Boron, Copper, and Zinc Affect the Productivity, Cup Quality, and Chemical Compounds in Coffee Beans

Table 4

Cupping test of coffee beans harvested from plants submitted to fertilization via solid salts injections and foliar spray with B, Cu, and Zn.

Treatments	2010/2011	2011/2012
Cupping test
Boron
WB	82.4	82.7
FS	84.8	83.9
B	84.4	72.8
B + Cu	83.4	83.25
B + Zn	83.6	79.35
B + Cu + Zn	83.8	80.4
CV (%)	3.76	8.20
Copper
WCu	82.4	82.7
FS	84.8	83.9
Cu	85.0	81.5
B + Cu	83.4	83.25
Cu + Zn	82.0	74.6^,
B + Cu + Zn	83.8	80.4
CV (%)	4.27	5.81
Zinc
WZn	82.4	82.7
FS	84.8	83.9
Zn	84.2	78.9
B + Zn	83.6	79.35
Cu + Zn	82.0	74.6
B + Cu + Zn	83.8	80.4
CV (%)	4.34	10.17

WB, WCu, and WZn: control treatments, without application of B, Cu, and Zn, respectively; FS: foliar spray with boric acid, copper sulphate, and zinc sulphate (0.4%); B: trunk injection of tablets containing B salts; Cu: trunk injection of tablets containing Cu salts; Zn: trunk injection of tablets containing Zn salts; B + Cu: trunk injection of tablets containing B and Cu salts; B + Zn: trunk injection of tablets containing B and Zn salts; Cu + Zn: trunk injection of tablets containing Cu and Zn salts; B + Cu + Zn: trunk injection of tablets containing B, Cu, and Zn salts; mean values are statistically different from those of the control treatment (FS) at the 10% significance level, according to Dunnett’s test; mean values are statistically different from those of the control treatment (WB-WCu-WZn) at the 10% significance level, according to Dunnett’s test.