Efecto del pH del substrato en el crecimiento y la absorción del café

Abstract

The contribution deals with the effect of substrate reaction on the growth and uptake of nutrient elements shown by coffee seedlings grown under controlled condítions. Substrate pH was varíed from 4 to 7.5 at intervals of 0. 5 of a unit. The reaction of the nutrient media had no effect on the absorption of nitrate-nitrogen, potassium and magnesium. The uptake of calcium and phosphorus was practically the same in treatments from pH 4 up to pH 6.5. The neutral and slightly alkaline treatments caused a sharp increase in the absorption of both calcium and phosphorus. The quantitative differences obtained in height, stem diameter, leaf area, dry matter content, ete., were not statistically significant at the end of the experiment, except for the stem diameter. The plant height data obtained at two-months intervals between the date of transplanting and the date of harvesting were also statistically significant at ear1y stages of growth. According to the results which illustrate the report, the plants grown in the nutrient solutions adjusted to pH 6.5 gave the híghest yield throughout the evaluation of the growth experimento