Research internship on rejuvenative pruning of Robusta (Coffea canephora L.) coffee at Jamboree site, UP Los Baños

Date

6-2016

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Horticulture

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Bong M. Salazar

Abstract

The research internship was conducted under the Project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines) of UP Los Baños from October 2015 to May 2016 at Jamboree Site, UP Los Baños. The internship enabled the student to gain knowledge and practical experience on rejuvenative pruning of 16-year old untended, and unproductive coffee trees, and on their subsequent management. Data were collected through interviews, literature review, project data retrievals, observation, and direct participation in research activities to characterize coffee trees before, during and after rejuvenative pruning. Specifically, the intern was directly engaged in the documentation of growth and developmental responses of coffee trees to rejuvenation 15 to 22 months after pruning (MAP). Rejuvenative pruning was performed at the start of rainy season (0 MAP July 2014). Three verticals were selected and maintained at 1 MAP. Corrective pruning was done 3, 5, and 12 MAP to remove water sprouts and other undesirable branches. Flowering of rejuvenated trees first occurred at 7 MAP (February 2015), and erratic rainfall pattern extended it up to 13 MAP (August 2015). This explains the protracted harvesting period starting at 17 MAP (December 2015). As of this writing, 22 MAP (May 2016), substantial number of berries are yet to be harvested. Initial harvests at 17 and 20 MAP totaled 7 kg, which is higher compared to no production at all when trees were not yet rehabilitated. At 17 MAP, rejuvenated trees had an average height of 2.37 m, trunk diameter of 24.40 cm, and canopy diameter of 2.01 m. At this period, coffee trees, on the average, had already produced 16 laterals (spaced at 8.9 cm) with 20 nodes (spaced at 7.7 cm) one each lateral. Productive nodes also bore flowers and/or berries with stages ranging from floral bud initiation (BBCH 51) to berries at maximum size (BBCH 79). This manuscript also presented the variations on these growth and development responses to pruning based on slope position of coffee trees. All in all, the internship program enabled the student to apply theoretical concepts in managing a coffee farm, and in conducting applied coffee research.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993 2016 A3 /F47

Document Type

Thesis

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS