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Nonuniform flowering leads to uneven ripening of fruits, which impairs harvesting efficiency and the quality of the coffee. The aim of this study was to determine the water deficit level required to break flower bud dormancy of Coffea arabica and to evaluate its effects on gas exchange, photosynthetic pigment levels, coffee yield, and fruit maturation. After a growth period of 18 months in 200 L pots maintained under greenhouse conditions, water deficit treatments were imposed by withholding watering from plants exhibiting at least a 60% rate of "E4 stage" flower buds. When five groups of six coffee plants reached the pre-dawn leaf water potential (Ψwpd) of -0.04, -0.65, -1.43, -1.96, and -2.82 MPa, the leaf gas exchange was measured and leaf disks were collected to quantify the photosynthetic pigment levels, after which, watering was resumed. The rate of opened flowers increased with the reduction of Ypd based on the mathematical model, Y = 67.064 + 20.660 x ln(-Ψwpd). The leaf gas exchange was strongly affected by water deficit levels, without any alterations in the photosynthetic pigment levels. Coffee yield was not affected by the treatments but the ripe stages of cherries increased slightly with the reduction in Ψwpd. The water deficit level applied at the pre-flowering stage determined the percentage of flowering in C. arabica.

Background: Weed control in the pre-harvest of the coffee crop is essential to enable mechanized coffee harvesting. Objective: Testing the efficacy of pre-emergent herbicides, applied after brush shredder or desiccation operations, on the weed control during the coffee crop’s pre-harvest. Methods: Two separate trials were accomplished in commercial Coffea arabica crops in the Cerrado Mineiro Region. In the first one, oxyfluorfen and sulfentrazone were applied after either brush shredder or burndown operation; in the second, they were tested as a tank mixture with glyphosate. Results: In the first assay, the brush shredder use, associated to the rains that follow, stimulated a sharp weed infestation during the pre-harvest, which was not observed in desiccated plots. A sole application of oxyfluorfen or sulfentrazone, following either brush shedder or desiccation operation, effectively controlled the weeds; however, the sequential applications on burndown areas may be needless. The applied herbicides did not intoxicate the coffee plants nor affect their growth. In the second assay, both herbicide mixtures were highly efficient on the weed control through post-emergence application during the pre-harvest, what was not observed with a sole application of glyphosate. In both experiments, a dry period during winter, associated to the operations to gather fallen coffee fruit, collectively contributed to control weeds. Differently from oxyfluorfen, the residual effect of sulfentrazone was high enough to control weed even in the beginning of the rainy season. Conclusion: Sulfentrazone and oxyfluorfen were effective on the weed control in the pre-harvest of the coffee crop, mainly when applied after brush shedder operations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes períodos de imposição do deficit hídrico sobre a concentração da florada do cafeeiro (Coffea arabica), bem como sobre as trocas gasosas, a produtividade, a maturação e a qualidade dos grãos. As cultivares Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 e Bourbon Amarelo J9 foram avaliadas conforme os seguintes tratamentos: não irrigado (NI), irrigado continuamente (IC), e suspensão da irrigação em 1/7/2010 (D1) e em 1/8/2010 (D2), com retorno desta em 24/9/2010. Cerca de três dias após a retomada da irrigação, registrou-se a ocorrência de uma "chuva de florada", com precipitação de 69 mm. O potencial hídrico foliar de antemanhã (Ψam) nas cultivares Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 e Bourbon Amarelo J9, em 22/9, foi de -0,59 e -0,82 MPa, -0,53 e -0,79 MPa, e -0,34 e -0,49 MPa, para os tratamentos NI, D1 e D2, respectivamente. O percentual máximo de botões florais no estádio E4, imediatamente antes da ocorrência da chuva, não foi afetado pelos níveis de deficit impostos durante o inverno, independentemente das cultivares. Os níveis moderados de deficit hídrico impostos pelos tratamentos (Ψam ~ -0,80 MPa) produziram pouco ou nenhum efeito sobre as trocas gasosas, a taxa de florescimento ou a uniformidade de maturação - percentagem de cerejas de 66% -, e a produtividade e a classificação dos grãos, de ambas as cultivares. O efeito dos diferentes tratamentos sobre o status hídrico dos botões florais não se sobrepõe ao efeito da chuva de florada, que foi determinante para sua abertura. