Productivity and Sensory Quality of Arabica Coffee in Response to Pruning Type ‘Esqueletamento’

Abstract

Through the pruning type 'esqueletamento' it was developed a technology for the management of trees called "Zero Yield" in order to keep the size of the crop and eliminate the harvesting in a low yield season, which usually compromises the earnings of the coffee grower. With this technology, the harvest takes place every two years, always in years of high yield season. This technology is highly dependent on climate, and genotype. Given this, the objective of the study was to select genotypes of Coffea arabica L. responsive to pruning type 'esqueletamento', with high productivity and high potential for quality of drink for specialty coffee production. The experiment was deployed in the Coffee Sector at the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA) in December 2005 and after six crops, it has undergone the pruning type 'esqueletamento' in August 2014. 20 genotypes were evaluated, being 18 progenies in F 5 generation, derived from the cross between cultivars of the Catuaí Group with coffees of germplasm Icatu and germplasm "Hibrido de Timor" and two commercial cultivars as witnesses. (Tupi IAC 1669-33 and Obatã IAC 1669-20). The following characteristics were evaluated: productivity (before and after pruning), vegetative vigor, the incidence of leaf rust, dull fruits, sieve No.16 and above, grain type mocha, aspect, and quality of drink. The genotypes 9 (H516-2-1-1-18-1-1), 12 (H516-2-1-1-18-1-4), 16 (H419-3-4-5-2-1-3), 18 (H419-3-4-5-2-1-5) and the cultivar Tupi IAC 1669-33 were responsive to the 'esqueletamento', with productivity after pruning higher than the maximum reached before the adoption of the pruning. All genotypes with the exception of Catucaí Amarelo 24/137 showed potential for the production of specialty coffees.

Morphoagronomic and Sensory Performance of Coffee Cultivars in Initial Stage of Development in Cerrado Mineiro

“…Other authors also found significant differences between arabica coffee genotypes in relation to the percentage of grains with sieve 16 and above (Carvalho et al, 2012;Nadalaleti et al, 2018), percentage of mocha-type grains and sensory analysis (NADALETI et al, 2018). On the other hand, Nadaleti et al (2018) found a significant difference between genotypes for aspect of raw grains naturally processed, unlike the observed in the present work.…”

“…Only the cultivar Pau Brasil 1 presented a lower value, with 45.5% and was the only one to compose the worst group in this study. Nadaleti et al (2018) and Carvalho et al (2012) found, in general, similar percentages of sieve grains 16 and higher when evaluating commercial arabica coffee genotypes and cultivars. However, in studies by Carvalho et al (2012), the cultivar Pau Brasil MG1, with worse average in the present work, is included in the best group in this respect in four growing environments.…”

“…Subsequently, the samples were processed and submitted to the following evaluations: aspect of the raw grains, according to the methodology proposed by Nadaleti et al (2018), with a score of 1 to 5, where 1 corresponds to grains with uneven appearance, discrepant color, and adhered espermoderm and 5 corresponds to grains with uniform appearance, intense bluish-green without adhered espermoderm; sensory analysis of the coffees by three Q-graders judges, calibrated according to the protocol of the Association of Special Coffees (SCA).…”

“…The group with the lowest values consisted for only three cultivars: Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144, MGS Paraíso 2 and MGS Catiguá 3. Still, these cultivars exhibited good appearance, with characteristics equal to or greater than average-looking grain, greenish coloration (typical of natural coffees processed dry) and light presence of adhered espermoderm, according to the scale proposed by Nadaleti et al (2018).…”

“…The aspect is influenced by the coloring of the grains. Nadaleti et al (2018) considers, in the assessment of appearance, besides color, grain uniformity and the presence or absence of adhered espermoderm.…”