Nutrient budget of coffee plantations in Brazil

Coffee in Brazil occupies 2. 2 million ha, with a total production of 2. 7 million t and an average yield of 1. 45 t/ha. In 2017, Brazil exported 1. 85 million t of coffee and this crop ranks 4th in fertilizer consumption after soybeans, maize, and sugarcane. Despite its importance, coffee plantations generally show low nutrient use efficiencies, presenting removal-to-use ratios of 0. 14, 0. 10, and 0. 20 for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), respectively in a recent survey.

This project will be carried out for several years, allowing time to evaluate the Nutrient Budget in years of both high and low coffee yields and consideration of the biennial nature of the crop. Brazilian coffee production has undergone major changes in recent years, with one of the main changes being the significant increase in crop yield. This increase was due, among other factors, to the evolution in the knowledge of coffee nutrition in Brazil.