Sustainable coffee leaf rust management: The role of soil covering, conditioners and controlled‐release fertilizers

Abstract Sustainable soil management to optimize water use and enhance nutrient uptake is a promising approach for decreasing the incidence of coffee leaf rust. This work analysed soil coverings, fertilizers and soil conditioners to optimize water usage and nutrients in coffee rust management. The experiment was set up in the field in January 2016, with seedlings of Coffea arabica ‘Mundo Novo IAC – 379‐19’, susceptible to rust. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replications and arranged in a 3 × 2 × 5 factorial scheme. We assessed the combination of three soil coverings (plastic film, Urochloa decumbens and bare soil), two fertilizer types (conventional and controlled release) and five soil conditioners (organic compound, coffee husk, agricultural gypsum, water‐retaining polymer and control without soil conditioner). The rust incidence and foliage progress curve were integrated into the area under the rust incidence or foliage progress curve. Additionally, we assessed the leaf area index and coffee yield. The association of U. decumbens with controlled‐release fertilizers and organic compound or coffee husk increased coffee foliage and yield despite higher disease incidence.