Microclimate in coffee plantation grown under grevillea trees shading

Abstract

Measurements of solar global radiation, wind speed, temperature and relative humidity of air were made in a coffee plantation (Coffea Arabica L. variety Icatu Vermelho- IAC 4045), grown under conditions of shading levels caused by grevillea trees (Grevillea robusta) in Mococa-SP region (21° 28’ S, 47° 01’ W, altitude 665m), between January and December 2005, aiming to show the effects of shading crop system on the microclimate. The results showed that there was a reduction of about 26% of solar global radiation in the shaded systems, with a monthly variation of 24-30%. It has been highlighted some differences in the transmittance of global radiation in the shaded coffee trees due to the spatial variation of grevillea canopy. There was a reduction of about 35% in the five days-averaged wind speed in the shaded system that also presented reduced maximum air temperature and a reduction in the vapor pressure deficit during day-light period, especially in the point sampled near to the grevillea trees.