CRESCIMENTO INICIAL DE MUDAS DE CAFÉ ARÁBICA EM FUNÇÃO DE DOSES DE FÓSFORO

Abstract

The coffee tree (Coffea arabica L.) is a culture of extreme importance in the Brazilian economy. One of the main concerns with the implantation of the culture is the quality of the seedlings taken to the field. One of the biggest deficiencies of our soils is the nutrient phosphorus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the initial growth of arabica coffee seedlings in relation to time and phosphorus doses. The study was developed in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Paraíba, Areia-PB. The experiment was set up with coffee seedlings in polyethylene bags under a completely randomized design considering the time with monthly evaluations during six months and the doses of phosphorus (0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 g.dm-3). It was evaluated plant height, diameter at ground level, number of leaves, length and width of leaves, and fresh and root and shoot dry. The plant height, diameter at the soil level, number of leaves and shoot fresh matter showed a maximum value at 180 days after transplantation, in which dose of 0.6 g.dm-3 provided a better result. The length and width of the leaf showed a maximum value point between 125 and 157 days after transplanting, the highest values being observed at a dose of 0.6 g.dm-3. The root length, root fresh matter and root and shoot dry matter showed great point near the dose of 0.6 g.dm-3. It is concluded that the dose of 0.6 g of P.dm-3 presents the highest results for all analyzed variables, and that the 180-day period after transplantation provides the highest values of plant height, diameter at the soil level and number of leaves.