Morphological adaptation mechanism of the root system in cultivars of coffee under phosphorus deficiency

• Grant number: 11/20348-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: José Laércio Favarin
• Grantee: Pedro Paulo de Carvalho Teixeira
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for agricultural production in Brazil, being, though, finite and irreplaceable in their function in plant metabolism. The low availability of P in tropical soils is related to its strong interaction with colloids and ions in the soil solution through adsorption and precipitation, which reduce the soluble fraction. Plants have mechanisms of adaptation to low availability of nutrients conditions. The presence of an extensive root system is essential for a higher P uptake by plants due to the low mobility of this element in soil. The species and cultivars of coffee, by having variables patterns of growth and development, may have also different mechanisms of phosphorus acquisition. A greater understanding of these mechanisms may contribute to a more efficient use of phosphorus. This research will be performed to evaluate the morphological characteristics of the roots of various species and cultivars of coffee depending on the dose of phosphorus, in order to understand the mechanism related to the morphological adaptation of roots to low availability of P. (AU)