Zn addition and Zn and P uptake, translocation and utilization by coffee cultivars

Abstract

The increasing nutrient requirement of coffee varieties, specially of micronutrients, is claiming for a better understanding of the dynamics of these nutrients in the soil-plant system. Having this in mind a greenhouse experiment in a completely randomized design, 3 × 2 factorial scheme and three replications was conducted to evaluate the effect of three Zn levels (0.4 , 1.3 and 2.3 mumol L-1) and two coffee species (Coffea arabica cv. Catuaí and Coffea canephora cv. Conilon) on: (i) growth characteristics; (ii) Zn and P contents; and (iii) Zn and P uptake, translocation and utilization efficiencies. Plants were grown in complete nutrient solution along 50 days, when they were transferred to three Zn levels. Plants were harvested and separated in leaves, stem and roots 114 days after the transference. Stem height, leaf area, dry matter yield, Zn and P contents, and Zn and P uptake, translocation and utilization efficiencies were evaluated. The largest growth characteristics were observed with 2.3 mumol L-1. The highest Coffea arabica cv Catuaí Zn contents suggest that this species has higher Zn demand than Coffea canephora cv. Conilon. Conilon cultivar showed the lowest Zn uptake and translocation efficiencies and the highest Zn utilization efficiency; what reflects its lower Zn demand. The Zn-P interaction was not observed with the Zn levels employed in this experiment.