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different periods of water deficit imposition on narrowing coffee (Coffea arabica) blossom period, as well as on gas exchange, coffee bean yield, maturity, and grain quality. The Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 and Bourbon Amarelo J9 cultivars were evaluated according to the following treatments: nonirrigated (NI), continuously irrigated (CI), and suspension of irrigation on 7/1/2010 (D1) and on 8/1/2010 (D2), which was restarted on 9/24/2010. About three days after irrigation was restarted, a "blossom rain" was registered, with 69 mm precipitation. The pre-dawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) of the cultivars Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 and Bourbon Amarelo J9, on 9/22, was of -0.59 and -0.82 MPa, -0.53 and -0.79 MPa, and -0.34 and -0.49 MPa for the NI, D1, and D2 treatments, respectively. The maximum percentage of flower buds at the E4 stage, right before rainfall occurrence, was not affected by the water deficit levels imposed during winter, regardless of the cultivar. The moderate water deficits imposed by the treatments (Ψpd ~ -0.80 MPa) had little or no effect on gas exchange, on flowering rate or maturation uniformity - 66% ripe cherries -, and on coffee bean yield and classification of both cultivars. The effect of the different treatments on the water status of the flower buds does not overcome the effects of the blossom rain, which was determinant for their opening.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar os efeitos da interferência de plantas daninhas, em diferentes densidades de infestação, sobre o crescimento de plantas jovens de café arábica. Mudas de café, cultivar Mundo Novo, foram transplantadas, no estádio de quatro a cinco pares de folhas completamente expandidas, para vasos com capacidade de 25 dm3. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial (4 x 4); o primeiro fator foi composto por espécies de plantas daninhas (Digitaria horizontalis, Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria plantaginea e Mucuna aterrima), e o segundo, por densidades dessas espécies (zero, dois, quatro e seis plantas por vaso), com quatro repetições. O plantio das espécies daninhas foi realizado 60 dias após o transplantio do café (0 DAT). Nesta data e no dia do encerramento do experimento, aos 90 DAT, determinaram-se a altura, a área foliar e o diâmetro do caule da planta de café, para cálculo do incremento dessas variáveis. Aos 90 DAT, determinou-se a matéria seca da parte aérea e radicular do café e das plantas daninhas e a densidade radicular do café. Utilizando esses resultados, estimou-se a razão de massa foliar, razão de massa caulinar, razão de massa radicular, razão de área foliar e a razão sistema radicular/parte aérea das plantas de café. A espécie M. aterrima foi a que mais reduziu a taxa de crescimento, a área foliar, a matéria seca do caule e das folhas e o diâmetro do caule do café. Entre as gramíneas, B. plantaginea foi a que mais reduziu a taxa de crescimento, área foliar, diâmetro do caule e densidade radicular do café. Ocorreu relação negativa entre a densidade de plantas daninhas e as variáveis de crescimento e com a razão de massa radicular e razão sistema radicular/parte aérea. The goal of this work was to evaluate the effects of weeds on the growth of young Arabica coffee plants, at different densities of infestation. Seedlings of Mundo Novo coffee cultivar were transplanted at the stage of four to five pairs of completely expanded leaves, to pots with capacity of 25 dm3. