Preparing robusta coffee seedlings

Rosabi coffee seedlings determine the uniformity and productivity of the orchard 20 years later. Instructions on standard seedling standards, how to choose seed sources, train plants, transport and remove defective plants before planting.

Summary: A bad seedling can ruin a planting site for many years. Robusta coffee is a perennial plant, so choosing a variety cannot be done haphazardly. The tree must be from the right source, have strong roots, straight trunk, no pests and be trained before going into the orchard. This article provides instructions on how to check seedlings before buying, before transporting them, and just before placing them in the hole.

Applies to: Newly planted or replanted Robusta coffee orchards in the Central Highlands.
Duration: Prepare 30-60 days before planting.
Difficulty: Basic but long-term effects.
Estimated additional costs: 8-20 million VND per hectare for seedlings, depending on density and seed source.

Why are seedlings important

A new coffee orchard takes 3-4 years to open for business. If the seedlings are not uniform, the consequences will last:

Trees are big and small, making it difficult to fertilize and water evenly.
Weak trees easily die in the first dry season.
Wrong varieties or low-yielding varieties reduce yields for many years.
Trees infected with nematodes and mycorrhizal fungi can introduce diseases into new orchards.

The money for seedlings only accounts for a small part of the cost of establishing a orchard, but determines the orchard's framework for 20-30 years.

Select seed source

Priority:

Registered seed facility with clear source of mother plants.
Varieties are recommended locally.
The nursery is clean, has a trellis, and pots with good drainage.
Trees in the same batch are uniform in age and size.

Do not buy seedlings:

The seed source or shoot source is unknown.
The gourd is mossy, waterlogged, and full of weeds.
The tree is too tall, the trunk is soft, the leaves are unusually dark green due to nitrogen fertilization.
The nursery has many scattered yellow leaves and dead trees.

Seedling standards

Qualified robusta coffee seedlings usually have:

Age 6-8 months.
Height about 25-35 centimeters.
5-7 pairs of true leaves.
The body is straight, not bent, not crushed.
The base diameter is strong, not too soft.
Natural green leaves, not yellow, not burned edges.
The gourd is firm, not broken, not too dry or soggy.

For grafted trees, the grafted joints must be seamless, not cracked, not abnormally bulging, and the grafted buds must develop healthily.

Check the roots

Don't just look at the stems and leaves. New roots are the part that determines whether the tree will survive well in the orchard.

Randomly select a few trees to test:

The taproot goes straight, not twisted around the bottom of the pot.
White hairy roots, evenly distributed.
There are no abnormal nodules.
No rotten smell, dark roots.
The potting soil does not crumble when held.

The tree has heavily twisted roots so it should be rejected. Planted in the orchard, the twisted roots continue to slow down the tree's growth and easily fall.

Train plants before planting

10-15 days before putting the plants in the orchard:

Reduce shading gradually to help plants get used to strong light.
Slightly reduce watering, keep the pot moderately moist.
Stop fertilizing heavily with nitrogen.
Choose weak or diseased plants.
Place plants in even groups to plant each plot.

Plants that have just been raised in a cool, humid nursery but are planted right in the sun can cause shock, drop leaves and slow recovery.

Transporting seedlings

When shipped:

Water the bulbs before transporting them, but don't let them become soggy.
Place the plants upright, without pressing on the stems or leaves.
Cover the sun and wind on the road.
Do not leave the plant in the sun for many hours.
Lightly load and unload to avoid breakage.

If the tree has to wait for planting, place it in a cool place, water lightly and do not stack it too thick.

Check before planting

Just before placing the tree in the hole:

The type of tree with broken tops, broken bulbs, and severe wilting.
Cut off slightly twisted roots at the bottom if any, but do not break the bulb.
Do not plant plants with signs of root rot.
Make sure the filled pit is stable and no longer hot.

If there is a shortage of qualified trees, you should buy additional ones or plant them later. Don't try to grow inferior plants to get enough quantity.

Backup tree miles

You should prepare 5-10 percent of the seedlings:

Trees die after 30-90 days.
Replace the heavy horn.
Keep the orchard evenly aged.

Backup plants need to be cared for just like the main plants, not left in a corner of the nursery lacking water.

Common mistakes

Buy too old plants in pots: twisted roots, slow recovery in the orchard.

Choose a plant only to look at the green leaves: a nitrogen-stressed plant may be beautiful but has soft stems and weak roots.

Not checking roots: missing nematodes, root rot or twisted roots.

Do not train the tree: the tree will be exposed to sunlight after planting.

Trying to plant a tree with a broken pot: the roots are broken, the tree grows slowly or dies.

Take notes

[ ] Variety source and name.
[ ] Date of receiving plants, number of plants.
[ ] Proportion of trees removed before planting.
[ ] The rate of tree death after 30, 90 days.
[ ] Which variety grows best after the first year?

Recording the seed source helps you know where to continue buying next season and avoid poor seed batches.