Micronutrients in Leaves of Conilon Coffee Fertilized With Molybdenum and Nitrogen Fertilization During Two Production Cycles

Coffea canephora has a high requirement for micronutrients, due to its high yield potential. Leaf micronutrient contents are influenced by ionic interactions, which can affect nutrient availability in the soil solution and root uptake. This study, performed during two productive cycles under field conditions, aimed to evaluate the effects of fertilization with molybdenum (Mo) and doses of nitrogen (N) on the levels of micronutrients in the leaves of Conilon coffee. The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme, the first factor being the absence and presence (4 kg·ha −1 ·year −1 ) of molybdic fertilization and the second factor, N doses (300, 500, 700, 900, and 1100 kg·ha −1 ·year −1 ). During the formation and development of coffee beans, leaves were sampled from the coffee tree to determine N‐NH 4 + , Mo, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and B concentration, and at harvest time, the coffee beans were harvested to evaluate the yield of processed coffee. The results showed that molybdic fertilization at the soil was efficient in supplying Mo to coffee tree; however, it had no effect on the productivity. The application of Mo did not influence the levels of other micronutrients in leaves of C. canephora . Molybdenum uptake is strongly governed by soil pH, its predominantly anionic chemical speciation, and the specificity of plant absorption and transport mechanisms, which are independent of those involved in the assimilation of other metallic micronutrients, thereby contributing to the absence of significant nutritional interactions. Increasing amounts of N promoted a linear increase in Fe content and 35.56 mg·kg −1 of Mn per 100 kg·ha −1 of N, while there was a decrease in Mo, Cu, and B concentrations. The application of N amounts to above 881 e 974 kg·ha −1 reduced the foliar contents of Cu and B, respectively, below the critical levels recommended for Conilon coffee crop. In high‐productivity Conilon coffee crops, the effects of nitrogen fertilization on micronutrient availability should be considered to avoid nutritional disorders.