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block in factorial design (4 x 4), with four weed species (Digitaria horizontalis, Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria plantaginea and Mucuna aterrima) at four planting densities coexisting with coffee (zero, two, four, and six plants per pot), with four replications. The weed species were planted 60 days after the coffee plant transplanting (0 DAT). On this date, and on the day the experiment was concluded, at 90 DAT, height, leaf area and stem diameter of the coffee plants were determined. At 90 DAT, measurements were also performed to determine the increase in height, leaf area and stem diameter of the coffee plants, as well as shoot and root dry matter of the coffee plants and weeds and coffee plant root density. Based onthese data, estimations were made for leaf mass ratio, stem mass ratio, root mass ratio, leaf area ratio and root system/shoot ratio of the coffee plants. The species M. aterrima presented the highest reduction rate for plant height, leaf area, dry matter of stem and leaves and girth diameter of the coffee plants. Among the grasses, B. plantaginea presented the highest reduction rate for plant height, leaf area, girth diameter and root density. A negative relation was observed between weed increase and growth variables, and between root mass ratio and root system/shoot ratio.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a tolerância de mudas de café à aplicação de herbicidas em pós-emergência. Flumiozaxin, sulfentrazone, flazasulfuron, clethodim, fluazifop-p-butil, imazamox, bentazon, fomesafen, lactofen, oxyfluorfen, chlorimuron-ethil, metribuzin e também as misturas de fluazifop-p-butil + fomesafen e de nicosulfuron + atrazine foram aplicados diretamente sobre o topo das plantas, 15 dias após o transplantio das mudas de café para os vasos (3,0 L). Foram feitas avaliações visuais de toxicidade dos herbicidas às plantas de café e, também, avaliações da altura, do diâmetro e da massa seca da parte aérea e das raízes dessas plantas. O metribuzin e a mistura em tanque de nicosulfuron + atrazine causaram morte das plantas de café, enquanto imazamox, sulfentrazone, oxyfluorfen e lactofen causaram severa toxicidade (49 a 64%). Dentre os herbicidas avaliados, aqueles que mais reduziram a altura das plantas, em relação à testemunha, foram imazamox e sulfentrazone (62 e 68%, respectivamente). O acúmulo de matéria seca, tanto da parte aérea como do sistema radicular, foi no máximo 67% daquele apresentado pela testemunha para sulfentrazone, flazasulfuron, imazamox, lactofen e oxyfluorfen. O maior potencial para uso em pós-emergência, sobre o topo das plantas, foi obtido com fluazifop-p-butil, clethodim, fomesafen, chlorimuron-ethil, flumioxazin e fluazifop-p-butil + fomesafen, uma vez que causaram apenas leves injúrias e não afetaram o acúmulo de matéria seca do cafeeiro. This work was conducted to evaluate the tolerance of coffee plant seedlings to post emergence herbicide application. Flumiozaxin, sulfentrazone, flazasulfuron, clethodim, fluazifop-p-butil, imazamox, bentazon, fomesafen, lactofen, oxyfluorfen, chlorimuron-ethil, metribuzin and also the mixtures of fluazifop-p-butil + fomesafen and of nicosulfuron + atrazine were sprayed directly on top of the plants, 15 days after coffee seedling transplantation, in 3.0 L pots. Herbicide injury, coffee plant height, diameter and also shoot and root dry weights were evaluated. Whereas imazamox, sulfentrazone, oxyfluorfen and lactofen imposed a high injury (49 to 64%), metribuzin and the nicosulfuron + atrazine tank mixture killed all the plants 35 days after application. The greatest plant height decreases were imposed by imazamox (62%) and sulfentrazone (68%). Both the shoot and the root dry matter contents were a maximum of 67% of that verified on the control, after applications of sulfentrazone, flazasulfuron, imazamox, lactofen and oxyfluorfen. The greatest potential to post emergence application on top of the plants were achieved with fluazifop-p-butyl, clethodim, fomesafen, chlorimuron-ethyl, flumioxazin and fluazifop-p-butyl + fomesafen, since they neither significantly injured the plants nor affected their dry matter production.

