TechnologicalbreakthroughspreventedtheState
ofEspíritoSantofromenduringevenbiggerfield
lossesofcoffee,andthistechnologyisnowthe
basisfortherecoveryofproductivityintheState
Sob clima adverso e atípico, a carga ge-
nética e os tratos culturais expressaram o
máximo de tolerância à falta de umidade.
A intensidade da seca, porém, superou o
limite dos materiais, secou reservatórios,
retardou o crescimento das plantas, ge-
rou desfolha e impediu a frutificação, pois
os nutrientes são absorvidos pelas raízes,
por meio da água. Mas, em geral, os cafe-
zais não morreram.
Bruno Sérgio Oliveira, engenheiro agrô-
nomo do Projeto Conilon Eficiente, da Co-
operativa Agrária dos Cafeicultores de São
Gabriel (Cooabriel), destaca que o período
foi um dos mais críticos enfrentados nas úl-
timas décadas. As regiões Norte e Noroeste
do Estado acumularam os maiores déficits
hídricos. As precipitações foram 58% me-
nores do que a média e as plantas apresen-
taram sintomas extremos de deficiências
nutricionais por atraso ou ausência da adu-
bação. Isso resultou em grãos mal forma-
dos, chochos, de tamanho e qualidade re-
duzidos emboa parte das lavouras.
Com a volta das precipitações, ainda
que irregulares, notou-se melhora na par-
te vegetativa dos cafezais, mas o reflexo na
produção será gradativo. “Aplanta recémse
fortalece. Produzir em alto nível leva tem-
po”, afirma Romário Gava Ferrão. Para ele,
a temporada 2016/17 deve trazer recupe-
ração de até 20%. Na fase 2017/18, pode al-
cançar a 60%, e somente em2019 o Espírito
Santo deve retomar os patamares normais
de safrade café. Issoseoclima for favorável.
“A tecnologiaeoconhecimentodisponíveis,
mais a fé do cafeicultor, ajudarão a vencer o
desafiodasnovassafras.MasSãoPedrotem
de ajudar”, resume Ferrão.
n
T
op conilon coffee producing State
in Brazil, Espírito Santo had its
three most recent crops adverse-
ly affected by a historical drought,
which affected the growth of the
plants, blossoms dropped, and jeopardized
thecycle,thequalityandtheshapeandsizeof
thebeansandproductivity.Theclimaticwater
deficit of more than a thousand days caused
losses estimatedatmore than50%to thehar-
vest of Robusta in the 2016/17 crop year and
40% in the State, as a whole, taking into con-
sideration regionswhere Arabica is cultivated.
Average temperatures rose from two to five
degreescentigrade.
In spite of the losses, the impact could
be more serious, according to researcher
Romário Gava Ferrão, coordinator of the Cof-
fee Program at the Espírito Santo State Re-
search, Technical Assistance and Rural Ex-
tension Institute (Incaper). The impact was
mitigated by the tolerance to drought condi-
tions shownby the geneticmaterial and tech-
nologies applied to coffee field management
inlinewiththeState’shydricconditions.Incap-
er researchworks are all aimed atmaking the
plants resistant towater deficit whilst encour-
aging rational management of water and soil.
About70%oftheareaisirrigated.
Under atypical andadverse climate condi-
tions, the genetic load and cultural practices
expressed maximum tolerance to water and
moisture shortages. The high intensity of the
drought, however, surpassed the limit of the
materials, delayed plant growth, caused the
leaves to drop, andprevented fruit formation,
seeing that the nutrients are absorbed by the
roots, under moisture conditions. In general,
thecoffeefieldsdidnotdie.
BrunoSérgioOliveira,agronomicengineer
at theEfficientConilonProject, runby theCof-
fee Farmers Agrarian Cooperative in São Ga-
briel (Cooabriel), argues that the period was
one of the most critical faced in recent de-
cades. TheNorth andNortheastern regions in
the State faced the biggest water deficits ever.
Precipitations were 58% below average, and
the coffee plants sustained extremewater de-
ficiency and nutritional symptoms, caused by
delayed fertilization or no fertilization at all. It
resultedintofaultybeans,hollow,smallinsize
andquantityinmostfields.
Whentherainsfinallyreturned,albeiterrat-
ically, the vegetative side of the coffee planta-
tions improved greatly, but reflections in pro-
ductionwilltakeplaceonagradualbasis.“The
plantsarenowgettingstronger.Highlevelpro-
ductionwilltaketime”,saysRomárioGavaFer-
rão.Inhisview,thereshouldbea20-percentre-
covery in the 2016/17 growing season. It could
progress to 60% in the 2017/18 crop year, and
only in 2019 the State of Espírito Santo is like-
ly to resume its normal coffee crop patterns,
shouldweatherconditionsbefavorable.“Avail-
able technology and knowledge, plus coffee
farmers’faith,willhelpsurmountthechalleng-
es of the coming crops. Hopefully with a little
helpfromSaintPeter”,concludesFerrão.
n
Gradual resumption is
the rule, but practices
and genetics will make
the difference
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