Irrigation Management for Coffee Seedling Production in Technified Nurseries

Abstract

The work was developed at the Experimental Agroforestry Station "Jibacoa" with the aim of defining the partial and total net irrigation requirements for the production of coffee tree seedlings in tubes. For the study, three substrate variants were tested (50% rice husk + 50% soil + 2g multicote, 50% coconut fiber + 50% soil + 2g multicote) and technical standards (50% organic matter + 50% soil) with three levels of moisture in the substrate (85, 70 and 50%) available water. Parameters of morphological development were measured to know the influence of irrigation management on the quality of seedlings. Each treatment was made up of four trays containing 54 tubes with a capacity of 180 cm3, where seedlings of Coffea arabica L., variety "Isla 6-14", were developed, of which 10 of the central part were evaluated at the end of the experimental period. As a result, the average partial irrigation standards per type of substrate are: rice husk (14,44 mL plants-1), coconut fiber (12,1 mL plants-1) and technical standards (13,87 mL plants-1). Consequently, the total net irrigation standards vary, where the largest volumes of water needed are in the rice husk substrate followed by technical standards and coconut fiber with 46,01; 42,37 and 36,16 mL m-2, respectively. From the morphological point of view, the best seedlings are achieved in the rice husk substrate and maintaining a humidity level of 85% of the total available water.