Chloride analysis methods and contents in leaves, grains, and husks of coffee

This experiment was conducted at the EPAMIG Experiment Station in São Sebastião do Paraíso (MG) on Red Dusk Latosol, where both sources of potassium (K) (KCl, K2SO4, and KMgSO4) and doses of K (0, 100, 200, and 400 g K hole‐1) on the coffee tree (Coffea arabica L.), cultivar Catuaí Vermelho, were studied. During 1993 and 1994, 288 samples of leaves, grains, and husks of coffee were utilized and the chloride content was established by the Mohr's, Volhard's, and mercurimetrical methods to correlate with the potentiometric titulation method, considered as a standard. Every year, the effect of sources and doses of K on the chloride contents of each material and investigated methods was evaluated and also for fruits (husk + grain). The mercurimetrical method is the most convenient for the determination of chloride in leaves, husk, and grains due to the simplicity and more accurate determination of the final changing point of the titulation. The highest chloride contents were found in the leaf, hull, fruits, and grains and there was an increase of the chloride content in these portions with an increase of the KCl doses.