The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing phosphorus doses and different irrigation depths on a phosphorus content of leaf of coffee plants at the stage of first harvest. Coffee (Topázio MG-1190) orchard was planted in January 2010. The treatments were imposed after November 2011. An experimental design with randomized blocks arranged in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme with three replications was used. Treatments consisted of five irrigation depths, that corresponded to fractions (0.4; 0.7; 1.0; 1.3 and 1.6) of the depth based on the crop coefficient, and four phosphorus doses (0, 80, 240 and 720 kg ha-1). A drip irrigation system was used. The phosphate fertilizer used was monoammonium phosphate that was applied via fertigation in twelve equal split applications. Leaf phosphorus content was determined at the interval of two, four, six, eight, ten, and twelve months after the application of treatments. For both single application of phosphorus at planting, as in the application of increasing doses, applied by fertigation, it was observed that, in the first year of coffee harvest, leaf content of phosphorus in coffee plants increases with increasing water depth.
Coffea arabica L.; phosphorus fertilizer application; fertigation