As plantas jovens de café são muito sensíveis à interferência das plantas daninhas, devido à forte competição por nutrientes que se estabelece entre essas plantas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo, portanto, avaliar os efeitos da interferência de sete espécies de plantas daninhas no conteúdo relativo (CR) de macro e micronutrientes, na massa seca da parte aérea de plantas de café. Aos 30 dias após o transplantio das mudas de café, em vasos contendo 12 L de substrato, fez-se o transplantio e/ou a semeadura das espécies daninhas, em seis densidades (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 plantas por vaso). Os períodos de convivência, desde o transplantio ou emergência das plantas daninhas até a colheita das plantas, foram de 77 dias - Bidens pilosa, 180 dias - Commelina diffusa, 82 dias - Leonurus sibiricus, 68 dias - Nicandra physaloides, 148 dias - Richardia brasiliensis e 133 dias - Sida rhombifolia. B. pilosa, C. diffusa, L. sibiricus e R. brasiliensis, mesmo em baixas densidades, acarretaram decréscimos consideráveis no conteúdo relativo de nutrientes de plantas de café. B. pilosa foi a planta daninha que extraiu a maior quantidade de nutrientes, enquanto N. physaloides e S. rhombifolia foram as espécies que causaram menor interferência ao cafeeiro. O grau de interferência variou com a espécie e com a densidade das plantas daninhas. Young coffee plants are very sensitive to weed interference due to the high nutrient competition among these plants. This work was conducted to evaluate the interference effects of seven weed species on the relative contents (RC) of macro and micro-nutrients in coffee shoot dry matter. At 30 days after coffee seedling transplantation in 12 L pots, the weeds were transplanted to or sowed in those pots (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 plants per pot). The weedy periods, from weed transplantation or emergence to plant harvesting, were 77 days - Bidens pilosa, 180 days - Commelina diffusa, 82 days - Leonurus sibiricus, 68 days - Nicandra physaloides, 148 days - Richardia brasiliensis and 133 days - Sida rhombifolia. B. pilosa, C. diffusa, L. sibiricus and R. brasiliensis caused considerable decreases in the nutrient RC of the coffee plants, even at low densities. B. pilosa absorved the highest nutrient amounts, while N. physaloides and S. rhombifolia caused the least interference in coffee plants. The degree of interference depended both on the species and density of the weeds.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência de misturas de herbicidas no controle de duas espécies de trapoeraba, Commelina diffusa e Commelina benghalensis. Para isso, segmentos de caule dessas espécies foram transplantados em vasos contendo 12 L de substrato. Após 120 dias, foram aplicados os seguintes tratamentos: carfentrazone-ethyl (30 g ha1) em mistura com glyphosate (720 g ha-1) e/ou glyphosate potássico (720 g ha-1); glyphosate (720 g ha-1) em mistura com flumioxazin (60 g ha-1) e/ou 2,4-D (670 g ha-1) e/ou metsulfuron methyl (4 g ha-1); oxyfluorfen em mistura com sulfentrazone (480 + 375 g ha1); aplicações seqüenciais, com intervalo de 21 dias, de [(paraquat + diuron) / (carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate)] [(200+400)/(30+720)] e de [(paraquat + diuron) / (paraquat + diuron)] [(200+400)/(200+400)]; e testemunha sem aplicação de herbicida. Cada espécie constituiu um experimento, sendo ambos conduzidos no delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Foram feitas avaliações de controle das trapoerabas e da biomassa fresca da parte aérea. Os tratamentos mais eficientes no controle das trapoerabas foram as aplicações seqüenciais, com intervalo de 21 dias, de (paraquat + diuron) / (carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate) e de (paraquat + diuron) / (paraquat + diuron), seguidas das misturas em tanque de 2,4-D + glyphosate e de carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate e/ou glyphosate potássico. This research was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of herbicide mixtures in the control of two dayflower species, Commelina diffusa and Commelina benghalensis. These species were grown from stem segments in 12 L pots during 120 days. Subsequently, a randomized complete block design with four replicates was performed for each species. The treatments were carfentrazone-ethyl combined to either glyphosate or glyphosate-potassium salt (30 + 720 g ha-1); glyphosate (720 g ha-1) combined to flumioxazin (60 g ha-1), or 2.4-D (670 g ha-1) or