Perdas na colheita em diferentes cultivares de coffea arabica no brejo paraibano

Abstract

Coffee is a crop with remarkable commercial and social prominence. Brazil has remained the largest coffee producer for over a hundred years. The modernization of Brazilian coffee farming has occurred through advances in mechanization, genetic improvement, and management. Projections for Brazil indicate that rising temperatures could make up to 75% of currently cultivated areas economically unviable for Arabica throughout the 21st century. Coffee cultivation began its cycle in the Brejo Paraibano region during the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century, reaching approximately 6 million coffee trees planted in municipalities such as Alagoa Nova, Areia, Bananeiras, and Serraria. This study aimed to evaluate harvest losses for six Coffea arabica cultivars grown in the Areia region of Brejo Paraibano. The experiment was conducted in an experimental area of the Federal University of Paraíba, using the following cultivars: Catucaí 24/137, Catuaí Amarelo 62, Catuaí Vermelho 144, Mundo Novo, Arara, and Bourbon. Harvesting was done by manual stripping, and losses were quantified by collecting, drying, and weighing the fallen grains. The data obtained after weighing were subjected to the TUKEY test at 5% probability using the SISVAR program. The results showed significant variation among cultivars, with the highest losses observed in the Catucaí 24/137 and Catuaí Amarelo 62 cultivars, while the Bourbon cultivar presented the lowest rates. Catuaí Vermelho 144 stood out for presenting low effective losses, demonstrating good production utilization. The data indicate that cultivar selection directly influences the reduction of postharvest losses and that appropriate management practices, such as correctly defining the harvest point, are essential to minimize damage and optimize grain quality. The conclusion is that selecting cultivars adapted to the ParaíbaBrejo region can favor the sustainability of regional coffee production. However, further studies are recommended to evaluate different harvests and consider the quality of the beans, providing more comprehensive information for strengthening coffee production in the region.