This study was conducted in the districts of São Roque de Minas and Vargem Bonita, MG, with the aim to distinguish landscapes for coffee growing, with higher water available to the crop. Soil moisture was monitored in eight plots of coffee, and in five of them being also determined water availability for plants and soil bulk density. The plots are located in areas of Latosols and Cambisols. In one plot of each soil class, the distribution of the root system of coffee in the soil profile was studied. Soil moisture was monitored from April 2008 to February 2009, in the interval of 30 to 40 days. The soil depths of 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 m were sampled, in line and between the lines of the coffee. The combination of the five plots, two sampling positions (line and between the lines) and five depths, formed the 50 Treatments used in the multivariate analysis. It was observed that soil moisture is lower in the line of coffee compared to between lines. The class of soil and plant age influence soil moisture and water availability to plants. The root system of coffee reached the depth of 1.5 to 1.7 m, in both studied soil classes. The 50 Treatments were grouped into 4, by means of the principal component analysis, according to the soil class and management.
cultural profile; water availability; root system; conservation management
