This research had the objective to evaluate the effect of grafting and 'Apoatã IAC 2258' cv. as rootstock on agronomic performance of seven Coffea arabica cvs. planted in area nematodes free. The experimental design was randomized blocks using a 7x3 factorial scheme with four repetitions. The treatments were 'Obatã IAC 1669-20', 'Acauã', 'Oeiras MG 6851', 'Catucaí Amarelo 2SL', 'Topázio MG 1190', 'IBC Palma II' and 'Paraíso MG H 419-1' coffee cultivars grafted on 'Apoatã IAC 2258', self grafted (meaning a cultivar was grafted on a rootstock of the same cultivar) and no grafting. The characteristic evaluated was the average yield of beans between the first and the fourth year, the fruit maturation stage, floating grain percentage and the bean size. The grafting cultivars showed good agronomic performance in the characteristic evaluated. The performance in coffee cultivars grafted on 'Apoatã IAC 2258' is the same in no grafting. In nematodes free areas, with the exception of the cultivars 'IBC Palma II' and 'Paraíso MG H 419-1', all cultivars are good choices to be used as scions. The grafting technique using 'Apoatã IAC 2258' as rootstock on area free of nematodes is not justified for yield increase.
coffee; grafting; yield; cultivars
