Influence of meteorological factors on the relative water content of coffee plants in the field

Abstract

Global climate change is leading to changes in rainfall and temperature parameters. With the lack of water, the coffee plant presents growth and development restrictions. The air temperature also affects the coffee plant, as each plant development event requires an ideal temperature. The genetic improvement of coffee can help overcome these difficulties with new cultivars more adapted to the effects of climate change. Thus, studies are necessary to characterize coffee responses to water restriction and high temperatures. So, the objective of the present study was to characterize the relative water content (RWC) of Coffea arabica plants of the cultivar Bourbon Vermelho and the variety Semperflorens, respectively sensitive and tolerant to water deficit under field conditions, cultivated in an experimental area in southeastern Brazil. The RWC was evaluated from September to February for three consecutive years in leaves taken from two branches belonging to the apical and basal portions of four plants, positioned facing the cardinal points West and East. Meteorological data on air temperature and rainfall were collected during these periods by a meteorological station installed near the cultivation site. The Bourbon Vermelho cultivar and the Semperflorens variety under water deficit had similar RWC responses, around 60%, for both the branches belonging to the apical and basal portions of the plants. It was also demonstrated that RWC was not different between the branches positioned in relation to the East and West cardinal points in both the apical and basal portions for plants of the Bourbon Vermelho cultivar and the Semperflorens variety.