Effect of N and K doses in nutritive solution on growth, production and coffee bean size

An adequate supply of nutrients is essential for obtaining high yields of coffee. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of N, K and the N:K ratio on vegetative and reproductive growth of coffee. For this purpose, coffee plants were grown in nutrient solution containing K in the concentrations of 1.08; 2.15; 3.23 and 5.38 mmol L-1 combined with a dose of 6 mmol L-1 N, resulting in the N:K ratios (w/w): 1:0.5; 1:1; 1:1.5 and 1:2.5. The control treatment consisted of the doses 3 and 1.61 mmol L-1 of N and K respectively, resulting in the N:K ratio (w/w) 1.0:1.5. The following variables were evaluated: height, stem diameter, number of nodes of the eighth plagiotrofic branch (index branch), pairs of plagiotrofic branches and number of nodes in the orthotropic branch every three weeks from the beginning of the experiment. Additionally, it was evaluated the chemical composition of processed beans and leaves between the flowering and the rapid expansion stage of the cherry beans, production of cherry beans per plant and classification of beans according to the size. N influenced mainly the characteristics of vegetative growth and K influenced mainly the reproductive growth evaluated by the production. The lowest production resulted in the highest percentages of beans retained on sieves with holes larger than 16/64", while the highest production promoted an increase in the percentage of beans retained on sieves with holes smaller than 16/64".

Coffea arabica (cv Catuaí) production and bean size under different population arrangements and soil water availability

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of drip irrigation under different population arrangements on the phytometric features, coffee productivity and bean size classification according to sieve retention. The experiment with Coffea arabica L. cv Catuaí was carried out in Mococa, São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was a 6 x 2 factorial scheme in randomized blocks, with four replications. The six densities of plantation were E1 (1.60 x 0.50 m); E2 (1.60 x 0.75 m); E3 (1.60 x 1.00 m); E4 (3.20 x 0.50 m); E5 (3.20 x 0.75 m) and E6 (3.20 x 1.00 m), which were divided according to the availability of water (irrigated - I - or non-irrigated - NI - groups). Data were submitted to analysis of variance and averages compared by Tukey test at 1 and 5% of probability. Descriptive analysis of coffee beans according to sieve classification was performed. Irrigation promoted an increase in plant height, crown diameter and production of processed coffee when compared with the NI group. Interaction between population arrangement and irrigation was observed, with an increase in production and crown diameter as the spacing was decreased. Therefore, irrigation provided significant increase in coffee bean size.

Zinc supplementation, production and quality of coffee beans

Besides its importance in the coffee tree nutrition, there is almost no information relating zinc nutrition and bean quality. This work evaluated the effect of zinc on the coffee yield and bean quality. The experiment was conducted with Coffea arabica L. in "Zona da Mata" region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Twelve plots were established at random with 4 competitive plants each. Treatments included plants supplemented with zinc (eight plots) and control without zinc supplementation (four plots). Plants were subjected to two treatments: zinc supplementation and control. Yield, number of defective beans, beans attacked by berry borers, bean size, cup quality, beans zinc concentration, potassium leaching, electrical conductivity, color index, total tritable acidity, pH, chlorogenic acids contents and ferric-reducing antioxidant activity of beans were evaluated. Zinc positively affected quality of coffee beans, which presented lower percentage of medium and small beans, lower berry borer incidence, lower potassium leaching and electrical conductivity, higher contents of zinc and chlorogenic acids and higher antioxidant activity in comparison with control beans.

Microclimatic characterization and productivity of coffee plants grown under shade of pigeon pea in Southern Brazil

Recent studies on coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivation in agroforestry systems in Southern Brazil have shown the potential of partial shading to improve management of this crop. The objective of this work was to evaluate microclimatic conditions and their effects on coffee production of plants shaded with pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) in comparison to unshaded ones, from May 2001 to August 2002 in Londrina, State of Paraná, Brazil. The appraised microclimatic characteristics were: global radiation, photosynthetic and radiation balance; air, leaf and soil temperatures; and soil humidity. Shading caused significant reduction in incident global solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation and net radiation, and attenuated maximum leaf, air and soil temperatures, during the day. Shade also reduced the rate of cooling of night air and leaf temperatures, especially during nights with radiative frost. Soil moisture at 0-10 cm depth was higher under shade. The shaded coffee plants produced larger cherries due to slower maturation, resulting in larger bean size. Nevertheless, plants under shade emitted less plagiotropic branches, with smaller number of nodes per branch, and fewer nodes with fruits, resulting in a large reduction in coffee production. These results show the need to find an optimal tree density and management that do not compromise coffee production and protect against extreme temperatures.

