Crescimento e produtividade de cafeeiros fertirrigados com diferentes níveis de N, P e K

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the growth and harvest of coffee fertigated with different levels of N, P and K since planting until after pruning. Two experiments were conducted in Lavras, state of Minas Gerais, in the Coffee Sector of the Department of Agriculture of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA). Coffee trees were planted in March 2010 and different levels of fertilization (fertigation) were applied. In Experiment 1, fertilization levels were varied since crop implantation, and in Experiment 2, the levels of fertilization varied only after the first year of production. The cultivar Topázio MG-1190 was used in the experiments. Each plot consisted of three rows with a total of 24 plants (28.8 m2). The six central plants were considered useful. Each experiment had six different fertilization levels (10%, 40%, 70%, 100%, 130% and 160% of the recommended dose), with four replications (24 plots). In 2015, the plants were pruned in order to evaluated growth and productivity (2018). The design used in the experiments prior to pruning (second chapter of this study) was randomized blocks in factorial scheme with split-time plots, with four replications. In Experiment 1, a 6x4 factorial was used, being composed of six fertilization levels and four harvests. As for Experiment 2, a 6x3 factorial was used (six fertilization levels and three harvests). Since its implantation, when the level of fertilization varied since planting of the seedlings in the field, higher productivity was achieved (four harvests) in crops that received levels of fertilization between 116% and 131% of the recommended doses. When 100% of the recommendation dose was applied, higher yields could be achieved if the fertilization levels exceed 160%. Nevertheless, the productivity increase was small (up to 130%). After cutting, the productivity of coffee trees that had different fertilization levels since field planting increased at the level of 129.50% of the recommended fertilization dose for upland crops, reaching 92.60 bags per hectare. After cutting, the productivity of plants that followed the recommended fertilization in the planting of seedlings obtained similar results to those found before cutting, with higher productivity obtained with fertilization levels higher than 160%, reaching up to 87.7 bags per hectare. The effect of different levels of fertilization since the plant formation period and continuing with the same treatments after reception interfered in fruit growth, productivity and graining, both on plant formation and recovery after cutting.