Foliar, floral and fruiting activity in coffee cultivation due to the effect of flowering inducers and foliar fertilizers

Abstract

Use of floral inducers and foliar fertilizers in coffee production can be used as a strategy to promote foliar and reproductive growth.  In order to evaluate the effect of the application of urea and flowering inducers on abscission, leaf development, flowering and fruiting of coffee trees, a trial was carried out at the Caripe Experimental Station, located in Boquerón, Caripe municipality, with 10°12'40" North latitude and 63°32'35" West longitude, at the altitude of 1 136 m, Venezuela, of the National Research Institute. Agricultural, between the months of March and November 2016. The following treatments were used: 1 ml L-1 of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (Etephon); 1 ml L-1 of calcium oxide; 5 mg L-1 of gibberellic acid; 50 g L-1 of urea; 25 g L-1 of calcium nitrate and a control (without application). The application was carried out with a Jacto® manual sprayer, 20 days after the last harvest pass, with a cost of 400 L ha-1. The quantified variables were assessed by analysis of variance and the averages were compared by Scott and Knott at 5% probability. It was evident for the number of knots that Etephon and calcium nitrate presented the highest values. The number of total leaves and the number of active leaves presented the same statistical pattern as that observed for the number of nodes; while, for the number of new leaves, only Etephon stood out. The number of active knots treated with Etephon and calcium oxide spray showed superiority; the highest number of total flowers was observed with the spraying of calcium oxide, Etephon and calcium nitrate; Analogous behavior was presented by the variable number of flowers per node. In relation to the number of active nodes, fruits per node and total fruits, all sprayed products were favorable and different from the control.