Absorption of Ca, Mg and S by coffe plants (Coffea arabica L. cv. Catuai) two, three, four and five years old growing on a red-yellow latoesol (ustox)

Abstract

From a coffee plantation situated on a Red-Yellow Latossol in the Santo Izidro farm near Salto, State of São Paulo, Brazil, coffee plants two, three, four and five years old were cut near the ground level of the soil at the following grown periods: July (grow almost nihil), January (pin-head stage) and June (ripe stage). The material was divided into stem, branches, leaves and fruits, dried at 80°C and analyzed by conventional laboratory methods. The authors concluded: - The greatest accumulation of calcium, occurs in the aerial parts of the five year old coffee plants during the months of July, January and June. The accumulation of magnesium and sulphur, differ for the different ages of the tree. - Fruits of five year old coffee trees export through-out the following percentage in terms of the total content in the tree: Ca - 2 6%; Mg - 32% and S - 37%.