Spatial variability in nutritional status of arabic coffee based on dris index

• Main Authors: Samuel de Assis Silva, Julião Soares de Souza Lima, Daniel Marçal de Queiroz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal De Viçosa 2011-04-01
• Series: Revista Ceres
• Subjects: Produtividade; agricultura de precisão; geoestatística; análise foliar
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-737X2011000200019&lng=en&tlng=en

The combined use of precision agriculture and the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) allows the spatial monitoring of coffee nutrient balance to provide more balanced and cost-effective fertilizer recommendations. The objective of this work was to evaluate the spatial variability in the nutritional status of two coffee varieties using the Mean Nutritional Balance Index (NBIm) and its relationship with their respective yields. The experiment was conducted in eastern Minas Gerais in two areas, one planted with variety Catucaí and another with variety Catuaí. The NBIm of the two varieties and their yields were analyzed through geostatistics and, based on the models and parameters of the variograms, were interpolated to obtain their spatial distribution in the studied areas. Variety Catucai, with grater spatial variability, was more nutritional unbalanced than variety Catuai, and consequently produced lower yields. Excess of Fe and Mn makes these elements limiting yield factors.