Weeding & Intercultural operations

• Grass and other weeds should be eradicated in the first year itself by digging or using appropriate weedicide depending on the nature of the weeds. The soil around the seedlings should be mulched properly and shade has to be provided to individual seedlings to protect against direct sun.

Training and pruning

• The plant is trained either on single stem or multiple stem system.
• Under South Indian conditions periodical handling and pruning are essential.
• The type and frequency of pruning have to be decided based on a number of factors like the type of vegetative growth, incidence of pests / diseases, pattern of blossom showers etc.
• Centering and desuckering are to be carried out for about 5 or 6 years after planting.
• Removal of the dead and whippy wood is essential during the early years.
• Mature plants may require medium to severe pruning once in four years.
• Usually coffee, both arabica and robusta, is trained on single stem.
• When the plants reach a desired height of 75 cm for arabica and 105-120 cm for robusta, they are topped i.e., growing apex of the stem is severed.
• Low topping (60-70 cm) is advocated in areas of severe wind and exposure.
• Under certain circumstances, multiple stem system is also adopted as in the case of replanted fields or when under-planting is taken up keeping the old plants under multiple stem system

Irrigation

• Wherever water is available, overhead irrigation by sprinkler system is adopted to a greater advantage during November- January to keep the soil moisture level and in February-April for ensuring blossom as well as backing, if necessary

Drought management in coffee

• Plants affected by drought limit vegetative growth, show floral abnormalities and poor fruit
• set resulting in reduced yield. Therefore, drought tolerance is an important aspect of coffee productivity.
• Arabica coffee is more tolerant to drought than robusta.
• For inducing tolerance in robusta the following nutrient solution can be sprayed @ 1 litre per plant. Nutrient in 200 litres of water
  
• Urea - 1 kg
• Super phosphate - 1 kg
• Muriate of potash - 750 g
• Zinc sulphate - 1 kg

Spraying schedule for drought managment

• 1st spray: 45 days after the last rainfall(usually the 2nd fortnight of January)
• 2nd spray: 30-45 days after the first spray
• Foliar application of anti-transpirants like Ralli Dhan 110 @ 200 ml in 200 litres of water (0.1per cent).

Fruit drop

During the developmental stage of berry, 10 to 50 per cent premature fruit drop occurs due to insufficient carbohydrate, auxin-carbo-hydrate imbalance, nutritional disorders and waterlogging. Many growth regulators have been tried to increase the fruit set and for controlling the pre-mature fruit drop. Following growth regulators could increase the yield when they are given as foliar application 10-15 days after blossom (first spray) and during last week of May before the onset of southwest monsoon (second spray).

Fruit ripening

• Hastening of fruit ripening in coffee could be achieved by spraying ethephon (Ethrel) on mature berries when 10 per cent natural ripening is observed.
• By this, ripening can be hastened by 2-4 weeks and in two rounds about 96 per cent ripe fruits could be harvested.

• Arabica : 100 to 120 ml per 200 litres of water / 400 plants
• Robusta : 40 to 54 ml per 200 litres of water / 267 plants
• Lower concentrations are to be used in lower elevations and thin shaded places, whereas higher concentrations are to be used in higher elevation and thick shaded plantations.