Evaluación de la aplicación foliar de boro en diferentes concentraciones sobre el cuajado de frutos en Coffea arábica L cv. Caturra en Guachapala, Azuay – Ecuador

Abstract

Ecuador produces Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties, adaptable to different agroecosystems. Fruit set deficiency is a problem that affects coffee yield, with boron (B) being an essential micronutrient for fruit development and fruit set. In this context, it is necessary to identify a concentration of B that maximizes productivity and profitability in Guachapala, an area that presents conditions for the development of Coffea arabica, where agriculture is one of the main economic sources. The objective was to evaluate the foliar application of boron in different concentrations on the fruit set of Coffea arabica L cv. Caturra at the El Romeral experimental farm of the University of Cuenca. A randomized complete block design with 8 treatments and 4 repetitions was used. The variables evaluated were the fruit set at 30, 60 and 90 days and the weight of the fresh fruit at 120 days post-application of the treatments, in addition, the boron absorption capacity in the leaves was determined. The results did not show statistically significant differences, however, the treatment T6 (60 ppm) and T4 (40 ppm) of boric acid (H3BO3 ) showed a certain tendency to improve the fruit set percentage and weight respectively. Regarding boron absorption, an increasing trend was observed according to boron concentrations. The investigation concluded that the application of different concentrations could improve fruit set and weight in Coffea arabica cv. Caturra.