How to carry out nutrition and preparation for coffee harvesting

Coffee is one of the most appreciated drinks around the world. The grain provides subsidies for production in the most traditional way or with different mixtures and aromas. It can also be used to compose sweets and even beauty products.

According to data from the National Supply Company (Conab), Brazil harvested a record coffee harvest in 2016, due to the growth in arabica production, as the Robusta harvest was strongly affected by the drought. This year is a negative biannual year in most producing states, which, consequently, results in a lower average productivity than the previous year and a greater area in formation, with a volume of fine grains higher than expected.

However, even in this scenario, it is possible to guarantee productivity and reduce bottlenecks by planning correct nutrition for the coffee plantation. Yara's agronomic specialist, Thiago Reis, clarified the main points about this stage of the production process, which makes a difference in the producer's results. "Adequate coffee tree nutrition contributes to achieving the best coffees. The use of fertilizers in coffee farming must seek efficient sources that meet nutritional demands at the correct time of the plant's requirements", he highlights.

1 – In a year with a negative biennial it is also possible to have more productivity in the coffee plantation
TRUE: The nutrients available in quantity and at the right time provide good grain formation and filling for harvesting larger sieves and good "income" of cherry grains. Crops that received adequate nutrition will have uniform maturation, providing a better harvest point with a high quantity of ripe beans, which will give greater flavor and differentiated quality to the coffee drink in the cup. In this way, nutritional balance helps the coffee grower to add more value to his harvest.

2 – The mineral nutrition in coffee does not influence your productivity or the quality of your drink
False: For the coffee plant to obtain better productivity and quality of the drink, special attention must be paid to its nutrition from before the moment of flower opening until the point of physiological maturation, also thinking about the next cycle, as it can contribute to better floral differentiation of the plants, with nutritional balance. Subsequently, after removing the coffee from the plants, post-harvest treatment must be very precise to maintain the quality potential of the drink developed with nutritional balance in that specific cultivation environment.

3 – Fertilization at the end of the rainy season (April/May) no longer contributes to the nutrition of coffee
False: Innovative results demonstrate that the supply of nitrogen in a nitric form, associated with calcium and boron readily soluble in water, during the coffee floral differentiation period, an unusual time for fertilization, favors greater plant performance in the potential of the crop to be harvested in the next year.

4- In the drying phase, the ideal is when the grains reach a humidity of 11%
TRUE: It is recommended that coffee drying be stopped when the beans have a moisture content of between 11 and 12%. A minimum period of 20 days of rest in the bin after drying is still necessary to ensure uniformity of moisture, that is, a reduction in the difference between the moisture contents in each grain, at a time when the outermost layers of the grains are more dry and the internal portion is more humid (Coffee post-harvest laboratory, IFSul de Minas, Muzambinho). In the Official Brazilian Classification (COB, IN 08/2003), the ideal moisture content is between 11 and 12%. There is the possibility for the coffee grower to carry out reprocessing, (also called standardization), a recommended practice when the coffee will be destined for the consumer (roasting plants) or export. It can be an interesting practice when you have this type of coffee sales, in a significant volume, for example, special coffees

5 – Natural and peeled coffees have different drying temperatures
Real: In the yard, the coffee must be turned at least every 30/45 minutes, from 9 am to 15 pm, with around 6 hours of daily exposure to the sun, to expose all the fruits to heating (drying uniformity ) and also, as a way to avoid overheating of the fruits located in the exposed layer of the coffee windrow. The ideal temperature in dryers with constant rotation should reach a maximum of 45 degrees in the fruit mass for natural coffees (with skins), and up to 40 degrees for peeled coffees.