metsulfuron methyl (4 g ha-1); oxyfluorfen combined to sulfentrazone (480 + 375 g ha-1); sequential 21 day-spaced applications of (paraquat + diuron) / (carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate) (200+400) /(30+720) and (paraquat + diuron) / (paraquat + diuron) (200+400) / (200+400); and no herbicide application as check control. The percentage of weed control and shoot fresh weight were evaluated. The best treatments to control both species were the sequential applications of (paraquat + diuron) / (carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate) and of (paraquat + diuron) / (paraquat + diuron), followed by 2.4-D + glyphosate and carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate or glyphosate-potassium salt mixtures.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia do herbicida carfentrazone-ethyl, isolado ou associado ao glyphosate e ao glyphosate potássico, no controle de duas espécies de plantas daninhas conhecidas como trapoeraba: Commelina diffusa e Commelina benghalensis. Para isso, segmentos de caule dessas plantas foram transplantados e submetidos a crescimento em vasos que continham 12 L de substrato, durante 120 dias. Os experimentos (um por espécie de trapoeraba) foram conduzidos no delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições, sendo constituídos de carfentrazone-ethyl nas doses de 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 e 50 g ha1, isoladas ou aplicadas em mistura com o glyphosate e o glyphosate potássico, ambos na dose de 720 g ha-1. Foram feitas avaliações de controle e da biomassa fresca da parte aérea (BFPA). C. diffusa foi mais tolerante ao carfentrazone-ethyl e à sua mistura ao glyphosate e ao glyphosate potássico do que C. benghalensis. Tanto o glyphosate quanto o glyphosate potássico, isolados, promoveram controle considerado ruim (inferior a 30%) de ambas as espécies de trapoeraba, na dose de 720 g ha-1. A eficiência de controle pelas misturas de herbicidas foi superior à das suas aplicações isoladas, com exceção do carfentrazone-ethyl em doses acima de 30 g ha-1, as quais proporcionaram controles de C. benghalensis semelhantes às misturas. Apesar do razoável controle (de 71 a 80%) para C. diffusa e do bom a excelente controle (acima de 81%) para C. benghalensis, proporcionados pelas misturas de carfentrazone-ethyl com glyphosate e/ou glyphosate potássico, apenas uma aplicação não foi suficiente para o controle definitivo da Commelina spp., pois verificou-se para ambas as espécies, por meio da avaliação da BFPA, a reinfestação da área devido à recuperação das plantas, ou mesmo, no caso de C. benghalensis, a reinfestação a partir de sementes subterrâneas, que se tornaram viáveis após a morte da parte aérea provocada pelos herbicidas. This research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of carfentrazone-ethyl, isolated and in mixture with to glyphosate or glyphosate-potassium salt, on controlling two dayflower species, Commelina diffusa and C. benghalensis. These species were grown from stem segments in 12 L pots filled with soil, during 120 days. A complete randomized block design with four replicates was performed for each species. The treatments were carfentrazone-ethyl (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g ha-1), isolated and in mixture with glyphosate or glyphosate-potassium salt, these being applied at doses of 720 g ha-1. The percentages of weed control and shoot fresh weight (SFW) were evaluated. C. diffusa was more tolerant to carfentrazone-ethyl alone or combined with both glyphosate and glyphosate-potassium salt than C. benghalensis. Both glyphosate and glyphosate-potassium salt were inefficient (control below 30%) when applied isolated, regardless of the species. The efficiency of controlling herbicide mixtures was greater than their single applications, except for the carfentrazone-ethyl in doses above 30 g ha-1, with C. benghalensis, in which control was similar to the employed mixtures. Despite the reasonable control (from 71 to 80%) for C. diffusa and the very good control (above 81%) for C. benghalensis, obtained with carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate or carfentrazone-ethyl + glyphosate-potassium salt mixtures, a sole application did not decisively control Commelina spp. In effect, recovery of plants as seen through SFW evaluation took place irrespective of the species; moreover, for C. benghalensis, reinfestation from underground seeds that became viable after the shoot's death, due to herbicide application, was also found.