One alternative to reduce the effects of the production instability and of the insecurity of world budget over coffee growers is the cultivation of rubber tree intercropped with coffee. However, the productivity of both cultures is affected strongly by the climatic variations and for the crop system. The objective of this research was to perform evaluations of gas exchanges, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm ratio) and leaf anatomy of coffee trees in cropped in different systems with rubber tree and environment. Four intercropping systems were studied as described: full sun coffee (C), three coffee cultivation lines between double strip of rubber tree (SSCCCSS), one coffee cultivation line between rubber tree strips (SCS) and three coffee plants for one rubber tree in the same cultivation line (SCSCS). The coffee plants of the (SSCCCSS), (SCS) and (SCSCS) systems showed smaller values of net photosynthesis rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration (E) and highest values of Fv/Fm ratio than that observed for the (C) system. The coffee plants cropped in the (C) system presented the highest average leaf thickness and also the largest thickness of palisade and lacunar parenchymas and stomatal index. These results indicate that coffee leaves have a great anatomic plasticity when cropped at full sun light or under shaded caused by rubber trees.
shading; anatomy; intercropping systems; photosynthesis
