Soil Fertility and Foliar Nutritional Profiles of Arabica Coffee in the Matas de Minas, Brazil

Brazil is the world’s leading coffee producer, and the Matas de Minas region ranks as the second-largest coffee-producing area in Minas Gerais State. Although the nutritional requirements of Coffea arabica L. are well established, recent studies have identified recurring issues related to nutrient imbalances. This study aimed to characterize soil fertility and foliar nutritional status in arabica coffee plantations in the Matas de Minas region and to differentiate production areas using redundancy analysis (RDA). Investigations were conducted on 16 commercial farms, involving chemical analyses of the surface soil layer (0–20 cm) and foliar nutrient assessments across 130 field plots. Soil analysis revealed that pH (low in 68.75% of the samples) and base saturation (V%) (low in 56.25% of the samples) were the most limiting fertility attributes, whereas exchangeable calcium and aluminum saturation (m%) were generally within the adequate range. Foliar nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) levels were excessive in 25%, 75%, and 25% of the samples, respectively, likely resulting from the prolonged use of commercial fertilizer formulations. Copper (Cu) foliar levels also exceeded recommended values in 44% of the samples. RDA effectively distinguished groups of farms based on cation exchange capacity at pH 7.0 (T), phosphorous (P), pH and exchangeable potassium (K), as well as foliar levels of Cu, manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), and iron (Fe). These findings highlight the need to adjust fertilization practices based on soil and leaf analyses, particularly regarding proper soil acidity management and the excessive nutrient application in arabica coffee plantations.