Association of altitude and solar radiation to understand coffee quality

• Autor(a) principal: Ferreira, Daniel Soares
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Oliveira, Matheus Eduardo da Silva, Ribeiro, Wilian Rodrigues, Filete, Cristhiane Altoé, Castanheira, Dalyse Toledo, Rocha, Brunno Cesar Pereira, Moreli, Aldemar Polonini, Oliveira, Emanuele Catarina da Silva, Guarçoni, Rogério Carvalho, Partelli, Fábio Luiz, Pereira, Lucas Louzada
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFLA
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.ufla.br/jspui/handle/1/56762
• topic: Coffea arabica L.; Sensory analysis; Microclimate; Irradiance; Altitude; Café - Qualidade; Análise sensorial; Microclima; Irradiância

The consumer market has a strong tendency to consume specialty coffees, making it essential to understand the influence of environmental conditions, such as solar radiation and altitude, on coffee quality. This study aimed to analyze the physical and sensory quality of Arabica coffee as a function of different altitudes and incident solar radiation on the coffee tree. The study was carried out in the city of Manhuaçu-MG, Brazil. Three altitudes (950, 1050 and 1150 m above mean sea level) and two sides of coffee exposure to solar radiation (east face: morning sun and west face: afternoon sun) were studied in two post-harvest processing (natural and peeled cherry). Sensory attributes, granulometry and occurrence of coffee defects were evaluated, in order to verify if there was variation in the physical and sensorial characteristics of the coffee. It was found that at an altitude of 1150mamsl, on the exposed face of the plant that received the afternoon sun, there was the formation of better-quality coffee, when compared to the face that received the morning sun. On the other hand, at lower altitudes, coffees from the face of the plant exposed to the morning sun showed a greater association with physical and sensory quality parameters.