The purpose of the present work was the evaluation of the effects of irrigation on the growth of coffee crop. Fertilizer was applied through irrigation water, divided into three times. The experiment was installed in the city of Lavras, MG, Brazil, at the "Universidade Federal de Lavras". The cultivar "Acaiá MG-1474"was used. The irrigation management consisted of applying 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 0% of the cumulative water evaporation measured by a USWS class A pan evaporimeter. The application of fertilizer was divided into 3, 6 and 9 times, in the traditional period for coffee crop fertilization. The data of crop characteristics, obtained so far, allowed a statistical analysis evidencing a significant effect of the different irrigation water depths on stalk diameter, crown diameter, length of the first branch, and on the number of twigs in the first branch. The effect of fertilization division, number of times, was significant only for the length of the first branch, when it was split three times. The interaction between irrigation water depth and number of fertilization was significant for some characteristics, although there was not any common tendency. It is not possible, up to now, to define the best treatment for coffee crop production.
irrigation; fertigation; Coffea arabica L
