ABSTRACT
The development of the coffee plant was evaluated at initial phase of growth, when submitted to different irrigation water depths. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Department of Engineering of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), using the experimental design in randomised blocks with 6 treatments (40,60, 80,100,120 and 140% of the water depth evaporated from a Class A pan - ECA) and 7 replications. It was observed that the first visual symptoms of wilting of the plants happened when the water content in the soil was around 0,21g.g-1. Also, the matric potential of water in the soil was determined from water characteristic curves, revealing that in the treatments corresponding to depths of 120 and 140% ECA, the values oscillated from -10 to -20kPa and the visual symptoms of plant wilting happened when the water matric potential was around -260kPa. Generally, the vegetative parameters such as number of plagiotropic branches (lateral branches), stem diameter, plant height and leaf area, were benefited by the increase in the amount of water applied. According to the results obtained, it is possible to conclude that the treatment corresponding to 140% ECA promoted a better development of the coffee plant in the initial phase of growth.
Key words:
irrigation; coffee plant; evaporation; coffee