Initial performance and genetic diversity of coffee trees cultivated under contrasting altitude conditions

This work evaluated the initial performance and genetic diversity of Coffea canephora genotypes cultivated in environments at contrasting altitudes. Fourteen morphophysiological traits and seven descriptors of the genus Coffea spp. of coffee trees cultivated at altitudes of 140 m and 700 m were evaluated. The design used was Federer's augmented block in a 2 × 112 factorial scheme with six blocks. The first factor was the two environments, and the second was the 112 genotypes, with eight common treatments, being five conilon coffee clones and three arabica coffee cultivars. The data were analyzed by the method of REML/BLUP and genetic correlation method. Genetic diversity was evaluated by estimating the distance matrix, applying the Gower methodology followed by the clustering method by Tocher and UPGMA. The phenotypic means were higher in the environment at an altitude of 700 m, except for plant height, number of leaves, and canopy height (CH). Genotypic effects were significant for most traits except for leaf width, CH, unit leaf area, and total leaf area. A wide genetic diversity was verified, with distances varying from 0.037 to 0.593 for the pairs of genotypes 26 × 93 and T7 × 76, respectively. Most of the traits studied showed high genotypic correlation with the environment and expressive genetic correlation between the evaluated traits thereby demonstrating the possibility of indirect selection. There is an adaptation of conilon coffee genotypes to high altitudes and the possibility of developing a specific cultivar for the southern state of Espírito Santo.

Initial performance and genetic diversity of coffee trees cultivated under contrasting altitude conditions

ABSTRACT This work evaluated the initial performance and genetic diversity of Coffea canephora genotypes cultivated in environments at contrasting altitudes. Fourteen morphophysiological traits and seven descriptors of the genus Coffea spp. of coffee trees cultivated at altitudes of 140 m and 700 m were evaluated. The design used was Federer's augmented block in a 2 × 112 factorial scheme with six blocks. The first factor was the two environments, and the second was the 112 genotypes, with eight common treatments, being five conilon coffee clones and three arabica coffee cultivars. The data were analyzed by the method of REML/BLUP and genetic correlation method. Genetic diversity was evaluated by estimating the distance matrix, applying the Gower methodology followed by the clustering method by Tocher and UPGMA. The phenotypic means were higher in the environment at an altitude of 700 m, except for plant height, number of leaves, and canopy height (CH). Genotypic effects were significant for most traits except for leaf width, CH, unit leaf area, and total leaf area. A wide genetic diversity was verified, with distances varying from 0.037 to 0.593 for the pairs of genotypes 26 × 93 and T7 × 76, respectively. Most of the traits studied showed high genotypic correlation with the environment and expressive genetic correlation between the evaluated traits thereby demonstrating the possibility of indirect selection. There is an adaptation of conilon coffee genotypes to high altitudes and the possibility of developing a specific cultivar for the southern state of Espírito Santo.

Nutrição e vigor de mudas de cafeeiro e infestação por bicho mineiro / Leaf-miner attack in relation to nutrition and vigor of coffee-tree seedlings

Avaliou-se o efeito da disponibilidade de N e K sobre o vigor das plantas e ataque de bicho mineiro a mudas de cafeeiro, cultivar Catuaí Vermelho IAC 99. O experimento foi conduzido em solução nutritiva e em casa de vegetação. Os tratamentos consistiram de um fatorial formado por 4 doses de N e 4 doses de K, dispostos em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições e duas plantas por parcela. Os adultos de bicho-mineiro (Leucoptera coffeella- Guérin-Ménèville) foram liberados 6 meses após o início do experimento. Dois meses após, avaliaram-se o crescimento e vigor das plantas, o ataque da praga e as concentrações de N, K, proteína, lignina, amido e açucares solúveis totais na matéria seca das plantas. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise da variância, de regressão e de correlação. De modo geral, o teor de proteína apresentou correlação positiva, enquanto os teores de lignina, amido e açucares solúveis totais apresentaram correlações negativas com o ataque do bicho-mineiro. As mudas de cafeeiro com nutrição nitrogenada adequada e mais vigorosas foram mais atacadas pelo inseto.