Abstract
The period between anthesis and fruit ripening varies according to the Conilon coffee (Coffea canephora) genotype. Therefore, the time of the nutritional requirements for fruit formation may differ, depending on the formation phase and the genotype, and may directly affect split application of fertilizer. The aim of this study was to quantify the accumulation of dry matter and N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S at several stages in the fruit of the Conilon coffee genotype with different ripening cycles, which may suggest the need for split application of fertilizer in coffee. The experiment was carried out in the municipality of Nova Venecia, Espírito Santo, Brazil, throughout the reproductive cycle. The treatments were composed of four coffee genotypes with different ripening cycles. A completely randomised experimental design was used. with five replicates. Plagiotropic branches were harvested from flowering to fruit ripening at 28-day intervals to determine the dry matter of the fruits and the concentration and accumulation of the nutrients they contained. The behavior of dry matter and macronutrient accumulation during the study period was similar and increasing, but it differed among genotypes sampled in the same season. Early genotypes exhibited a higher speed of dry matter and nutrient accumulation. Split application of fertilizer should differ among coffee genotypes with different ripening cycles (early, intermediate, late and very late).
Highlights
The genus Coffea, which has more than 100 described species, contains three species that are grown commercially for beverage production: C. arabica, C. canephora and C. liberica (Davis et al, 2006)
Three-year-old C. canephora Conilon plants were used, which were grown under full sun with a spacing of 3 m between rows and 1 m between plants, with four orthotropic stems per plant
Regarding split application of potassium fertilization, the results found in C. arabica ‘Caturra’ suggest two absorption peaks, with approximately 50 % of K accumulated between 60 and 120 days after flowering and 20 % between 210 and 240 days (Ramírez et al, 2002)
Summary
The genus Coffea, which has more than 100 described species, contains three species that are grown commercially for beverage production: C. arabica, C. canephora and C. liberica (Davis et al, 2006). The species C. arabica is the most commonly grown species throughout the world, the cultivation of C. canephora has contributed significantly to increased world coffee production. In Brazil, out of the total of 50.8 million 60-kg bags produced in 2012, 24.6 % are C. canephora (CONAB, 2013). Knowledge of the ripening periods of coffee fruit is critical for agricultural planning for the purpose of predicting harvest, quality and marketing (BardinCamparotto et al, 2012), including important studies on gene expression in different periods of fruit development (Budzinski et al, 2011). The term “maturation cycle” has been used to predict such periods and refers to the time between flowering and fruit ripening. Maturation cycles may vary depending on climatic conditions and/or the coffee genotype grown (Pezzopane et al, 2003; Petek et al, 2009)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
