PJB-2018-1013
COFFEE PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN ARABIAN HIGHLANDS: CURRENT STATUS AND WATER CONSERVATION
Osama H. Sayed
Abstract
Work in this paper aimed at assessing coffee agriculture status and water conservation at Fifa Mountain southwest of Saudi Arabia. Qualitative data were collected on farm location, altitude, area, agricultural practices, and irrigation. Quantitative data on tree density and annual coffee production indicated that Coffea arabica L. is grown at altitudes of 1300-1400 m at density of 4-6 Trees m-2 with 100 kg ha-1 mineral fertilizer and produce 3-5.5 t ha-1. High frequency 2-day-intervals irrigation regime practiced by farmers during the dry season presents ecological challenge to limited local artesian water resources. Field experiment using chlorophyll fluorescence and different irrigation regimes was conducted to investigate effects reducing irrigation frequency on photosynthesis. Results indicated that applying 14-day-intervals irrigation regime initiated water stress that markedly inhibited Photosystem II efficiency and quantum yield and increased non-photochemical energy dissipation. Applying 7-day-intervals irrigation regime induced tolerable effects on Photosystem II indicating that shifting from high frequency irrigation to 7-day-intervals irrigation regime leads to water conservation and directs coffee production towards sustainability.
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