Studies on the nutritional efficiency of grafted coffee trees are important for the selection of the rootstocks/grafts combinations that aim at for a good development and maximum yield. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic differences in the efficiency of K, Ca and Mg uptake, transport and use in grafted coffee seedlings. Trees were planted in 20-L pots containing soil, sand and manure (3:1:1) to grow for 18 months, until harvest. As grafts, four genotypes of Coffea arabica L were used: varieties Catuaí Vermelho IAC 15 and Oeiras MG 6851 and hybrids H419-10-3-4-4 and H514-5-5-3, of the breeding program of EPAMIG/UFV. As rootstocks, five half-sib progenies of Coffea canephora Pierre cv. Conilon clones were used: 'ES 21', 'ES 36', 'ES 26', 'ES 23' and 'ES 38', of the robust coffee breeding program of INCAPER. The nutritional efficiency of the coffee trees regarding K, Ca and Mg varied with the graft/ rootstock combination. The performance of the grafted coffee plants was inferior to the control varieties, with regard to the nutritional efficiency and dry matter yield. Catuaí Vermelho IAC 15 combined with the rootstocks ES 26 and ES 23 was highly effective regarding Mg utilization and dry matter yield. The dry weight reduction in the cv. Oeiras MG 6851 combinations may be explained by the low potassium and magnesium uptake efficiency.
Coffea arabica; Coffea canephora; nutrition efficiency; rootstocks
