Efecto de la altura de las plantas de Coffea arabica cv. Caturra rojo J-884 obtenidas por embriogénesis somática en la adaptación ex vitro

The asexual propagation through somatic embryogenesis has been developed in different coffee cultivars ( Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner). This investigation was carried out with the objective of determining the influence of the height of coffee plants ( Coffea arabica L.) cv. Caturra red J-884 obtained by somatic embryogenesis in its adaptation in the nursery. Three treatments were formed according to the height of the plants: 1.5-2.0 cm, 2.1-3.0 cm and 3.1 - 4.0 cm. The plants were adapted in the nursery in the area of the Guamuhaya massif. The following variables were evaluated: survival, height, leaf area, stem diameter, number of leaf pairs, total chlorophyll content (SPAD), fresh mass, dry mass and physiological indexes (net assimilation rate, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, leaf area index and leaf area ratio). Plants derived from somatic embryogenesis with an initial height of 2.1-3.0 cm and 3.1-4.0 cm presented the best morphological and physiological characteristics related to growth and development. The plants that initially had a higher height had the highest values of relative and absolute growth with significant differences with respect to the plants with a lower initial height (1.5 -2.0 cm and 2.1-3.0 cm). It was found that the initial height of the coffee plant cv. Caturra red J-884 obtained by somatic embryogenesis influences its morphological and physiological response in nursery adaptation. Keywords: e x vitro adaptation, coffee, somatic embryo, morphophysiology, physiological indexes