The influence of distinct edapho-climatic conditions on water relations, growth and flowering of coffee are also important. The requirement of a period of water deficit to break bud dormancy and induce coffee flowering have been demonstrated, and irrigation management has been used to control flowering in coffee plantations. However, proper determination of the internal water status of the coffee plant is
still a difficult task, mainly under field conditions and unusual for producers. The knowledge of this information would allow to model seasonal changes of coffee water status and water consumption in different regions and for different coffee cultivars, in such a way that controlling the relation between intensity/duration of water deficit might allow the control of breaking bud dormancy and conse-
quently the synchronization of flowering. In this way, irrigation can be a useful technique.