The Phenology of Coffea arabica var. Esperanza L4A5 Under Different Agroforestry Associations and Fertilization Conditions in the Caribbean Region of Costa Rica
This study focused on the phenology of Coffea arabica var. Esperanza L4A5, an F1 interspecific hybrid obtained by crossing commercial varieties with wild genotypes from Ethiopia and Sudan. Most phenological studies on C. arabica have been conducted in traditional high-altitude regions, leaving a g...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute - MDPI
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/11/1988 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12324/41164 https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111988 |
| Summary: | This study focused on the phenology of Coffea arabica var. Esperanza L4A5, an F1 interspecific hybrid obtained by crossing commercial varieties with wild genotypes from Ethiopia and Sudan.
Most phenological studies on C. arabica have been conducted in traditional high-altitude regions,
leaving a gap in the understanding of its behavior in non-traditional areas such as the Caribbean
region of Costa Rica. To establish a baseline on the phenological behavior of the Esperanza L4A5
hybrid in this region, we conducted a four-year study examining the effects of different agroforestry
associations: (1) Albizia saman; (2) Hymenaea courbaril and Erythrina poeppigiana; (3) Anacardium exelsum and Erythrina poeppigiana; and coffee plots under full sun. Additionally, the phenology of
the coffee plants was evaluated under differentiated fertilizations (physical, chemical, and without
fertilization), considering meteorological factors such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. The
observed variables included the development of floral nodes, pre-anthesis, anthesis, and fruiting
stages. To analyze the relationships between environmental factors, tree cover, fertilization, and the
phenological stages, we employed multiple linear regression (MLR), which revealed that both tree
cover and physical and chemical fertilizations had significant effects on the presence of developed
floral nodes and, consequently, on fruit production. Furthermore, the random forest (RF) model
was applied to capture complex interactions between variables and to rank the importance of meteorological factors, tree cover, and fertilization practices. These analyses demonstrated that the
Esperanza L4A5 hybrid exhibited viable phenological development under the atypical conditions of
the Caribbean region of Costa Rica, suggesting its potential to adapt and thrive in non-traditional
coffee-growing areas. |
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