Survey of soil fertility on coffee crops in production at South Region on Minas Gerais

Abstract

Brazil is an important coffee producer and exporter and the main coffee crop pole is in the south region of Minas Gerais State. The aim of this study was to verify the conditions of soil fertility in areas occupied by coffee production located in this region. To evaluate of soil fertility of coffee crops were obtained 2,406 routine chemical analyses referring to the superficial (0 to 20cm deep) layer, in the Guaxupé Regional Coffee Producers Cooperative (Laboratório da Cooperativa Regional de Cafeicultores em Guaxupé, Ltda. - COOXUPÉ), in the period from January to December 2007. The chemical attributes used to evaluate the soil fertility of coffee crops were: active acidity (pH CaCl2), P available extracted with resin, exchangeable bases (K+, Ca2+ e Mg2+), exchangeable acidity (Al3+) and index base saturation (V%). It was verified that the P-available, pH and basic saturation are fertility attributes of the tillable layer that are in the worst conditions and that the levels of Ca2+, Mg2+ e Al3+ in the soil, on the superficial layer of most of the areas evaluated, are adequate for coffee cultivation. Most of the evaluated areas had high levels of K+ in the soil, possibly due to workaday use of commercial formulas with high nutrient levels, not
taking into consideration the results of soil analyzes.