Intercropping Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) with trees species that generate an economic return, such as macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche), has been suggested as an alternative for diversifying and maximizing income. However, there is no information on how macadamia cultivars affect the performance of coffee plants, system mechanization, and profitability. An 8‐yr experiment was conducted in southeastern Brazil, to evaluate the growth, yield, and profitability of Arabica coffee intercropped with six macadamia cultivars (Hawaiian cultivars: HAES 344, HAES 660, and HAES 816; Brazilian cultivars: IAC 9‐20, IAC 4‐12B, and IAC 4‐20) or monocropped coffee (continuously cropped coffee monoculture) under drip irrigation and a mechanized system. Relative to the Brazilian cultivars, the smaller canopy diameters of the Hawaiian macadamia cultivars resulted in less competition with the intercropped coffee plants and required less pruning, enabling mechanized management of the crop. Annual pruning of the Brazilian cultivars resulted in lower kernel yields compared with the Hawaiian cultivar HAES 816, which exhibited the highest kernel yield. Regardless of the type of macadamia cultivar used, intercropping resulted in higher profits than monocropped coffee. We suggest that the Hawaiian cultivar HAES 816 is the most appropriate cultivar for irrigated intercropping with Arabica coffee and for maintaining the mechanization of cultural practices. This combination resulted in an economic benefit that was 178% greater than the benefits realized by monocropped coffee.Core Ideas Coffee–macadamia intercropping resulted in higher profitability than monocropped coffee. It should define which macadamia cultivar is suitable to intercrop with coffee. Hawaiian macadamia cultivars resulted in less competition with intercropped coffee plants. The cultivar HAES 816 was the most successful intercrop with coffee in a mechanized system.

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Although some regions of Brazil are considered suitable for Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivation under rainfed and full‐sun conditions, irrigation and afforestation, especially for species that generate an economic return, may be alternative methods for improving coffee crop performance, diversifying and maximizing income. However, it is unclear whether additive effects occur due to the joint use of these practices. Thus, an experiment was conducted over a 7‐yr period to evaluate the growth, yield, and profitability of Arabica coffee in monocropping and intercropping systems with macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) under rainfed and drip‐irrigation regimes in southeastern Brazil. Monocropped coffee plants were planted with a spacing of 3.5 by 0.7 m (4082 plants ha−1). In the intercropping systems, the macadamia trees were planted at a spacing of 10.5 by 4.9 m (194 plants ha−1) and the coffee plants at a spacing of 3.5 by 0.7 m (3887 plants ha−1). Intercropping with macadamia increased the coffee yield by 10% under rainfed conditions. Drip irrigation promoted greater growth and increased the coffee and macadamia yields by 60 and 133%, respectively. In the monocropped coffee under rainfed conditions, the first five harvest years were not sufficient to pay for the investments. Interestingly, both irrigation and intercropping increased the economic benefits. Furthermore, the irrigated coffee intercropped with macadamia resulted in the greatest profitability after the first five harvests. Thus, this system is an interesting alternative for increasing the sustainability of the Arabica coffee crop in the initial cropping years.

A noz-de-macadâmia tem grande potencial de mercado, mas ainda é pouco explorada no Brasil. As condições de clima e solo de uma região têm grande influência na fenologia, qualidade, produtividade e sustentabilidade do cultivo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar o zoneamento agroclimático da nogueira-macadâmia para o Brasil. Para tanto, foram utilizadas informações que relacionassem o desenvolvimento da planta e suas necessidades climáticas para estabelecimento de classes de aptidão e posterior mapeamento das regiões aptas, marginais e inaptas para o cultivo. Foram utilizados dados médios de 30 anos de temperatura do ar e precipitação mensal de 1.073 estações climatológicas no Brasil. Como resultado, observou-se que São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, sul de Minas Gerais, leste de Mato Grosso do Sul e oeste do Paraná apresentam condições favoráveis para o cultivo de macadâmia.

Objetivando-se avaliar o efeito da porosidade de substratos de casca de pínus no desenvolvimento de mudas de grumixameira (Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.), foi conduzido um experimento em casa de vegetação da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" - USP, Piracicaba-SP. Os tratamentos foram assim definidos: 100% casca de pínus moído sem separação de partículas; 100% casca de pínus < 0,1 mm; 75% casca de pínus < 0,1 mm + 25% entre 0,1 - 4,0 mm; 50% casca de pínus < 0,1 mm + 50% entre 0,1 - 4,0 mm; 25% casca de pínus < 0,1 mm + 75% entre 0,1 - 4,0 mm, e 100% casca de pínus 0,1-0,4 mm. As avaliações (diâmetro do caule, comprimento total e média de massa seca das plântulas) ocorreram aos 90; 120 e 150 dias após a semeadura. A baixa absorção de água nos estágios iniciais e a baixa aeração das raízes, promovida pelo substrato afetam o desenvolvimento de mudas de grumixameira, que se desenvolve melhor quando o espaço poroso total do substrato é inferior a 90% (v/v).