Influencia del tamaño y peso de la semilla sobre la germinación y crecimiento de siete variedades de Coffea arabica

Abstract

Abstract: Ecuador exports 1,380 tons of coffee annually, and in the Province of Loja its cultivation areas are increasing, however more is needed to know about its spread. Therefore, in this work the relationship between the weight of the seeds of seven coffee varieties with the germination and development of seedlings was evaluated, and some diseases were also identified. Seeds from seven coffee varieties were collected and weighed and data on length, width, thickness and weight were taken. Then, the seeds were sown and their germination was evaluated. There is great variability in the size and weight of the seeds, with Nestle 12 being the one with the greatest length and thickness. Germination exceeded 40% only in the varieties Catuai, Nestlé12, Gesiha1, in the other varieties it was low or absent due to contamination problems such as rust, borer, among others. The contamination was related to the substrate and humidity. In the varieties that germinated, no correlation of size or weight with germination was found.