The influence of environmental conditions and irrigation on the chemical composition of green coffee beans and the relationship of these parameters to the quality of the beverage were investigated in coffee plantations in the regions of Adamantina, Mococa and Campinas, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The chemical composition and physical aspects of green coffee beans produced in the three regions were related through Principal Component Analyses (PCA) to the quality of beverage, as determined by sensorial and electronic analyses. The chemical composition was affected by the environmental conditions. Some differences in cup quality were detected by the electronic method but not by cup tasting. Irrigation was not a major factor affecting chemical composition, since there were few differences in relation to non-irrigated coffee plants. The production site appeared to be the main influencing factor on biochemical composition. A pronounced difference was observed in Adamantina, where annual average air temperature was 1.6-2.4ºC warmer than in the other two areas and about 3.5ºC above to the optimal limit for coffee cultivation.

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O objetivo foi avaliar a influência de déficits hídricos controlados no florescimento e na produção de cafeeiro Arábica (Coffea arabica L. cv. Obatã enxertados sobre C. canephora cv. Apoatã) em três diferentes condições edafoclimáticas do Estado de São Paulo. As plantas, com idade inicial de 2,5 anos foram cultivadas em espaçamento 2,5 x 1,0 m, no período de julho de 2001 a maio de 2002, nas localidades paulistas de Adamantina, Mococa e Campinas, sob as seguintes condições de manejo de água: não-irrigado (NI), irrigado continuamente (IC) e irrigados com suspensão da irrigação por 30 dias em julho (I30) e 60 dias em julho e agosto (I60). Independentemente da localidade, nos três tratamentos irrigados (IC, I30 e I60) houve maior produção de cafés por planta em relação às plantas não irrigadas (NI), sendo as maiores diferenças signi4ficativas observadas em Mococa. O tratamento I60 favoreceu a obtenção de déficits hídricos da ordem de -1,1 MPa em Adamantina, -1,6 MPa em Mococa e -1,2 MPa em Campinas, os quais foram mais efetivos na sincronização das floradas do cafeeiro aliando uniformidade com alta produção. O maior número de floradas e a baixa uniformidade de produção das plantas irrigadas continuamente (IC) confirmam a necessidade de um período de seca na sincronização do florescimento. Os baixos valores de potencial da água (Ψwa) nas folhas (-2,5 a -2,8 MPa) das plantas não irrigadas (NI) reduziram significativamente o número de flores, se comparadas às plantas irrigadas, com reflexos na produção final, indicando a necessidade de irrigação para assegurar boa iniciação floral.

Tomato cropping (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under protected cultivation using substrates and drip fertigation has improved sustainable production systems especially fruit quality and plant health. However, little is known for tomato plants when considering the interaction between substrate volume and irrigation frequency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) fiber substrate volumes and drip irrigation frequencies on the vegetative growth and fruit yield of tomato plants under greenhouse conditions. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial with four replicates. Treatments consisted of three substrate volumes (5.0; 7.5 and 10.0 L per plant) and two irrigation frequencies (once and five times per day). Leaf area index tended to increase in plants grown with the largest substrate volume (10 L). Although substrate volumes affected shoot dry matter, no effects on tomato yield and its components were observed. However, plants grown with 5 L of substrate and irrigated once a day produced a greater number of non-marketable fruit due to the higher incidence of calcium deficiency symptoms (blossom end rot). When plants were grown in 5 L or 7.5 L of substrate volume, high irrigation frequency favored the vegetative growth, stomatal conductance, CO 2 assimilation and transpiration and fruit yield. Fruit yield and healthy fruits were favored by high irrigation frequency and did not depend on the substrate volume.