The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of coffee population density and liming management practices on the fertility attributes of a Latosol, and in the nutritional status and yield of coffee (Coffea arabica L.). The experiment was carried out from February 2000 to June 2003 in the Experimental Farm of Epamig (São Sebastião do Paraíso, MG). The treatments tested consisted of the combination of two coffee population densities (2,857 and 10,000 plants ha-1) with three methods of liming management (without lime; lime incorporation at 0 to 20 cm soil layer, and surface liming). As an additional treatment, liming (0 to 20 cm) plus phosphogypsum were applied in an area with 10.000 pl ha-1. Soil samples were collected at soil depths of 0 to10, 10 to 20 and 20 to 40 cm, in four sampling times. The samples were analyzed for: pH, Ca and Mg exchangeable, P (Mehlich-1 solution), sulfate, nitrate e ammonium, and the saturation for bases. The liming management practices reduced the acidity until the soil depth of 0 to 10 cm. Transport of lime applied at soil surface was verified only at the forth sampling. The soil fertility attributes analyzed were not influenced by coffee population density. In average, the coffee yield in the higher plant density was 14 and 33 bags ha-1 higher than in the lower plant density, respectively in the first and second harvest seasons.
Population density; soil acidity; coffee nutritional status; cation leaching; Coffea arabica
