The objective of this research was to verify the effect of three corn cultivars residues, on coffee plants, cv. Rubi, under greenhouse conditions, at Lavras Agricultural University, Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The treatments were zero, 2, 4 and 8 t ha-1 of corn residues (cv. AG1051, C333 and C435) either incorporated or on the top of 8 L pots filled with soil. Leaf area, plant height and stem diameter of coffee plants were taken at 60, 120 and 180 days after planting (DAP); at 170 DAP chlorophyll content was determined and at 180 DAP roots were harvested. Incorporated corn residues promoted reduction on leaf area, plant height and stem diameter at 60 DAP. The AG1051 cultivar corn residues showed strongest inhibitory effects on coffee plants when incorporated in soil, while C435 stimulated coffee growth when applied on top of the soil, except for chlorophyll content which was not altered when compared with no corn residues treatment.
allelopathy; corn; coffee
