The Advantages of Using Kaolin-Based Particle Films to Improve Coffee Production in the Minas Gerais Cerrado Biome

Abstract

Climate change, such as increases in atmospheric air temperature, threatens Brazilian coffee production, which is mainly carried out on small rural properties in a family farming model. Increases in air temperature causes heat stress to the plants, resulting in physiological damage. This work studied the application of processed kaolinite-based particle films (PKPF) as part of environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. This innovative technology aims to increase the productivity of coffee grown in full sunlight and evaluate the interest of coffee growers in incorporating this input in the management of crops as an alternative to the traditional model of increasing production through the expansion of cultivated areas. This is a review of the state of the art of the use of PKPF in coffee, and a descriptive and exploratory research, supported by a literature review and field data collected, through a structured questionnaire applied to a group of coffee producers from the Cerrado in Minas Gerais. The concept of environmentally sustainable coffee production is latent among coffee growers, who adopt practical actions to respect and preserve the environment during the production process. Increases in productivity are related to the adoption of technological innovations such as the use of PKPF in the management of plantations, being a viable alternative to increasing the plantation areas, and thus reducing native vegetation.