Eficiência do Ethephon na uniformização e antecipação da maturação de frutos de cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.) e na qualidade da bebida

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Experimental farm of the EPAMIG in Patrocinio, Minas Gerais, with the objective of evaluating the effect of etephon on the anticipation and uniformization of the coffee fruits maturation verifying, as well as on defoliation and beverage quality. Three cultivars of coffee (Coffea arabica) with different times of fruit maturation (early, medium and late), in the presence and absence of etephon at the rate of 130 ml of the commercial product per 100 L of water, were utilized. The statistical design utilized was randomized blocks with four replicates and 10 plants per plot. The applications were performed when indices of fruit at the berry stage close to 30% were obtained, taking into consideration the superior, medium and lower third of the plant. The characteristics evaluated were: percentage of fruit at the green, cane green, berry and dry stages, at the moment of application, and in 5 day intervals until harvest, this being accomplished when the percentage of fruits was equal to or less than 5%; chemical and sensorial analysis; the classification of the final product as to the sort and percentage of defoliation branches marked on the medium third of the plants. From the results obtained, it was found that the use of etephon provides both uniformity and anticipation of 15 to 30 days at the maturation of coffee fruits, does not influence either beverage quality or coffee classification when compared with samples which did not receive the product and were harvested with the same percentage of coffee at the green stage (<5%). The ethephon, when compared with the check, promotes a more marked defoliation soon after its application but, on the occasion of harvest, this defoliation is not significative in Acaiá Cerrado cultivar, ranging from 3.03 in Catuaí cultivar and from 8.45% in Topázio cultivar.