Looking for adjustments to severe drought in coffee: Lessons of a rainfall exclusion plot in the Southern Brazil

Rainfall exclusion experiments allow us assessing the effects of environmental stresses such as long-term water limitations on both leaf and canopy structural traits. This work aimed to evaluate how anatomical traits development productive coffee trees change when submitted more dry conditions in southern region Minas Gerais - Brazil. The experimental plots have been set up a plantation area which is growing Coffea arabica L. cv. Mundo Novo- IAC 379-19, completely randomized arrangement, composed by three treatments: Control (C) no gutter system; plus roof (Ĉ) Exclusion system (E). Leaf were determined within year at end each season: late Spring- 2015 (Sp), Summer (Su), Autumn (Au) Winter (Wi) 2016. During studied period rainfall condition led reduction relative content (RWC) leaves. In leaf-level, increase, leaves invested thicker cuticles, reduced xylem phloem areas smaller stomata, especially with exclusion. canopy-level, there was remarkable index (LAI) winter strategy transpiratory area, availability decreased around 25%. context due climate change, may be able present modifications levels, cope this abiotic stress. Key words: Adaptation strategies; L.; Ecophysiology; anatomy; Seasonal patterns.