Microclimate and development of Coffea canephora intercropped with Carica papaya: measures to mitigate climate change

Intercropped systems with Conilon coffee might provide a better environment for coffee production. The aim of this study was to assess the microclimate and development of Conilon coffee intercropped with papaya trees. Papaya was planted with spacing of 3.20 x 2.40 m. The coffee trees were planted after eight months, with spacing of 3.20 x 1.60 m, in-between papaya trees (in the same row). The measurements were taken 0, 40 and 80 cm away from the coffee plants, both in the north and south direction. Concomitantly, an adjoining full sunlight coffee system (not intercropped) was also assessed. The measurements included atmospheric parameters (temperature, irradiance, and relative humidity) and vegetative parameters for the coffee plants (leaf area, relative chlorophyll index, length of plagiotropic branches, length of orthotopic branches and number of nodes) in three periods of the year. The intercropped system of Conilon coffee and papaya trees led to a decrease in both irradiance and temperature, and higher means of relative humidity during daytime in all the periods assessed, which contributes to a better environment for coffee cultivation. The shadow provided by papaya trees in the coffee plants contributed to a higher leaf area but did not affect neither the growth of both plagiotropic and orthotopic branches, nor the number of nodes and the etiolation. The intercropped system of Conilon coffee and papaya trees may be potentially used as a farming system to mitigate climate change.

Wet bulb and Conilon coffee root distribution under drip irrigation / Bulbo molhado e sistema radicular do cafeeiro Conilon sob irrigação localizada

ABSTRACT Knowledge of the wet bulb and the root system of the Conilon coffee plant is highly important for the correct management of irrigation. Therefore, the aim of this work was to characterize the wet bulb and Conilon coffee root distribution under drip irrigation. The experiment was conducted in the city of São Mateus, ES, Brazil with five replications of a completely randomized design of a 4 x 6 split-plot scheme, which represents four points located according to plant location and six depths. Two points were located in the plant line and two points between lines. For row spacing, we used a split-plot scheme 5 x 6 with five points in relation with plant location and six depths with five replications. The coffee roots were analysed by volume, superficial area, length and diameter. The wet bulb was measured with tubes located in six points near the plants with two points in the plant row (between two plants) and five points between rows. The measurements were conducted at four depth ranges with three replications. The wet bulb reached a depth of between 0.40 and 0.50 m, providing an excess of water in depth, evidencing the importance of this characterization for the irrigation management of drip-irrigated Conilon coffee. The depth of the radicular system for better irrigation management efficiency of drip-irrigated coffee is 0.30 m, exhibiting 67.4% of root volume and 68.0% of surface area.

RESUMO O conhecimento do bulbo molhado e do sistema radicular do cafeeiro Conilon é de suma importância para o manejo correto da irrigação. Diante disso, objetivou-se caracterizar o bulbo molhado e o sistema radicular do cafeeiro Conilon sob irrigação localizada. O experimento foi realizado em São Mateus-ES, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado em parcela subdividida 4 x 6, sendo quatro pontos em relação à planta e seis faixas de profundidade, com cinco repetições. Sendo dois na linha e sete na entre linha com distância entre si de 0,20 m. E na entre linha do cafeeiro em parcela subdividida 5 x 6, sendo cinco pontos em relação à planta e seis faixas de profundidade, com cinco repetições. Foram avaliados volume, área superficial, comprimento e diâmetro de raiz. O bulbo molhado foi determinado usando tubos dispostos em seis pontos em relação à planta, sendo um ponto na linha de plantio do cafeeiro entre duas plantas, e em cinco pontos na entre linha, sendo as medições realizadas em quatro faixas de profundidades, com três repetições. O bulbo molhado atingiu profundidade entre 0,40 a 0,50 m, proporcionando excesso de água em profundidade, evidenciando a importância dessa caracterização para o manejo da irrigação do cafeeiro Conilon irrigado por gotejamento. A profundidade do sistema radicular para melhor eficiência do manejo da irrigação do café Conilon irrigado por gotejamento é de 0,30 m, tendo apresentaram está profundidade 67,4% do volume de raiz e 68,0% de área superficial.