São apresentados dados da variação na concentração de nitrogênio, fósforo, potássio, cálcio e magnésio no fruto do cafeeiro durante a sua formação, bem como das quantidades dos elementos absorvidos pelo fruto e da acumulação de matéria sêca em diversos estágios de seu desenvolvimento. A concentração dos elementos dosados foi sempre maior na flor que em qualquer outro estágio da maturação. O inverso ocorreu com a concentração de matéria sêca, em conseqüência da redução progressiva do teor de água no fruto. A acumulação de matéria sêca no fruto intensificou-se a partir do início do 4.° mês após o florescimento. O mesmo ocorreu com a absorção de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio. Nôvo incremento na absorção de nitrogênio e potássio e no aumento do pêso sêco foi observado no 6º e no 7º mês após o florescimento. Nos dois meses que antecedem o estado final de maturação, o fruto do cafeeiro acumula ou elabora 43% do seu pêso sêco, absorvendo 49% do nitrogênio, 36% do fósforo e 39% do potássio, relativamente às quantidades que contém quando da maturação completa.

In this paper data are presented relating the variation found in the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in the coffee berries during their growing period as well as concerning the amounts of elements absorbed by the accumulation of dry matter. All these data are given for several stages of the development of the berries. The concentration of tested elements was always greater in the flower period than in any other stage of maturation. The reverse occurred with the concentration of dry matter, since there is a progressive reduction of the water content in the fruit. The accumulation of dry matter in the coffee berry became more intense from the beginning of the fourth month after the blooming season. The same happened with the absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In the 6th and 7th months after the blooming a new increase was observed in the absorption of nitrogen and potassium and in the dry weight as well. During the two months previous to the ripening stage the coffee fruit accumulates or elaborates 43% of its dry weight, through the absorption of 49% of nitrogen, 36% of phosphorus and 39% of potassium of the total amounts contained in it at complete maturity.

This paper reports a study, from a chemical arid microcheniical point of view, of the soil potassium in the type of soil originating from the Arenito Bauru. A mechanical separation of the soil was carried out in order to study the potassium distribution in the soil. The fractions 0.250 to 0.105 mm, 0.105 to 0.053 mm, 0.053 to 0.020 mm, 0.020 to 0.010 mm and 0.010 to 0.002 mm were isolated. The chemical data, i. e., the exchangeable and the total potassium content pointed out the occurrence of primary minerals of potassium in the fractions, 0.250 to Ò.105 mm, 0.105 to 0.053 mm and 0.053 to 0.020 mm. A simple microchemical technique was performed by which it was possible to differentiate the potassium bearing mineral from quartz, ilmenite, magnetite and other minerals. Primary minerals of potassium were found in those fractions and this fact indicated that the total potassium content in the samples studied was due to the presence of those minerals.

The present paper reports the results of general studies undertaken to determine the relative importance of soil moisture and light on symptom expression of the tristeza disease. It also includes data on the effects of the disease on transpiration and chemical composition of infected plants and records the results of attempts to inactivate the tristeza virus in budwood by means of hot water and chemical treatments. In the present tests, using potted plants, tristeza disease symptoms were observed to occur eight to ten weeks after inoculation on plants maintained in standing water and on those having a daily application of 200cc of water. In contrast to this relatively rapid and positive symptom expression, it required 28 weeks before definite advanced tristeza disease symptoms were recognized on the inoculated plants given only 50cc of water daily. Under continuous heavy shade conditions the healthy and inoculated plants showed practically no growth and no tristeza disease symptoms. The growth of the healthy plants increased with the increase in periods (6, 10, and 14 hrs) of exposure to daylight while the inoculated plants grew as well as the healthy plants for the first month they subsequently practically ceased growth. The results of the tests on the influence of light and soil moisture show that conditions favorable for rapid plant growth also favor early symptom expression of the disease and that stunting of the plant is one the principal characteristics of the tristeza disease. The data obtained from the transpiration studies show that under the controlled test conditions the transpiration of the healthy plants was two and a half times greater than that of the tristeza diseased plants. The study of chemical composition of the plants indicated that there were some differences in the percentages of CaO and Na(2)0 in the leaves and stems of diseased and healthy plants. The data also indicate that, although the differences in the amount of chemicals present in the root systems of diseased and healthy plants were comparatively small, in all cases except for MgO the quantities were larger in the healthy than in the diseased roots. Under field conditions, nutritional deficiency symptoms have been associated with initial tristeza disease symptoms following plant inoculations. Early tests with applications of minor elements indicated some beneficial effects from applications of zinc sulphate. Under controlled conditions in the screenhouse, however, no beneficial effects were obtained from spray applications of zinc sulphate on inoculated plants. Attempts to inactivate the tristeza virus in budwood sticks that were immersed in hot water were ineffective at the four different temperatures and fourteen exposure periods tested. The results obtained suggest that the thermal-death-point of the virus is probably higher than that of the living cells of the budwood, and that treatment by hot water does not appear to be a feasible method for inactivation of the virus in living budwood. Chemical inactivation of the tristeza virus was tried using nine different chemicals at four dilutions for each. Under the conditions of the tests none of the chemicals employed appeared to have any inhibiting effect on the tristeza virus.