Maturation and detachment force for mechanized harvesting of irrigated Conilon coffee in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract The objective of this work was to determine the force required to detach fruits of Conilon coffee (Coffea canephora) genotypes in five maturation stages, to determinate the best stage for mechanized harvest, and to verify the possibility of future selections of genotypes adapted to mechanized harvesting. Harvests were carried out in the 2013/2014 crop season, and the detachment force was determined based for six fruits from each side of the crop row, collected randomly from the middle third of the plants. The detachment force curve was obtained for each cycle through logistic regression, using the R software. According to the duration of their cycle, the genotypes were divided into super early, early, medium, and semilate; the values of the coefficients of the detachment force curve equation were also obtained. There is genetic variability regarding fruit detachment force throughout the maturation cycle, which indicates the possibility of selecting genotypes adapted to mechanized harvesting. Fruit detachment force shows a considerable drop in the final stages of maturation. The raisin stage is the best for the mechanized harvest of irrigated Conilon coffee in the Cerrado.