Differential effects of temperature on fruit development and bean quality of contrasting genotypes of cacao (Theobroma cacao)

The effects of temperature and light integral on fruit growth and development of five cacao genotypes (Amelonado, AMAZ 15/15, SCA 6, SPEC 54/1 and UF 676) were studied in semi-controlled environment glasshouses in which the thermal regimes of cacao-growing regions of Brazil, Ghana and Malaysia were simulated. Fruit losses because of physiological will (cherelle will) were greater at higher temperatures and also differed significantly between genotypes, reflecting genetic differences in competition for assimilates between vegetative and reproductive components. Short-term measurements of fruit growth indicated faster growth rates at higher temperatures. In addition, a significant negative linear relationship between temperature and development time was observed. There was an effect of genotype on this relationship, such that time to fruit maturation at a given temperature was greatest for the clone UF 676 and least for AMAZ 15/15. Analysis of base temperatures, derived from these relationships indicated genetic variability in sensitivity of cacao fruit growth to temperature (base temperatures ranged from 7.5 degrees C for Amelonado and AMAZ 15/15 to 12.9 for SPEC 54/1). Final fruit size was a positive function of beam number for all genotypes and a positive function of light integral for Amelonado in the Malaysia simulated environment (where the temperature was almost constant). In simulated environments where temperature was the main variable (Brazil and Ghana) increases in temperature resulted in a significant decrease in final pod size for one genotype (Amelonado) in Brazil and for two genotypes (SPEC 54/1 and UF 676) in Ghana. It was hypothesised that pod growth duration (mediated by temperature), assimilation and beam number are all determinants of final pod size but that under specific conditions one of these factors may override the others. There was variability between genotypes in the response of beam size and beam lipid content to temperature. Negative relationships between temperature and bean size were found for Amelonado and UF 676. Lipid concentration was a curvilinear function of temperature for Amelonado and UF 676, with optimal temperatures of 23 degrees C and 24 degrees C, respectively. The variability observed here of different cacao genotypes to temperature highlights the need and opportunities for appropriate matching of planting material with local environments.

The effect of processing on chlorogenic acid content of commercially available coffee

Chlorogenic acids (CGA) are a class of polyphenols noted for their health benefits. These compounds were identified and quantified, using LC–MS and HPLC, in commercially available coffees which varied in pro- cessing conditions. Analysis of ground and instant coffees indicated the presence of caffeoylquinic acids (CQA), feruloylquinic acids (FQA) and dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQA) in all 18 samples tested. 5-CQA was present at the highest levels, between 25 and 30% of total CGA; subsequent relative quantities were: 4- CQA > 3-CQA > 5-FQA > 4-FQA > diCQA (sum of 3,4, 3,5 and 4,5-diCQA). CGA content varied greatly (27.33–121.25 mg/200 ml coffee brew), driven primarily by the degree of coffee bean roasting (a high amount of roasting had a detrimental effect on CGA content). These results highlight the broad range of CGA quantity in commercial coffee and demonstrate that coffee choice is important in delivering opti-mum CGA intake to consumers.

Delineation of specific management areas for coffee cultivation based on the soil-relief relationship and numerical classification

Predicting and mapping productivity areas allows crop producers to improve their planning of agricultural activities. The primary aims of this work were the identification and mapping of specific management areas allowing coffee bean quality to be predicted from soil attributes and their relationships to relief. The study area was located in the Southeast of the Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A grid containing a total of 145 uniformly spaced nodes 50 m apart was established over an area of 31. 7 ha from which samples were collected at depths of 0. 00-0. 20 m in order to determine physical and chemical attributes of the soil. These data were analysed in conjunction with plant attributes including production, proportion of beans retained by different sieves and drink quality. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with geostatistical data showed the attributes clay content and available iron to be the best choices for identifying four crop production environments. Environment A, which exhibited high clay and available iron contents, and low pH and base saturation, was that providing the highest yield (30. 4l ha-1) and best coffee beverage quality (61 sacks ha-1). Based on the results, we believe that multivariate analysis, geostatistics and the soil-relief relationships contained in the digital elevation model (DEM) can be effectively used in combination for the hybrid mapping of areas of varying suitability for coffee production. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Antioxidant enzyme activity and hydrogen peroxide content during the drying of Arabica coffee beans

