title: Biometric analysis of arabica coffee grown in low potassium nutrient solution under greenhouse conditions.
abstract: Genetic parameters and associations between morpho-agronomic traits and nutritional efficiencies of arabica coffee cultivars were estimated to identify promising traits to assist in the selection of coffee genotypes efficient in potassium use, under limiting conditions of this nutrient. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with 20 arabica coffee cultivars grown in nutrient solution with a low potassium level (1.5 mM), using a randomized block design with three replicates. The traits evaluated were plant height, number of leaves, number of nodes, internode length, stem diameter, leaf area, rooting efficiency, potassium absorption efficiency, potassium translocation efficiency, biomass production efficiency, and potassium use efficiency. Genetic variability among coffee cultivars for all the evaluated traits was found. The phenotypic variance for all traits showed a higher contribution of genetic variance compared to environmental variance. Plant height, internode length, stem diameter, leaf area, biomass production efficiency, and potassium use efficiency had a genotypic determination coefficient (H2) above 80% and variation index greater than one. Leaf area and stem diameter had significant and positive genetic correlations with rooting, biomass production, and potassium use efficiencies. Stem diameter has great potential for use in breeding programs with a goal of indirect selection of cultivars that have greater potassium use efficiency in environments with restrictions of this nutrient.
authors.affiliation: Empresa Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais, EPAMIG Sudeste, Viçosa, MG, Brasil waldenia@epamig.ufv.br.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.affiliation: Comissão Executiva do Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira, Ilhéus, BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Y J B
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Amaral Júnior
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gravina
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Barili
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D001699:Biometry; D040503:Coffea / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D004777:Environment; D005502:Food; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D000069600:Plant Breeding / Q000379:methods; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D011188:Potassium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011191:Potassium Deficiency; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium