Modelagem para a estimativa da orientação de linhas de plantio de cafeeiros

Abstract

The quantity of solar radiation intercepted by a crop is an important meteorological variable that determines the growth and development of a crop and among the production systems, the orientation of planting rows could be a very important component regarding the interception of direct solar radiation (Rd) on both faces. Thus the objective of this study proposes a model to recommend the adequate orientation of the planting rows of coffee in the deployment, based on that providing uniformity in quantity of intercepted and accumulated Rd during the crop cycle on both faces of the planting row. In order to test the model, production data were collected in an experimental area of the coffee crop irrigated by a center pivot in San Thomé Farm on Pirapora, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, being this planting rows oriented in relation to geographic north, clockwise positive and negative rather, by 45º, -90º, -45o , and 0º. The results indicated that the best orientations for productivity were, successively, the -45 º and 0 º, while the proposed model estimates the orientation of -24° 16' as the best for planting rows of coffee crop.