The development of the germination process and drought stress during the drying of coffee can generate reactive oxygen species, which can be neutralized by way of antioxidant mechanisms. No studies related to antioxidant enzymes during the drying of coffee were found in the literature, and considering their importance, the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) and glutathione reductase (GR), and also the hydrogen peroxide content were evaluated during the drying of two types of coffee bean, one processed as natural coffee and the other as pulped natural coffee. The results showed a reduction in the SOD, GPOX and GR enzymatic activities of the natural coffee as compared to the pulped natural coffee during the drying period. Moreover, the hydrogen peroxide content of the natural coffee was greater than that of the pulped natural coffee. These results suggest the development of oxidative stress during the coffee drying process, controlled more efficiently in pulped natural coffee by the early action of GPOX during the drying process. Nevertheless, differential responses by SOD isoenzymes and possibly the role of other peroxidases also appear to be involved in the responses observed. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Non root feeding with two sources of zinc on Coffea arábica L. 'mundo novo'(B.Rodr.) Choussy

A trial was carried out on an eight old coffee plantation with visible zinc problems. The plantation was situated nearly the city of Jaú (22º30'S, 48º30'W). State of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil is classified as medium texture Oxisol of low base saturation (Latossol Vermelho Amarelo - fase arenosa). The pulverization program started in november 1977, followed in march and July 1978 (heavy harvest) and ended in march and July 1979 (light harvest). Is should be mentioned that a well reconized characteristic of arábica coffe is its habit of biennial bearing, a very heavy harvest is most often followed by a light load the next year. The following treatments and amounts of chemicals per cova hole (4 trees) were tested in accordance with a random block design: 1. 1 g of zinc (zinc sulphate, 0.5%) 2. 3 g of nitrogen (urea, 1.3%) 3. 1 g of zinc + 3 g of nitrogen (zinc sulphate 0.5% + urea 1.3%) 4. 0.25 g, 0.50 g, 1.00 g, 2.00 g of zinc plus 0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g and 6.00 of nitrogen (correspondent to NZN* 15-0-0-5 as 0.75%, 1-5%, 3.0% and 6.0% by v/v). Foliar absorption data were obtained by collecting the 3rd and 4th pairs of the coffee leaves and analysed them for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. The main results may be summarized as follows: 1. The maximum calculated yields of clean coffee were obtained by the applications of 5.84 1 of NZN (1.13%) per hectare. 2. The applications of zinc sulphate (0.5%) and urea (1.3%) together or separate did not affected the coffee bean production. 3. The applications of 15.0 1 of NZN per hectare reduced the coffee yields. 4. Leaf damages and burning symptoms were observed by the applications of urea (1.3%) plus zinc sulphate (0.5%) and larger doses than 7.5 1 of NZN per hectare. 5. Leaf tissue analysis show that the concentrations of the elements were affecred by the age of the leaves and by the yields of the coffee trees. 6. The applications of increasing doses of NZN causes an increase in the concentration of zinc, manganese and boron in the leaves and decreased the concentration in calcium and potassium the leaves. 7. The concentration of zinc in the leaves associated with the heavy harvest, in July, was 70.0 ppm.

Phosphorus transformation in poultry litter and litter-treated Oxisol of Brazil assessed by 31P-NMR and wet chemical fractionation

