The aimed of this work was to evaluate the weed interference installed at 60 and 180 days after coffee seedlings transplanted in pots contend 25 dm³ of substrate. The experiment was arranged in a randomized blocs, with four replications, in factorial design (2 x 4 x 2), with two weed species (Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria plantaginea), cultured per 90 days, in four densities (zero, two, four and six plants per pot), together with coffee seedlings of different ages: 60 and 180 days after transplanted. In the moment of the experiment harvest was evaluated the increment in plant height, in leaf area and in girth diameter of the coffee, dry matter of weeds and coffee, and coffee root density. It also estimated the leaf mass ratio, stem mass ratio, root mass ratio, root system/shoot ratio of coffee plants. The weeds provided negative interference in the characteristics evaluated. Verified was smaller increase of height, leaf area and total dry matter of coffee plants with the increase of weed density. The effects of plants interference were bigger when the interference was installed sooner. In this case smaller occurred accumulation of growth variables; however both grasses behaved of similar way not differing for the most variables. When the competition was installed later the coffee plants were more sensible to competition the B. plantaginea in relation to B. decumbens. The increase of weed densities promoted bigger allocation of photoassimilates for the shoot part in detriment to coffee root system.
Brachiaria decumbens; Brachiaria plantaginea; Coffea arábica; interference; integrated management
