTIVED UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION ARRANGEMENTS
AND WATER AVAILABILITY
Eduardo A. A. Barbosa 1 , Emilio Sakai 2 , Jane M. C. Silveira 3 , Regina C. M. Pires 2
1 Ph.D. Student in Agricultural Engineering, FEAGRI/UNICAMP, Campinas – SP;
2 Researcher, D.Sc, (IAC/APTA), Campinas –SP; 3 Researcher, D.Sc, APTA Regional
Nordeste Paulista, Mococa –SP.
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of drip irrigation under
different population arrangements on coffee productivity and bean size classification
according to sieve retention of two harvests (2008/2009 and 2009/2010). The experiment
with Coffea arabica L. cv Catuaí was carried out in Mococa, São Paulo, Brazil. The
experimental design was a 6 x 2 factorial scheme in randomized blocks, with four
replications. The six densities of plantation were E1 (1.60 x 0.50); E2 (1.60 x 0.75); E3 (1.60
x 1.00); E4 (3.20 x 0.50); E5 (3.20 x 0.75) and E6 (3.20 x 1.00), which were divided in
irrigated and non-irrigated groups. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and averages
compared by Tukey test at 1 and 5% of probability. In the first two years of Catuaí coffee
crop cultivation, the adoption of irrigation was more advantageous in denser crops, ensuring
higher production of processed coffee. In the first years the adoption of irrigation technique
provided an increase in bean size. In this cycle the average temperatures during the grain
filling stage, were lower than the observed temperatures in the 2009/2010 crop cycle. When
there was high water availability due to the rain, irrigation did not affected grain size and
grain type, but when there was low water availability, the adoption of irrigation technique
increased grain size. In the first year, the cultivation without irrigation had a higher
percentage of peaberry beans in relation to irrigate group. The production of peaberries is
partially related to adverse environmental factors, mainly in the flowering and fruiting. So
appropriate management of irrigation in these phases provided better conditions for the
formation of beans, thus reducing the percentage of peaberries.
Keyword: Drip irrigation, Plant density, Fertigation
1. Introduction
The adoption of irrigation in coffee crop is becoming increasingly common (Rezende et al.
2006) due to increases in grain yield provided by the technique, since the soil water deficit is
a main factor that affects the productivity of coffee (DaMatta & Ramalho, 2006). Other benefit
of irrigation system is to allow a lower dependence on climatic factors. In Brazil, according to
the study of Esperancini and Paes (2005), adoption of drip irrigation has been shown as
economically viable.
The adequate water supply to plants favors photosynthesis and therefore greater availability
of assimilates to fill the coffee beans (Barros et al 1997). In the culture of coffee, studies on
the use of irrigation show different effects on grain size. Rezende et al. (2006) and Silva et al.
(2009) found effect on the average sieve with the use of irrigation and Custodio et al (2007),
analyzing five seasons, found no effect of irrigation in four seasons. Another advantage of
irrigation in coffee is the synchronization of flowering, allowing a more uniform ripening of the
grains (Masarirambi, 2009).