Large quantities of poultry litter are being produced in Brazil, which contain appreciable amounts of phosphorus (P) that could be of environmental concern. To assess the immediate environmental threat, five poultry litters composed of diverse bedding material were incubated for 43 days under greenhouse conditions. The litters consisted of: coffee bean husk (CH); wood chips (WC); rice husk (RH); ground corn cobs (CC) and ground napier grass (NG) (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), in which the change in forms of soluble P was evaluated using 31P NMR spectroscopy. On average, 80.2 and 19.8 % of the total P in the extract, respectively, accounted for the inorganic and organic forms before incubation and 48 % of the organic P was mineralized to inorganic P in 43 days of incubation. Wide variation in the organic P mineralization rate (from 82 % -WC to 4 % - NG) was observed among litters. Inorganic orthophosphate (99.9 %) and pyrophosphate (0.1 %) were the only inorganic P forms, whereas the organic P forms orthophosphate monoesters (76.3 %) and diester (23.7 %) were detected. Diester P compounds were mineralized almost completely in all litters, except in the CH litter, within the incubation period. Pyrophosphates contributed with less than 0.5% and remained unaltered during the incubation period. Wood-chip litter had a higher organic P (40 %) content and a higher diester: monoester ratio; it was therefore mineralized rapidly, within the first 15 days, achieving steady state by the 29th day. Distinct mineralization patterns were observed in the litter when incubated with a clayey Oxisol. The substantial decrease observed in the organic P fraction (Po) of the litter types followed the order: CH (45 %) > CC (25 %) > RH (13 %) ≈ NG (12 %) > WC (5 %), whereas the Pi fraction increased. Incubation of RH litter in soil slowed down the mineralization of organic P.

Produção e caracterização de carvão ativado produzido a partir do defeito preto, verde, ardido (PVA) do café

The black, green and sour coffee defect (PVA) contributes with 20% of the total coffee production. It should be separate from the normal coffee grains in order to improve the final quality of the beverage. In this way, the present work has the objective to use the PVA reject for the production of activated carbon. The activated carbon (CA) was prepared from PVA defect using zinc chloride as activating agent. The prepared material (CA PVA) was characterized and the adsorption tests were carried out using as organic models methylene blue (AM) and reactive red (VR). The CA PVA revealed to be more efficient in the removal of the organic contaminants compared to a commercial activated carbon.

Efeito do ultrassom de alta intensidade na extração e difusão da cafeína nos grãos de café (Coffea arabica)

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Desempenho de reatores UASB em série no tratamento de águas residuárias de atividades agropecuárias

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Tarrazú y Orosí: Cambios en la cadena de comercialización del café y estrategias ante la liberalización del mercado, 1989-2006

ResumenEl presente artículo versa sobre los cambios que enfrentó la cadena de comercialización del café de Tarrazú y Orosi después de la liberalización del mercado, así como las estrategias implementadas por los beneficiadores y exportadores del grano para enfrentar las coyunturas críticas suscitadas por la ruptura del Acuerdo Internacional del Café. En este trabajo se aborda las causas del mercado libre y sus repercusiones en la cadena del café nacional, la dinámica de los eslabones del beneficiado y la exportación en cada región de estudio y las respuestas de los actores ante la crisis en los mercados.AbstractThis article focuses on the changes the Orosi and Tarrazú coffee marketing system had to deal with after the markets liberalization, and the strategies implemented by the processors and exporters of the coffee bean in order to tackle the critical situations that arose from the rupture of the International Coffee Agreement. This paper addresses the object of the free market and its impact on the domestic coffee-producing system, the dynamics of the coffee-processing and export structures in each region under study, and the key players response to the market crisis.

Los sistemas de beneficiado del café costarricense: 1830-1914

ResumenEste articulo trata de presentar un punto de vista diferente a la tradicional perspectiva de la supremacía del beneficiado húmedo sobre otros métodos de procesar el café. El análisis es sustentado en una base de datos cualitativos levantada de una lectura de múltiples fuentes como periódicos, censos, protocolos, expedientes judiciales, actas municipales, libros, etc. Al mismo tiempo, hace un repaso histórico de la introducción tecnológica extranjera y la innovación criolla por elaborar un grano de una calidad aceptable para la exportación. Simultáneamente, se hace hincapié sobre los problemas técnicos de la caficultura costarricenseAbstractThis article seeks to present a different point of view with regards to the traditional preeminence of wet coffee processing over other methods. The analysis is based on a qualitative database put together after the study of a wide variety of sources such as newspapers, census, protocols, court records, municipal records, books, etc. At the same time, it takes on a historical review of the introduction of foreign technology and the native innovation to develop a coffee bean of acceptable export quality. Likewise, the article stresses on the technical problems faced by the Costa Rican coffee industry.