Respuesta de plantas jóvenes de café a la aplicación de tres niveles de humedad en el suelo y dos fertilizantes nitrogenados

Abstract

In coffee plants to which nitrogen fertilizer was applied, a notable increase in dry weight, leaf surface and an apparent elongation were obtained when the available soil moisture was changed from 0 to 80 percent of available moisture. In unfertilized coffee plants these increases were not shown. The changes in moisture levels did not affect the root/shoot ratio. It decreased the content of nitrogen and chlorophyll of the leaf. The application of urea resulted in plants with more leaf surface and dry matter than the use of sodium nitrate. Control plants rendered less dry matter and leaf surface. The control and sodium nitrate treatments produced equal amounts of dry matter in the dryer soil. Higher nitrogen and chlorophyll contents were found in the plant leaves in the sodium nitrate treatments and less in the controls. The root/shoot ratio was lower in coffee plants fertilizer with nitrogen. This was due to the larger development of aerial parts.