Effect of shading trees spatial distribution on grains and beverage of shaded coffee trees.

Abstract

Shading coffee trees has gained importance, especially among smallholder, as an option to
improve the products quality, therefor acquiring place at the specialty coffee market, where
consumers are willing to bonus for quality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of shading
trees spatial distribution among coffee trees. Experimental design consisted of completely randomized
blocks with six repetitions and four treatments: coffee trees on shading trees planting
rows, distant one meter from the trunk; coffee trees on shading trees planting row, distant six
meters from the trunk; and coffee plants on the between rows of shading trees, parallel to the
previous treatments. The parameters analyzed were: coffee fruits phenological stage, berry
fruits’ Brix, percentage of black, green and borer damaged grains and beverage quality. Shading
trees quickened coffee fruits phenological stage also influenced beverage quality.