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.

Soil patterns and foliar standards for two cocoa clones in the States of Espírito Santo and Bahia, Brazil / Padrões de solo e normas foliares para dois clones de cacau cultivados nos Estados do Espírito Santo e Bahia, Brasil

ABSTRACT: The objective of this research was to establish soil patterns and foliar standards for clonal crops of cocoa CCN51 and PS1319 in the Atlantic regions within the northern Espírito Santo and southern Bahia States. Samples were collected from September to October 2015, in 45 high productive plots, being 23 plots of clone CCN51 and 22 of clone PS1319. Sufficiency ranges for soil and foliar standards were recommended for cocoa clones CCN51 and PS1319 planted in the Northern Espírito Santo and Southern Bahia states. Differences in the contents of foliar macronutrients K, Ca, Mg, S and micronutrients Fe and Mn, were verified between clones CCN51 and PS1319. Differences reported for standards from different geographical regions confirmed that these standards need to be regional and specific for different cocoa clones.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer padrões de solo e padrões foliares para culturas clonais de cacau CCN51 e PS1319 nas regiões do Atlântico no norte do Espírito Santo e no sul da Bahia. As amostras foram coletadas de setembro a outubro de 2015, em 45 parcelas de alta produtividade, sendo 23 parcelas do clone CCN51 e 22 do clone PS1319. As faixas de suficiência para solo e padrões foliares foram sugeridas para os clones de cacau CCN51 e PS1319 plantados no norte do Espírito Santo e no sul da Bahia. Diferenças nos teores dos macronutrientes foliares K, Ca, Mg, S e micronutrientes Fe e Mn foram verificadas entre os clones CCN51 e PS1319. As diferenças relatadas para padrões de diferentes regiões geográficas permitem confirmar que esses padrões precisam ser regionais e específicos para diferentes clones de cacau.