The present work aimed to determine the best shading levels for the growth of coffee seedlings. The experiment was carried out at the Agriculture Department of the Federal University of Lavras. Coffee seedlings (Coffea arabica L.) were grown under four shading levels: seedlings in full sunshine, and under 30%, 50%, and 90% shading. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design, whith four replications. The experiment was run to the third/fourth leaf pair. Afterwards, the following analyses were performed: height, stem diameter, number of leaf pairs, root dry weight, shoot dry weight, and leaf area. Results showed the seedlings develop best under 50% shading, then 90 and 30% shading, and lastly under full sunshine.
Coffee; seedlings; full sunshine; growth; Coffea arabica
