Water Sources and Soil Quality in Irrigated Area for Production of Robusta Coffee (Coffea conephora) in the Amazon Region: Case Study in the São Miguel do Guaporé River Basin – RO

Abstract

The present work attempts to characterize Robusta coffee producing properties located in the São Miguel do Guaporé River basin – RO, and analyze soil quality. A survey of the consultancy company's database was carried out, through the formalization of a technical request to identify the characteristics of production and irrigation, as well as a soil sampling in 20 properties, and the parameters were evaluated: Sand, Silt, Clay, Ca, Mg, Al, Ph, K, P. The pH ranged from 3.8 to 6.6 and 70% of the samples presented results within the established limit by Souza and Lobato (2004). When classified according to phosphorus content, taking into account the percentage of clay, 64% of the soils on the properties under study have a very low value. Among the samples analyzed in the São Miguel River Basin, only 4 presented a K value within the desirable average value. The calcium in the samples evaluated varied between 0.4 and 3.7 cmolc/dm³, so that 40% of the coffee producing properties presented good results for calcium concentrations and 35% presented values ​​within recommended average values. The results obtained will be able to add technical knowledge about the São Miguel do Guaporé river basin, helping in the sustainable management of soil and water.

Key Words: Soil analysis. Coffee farming. Family farming. Soil conservation. Regional development.