Coffee leaf yellowing and young fruit drop – Causes and management
Leaf yellowing and fruit drop – a worry for coffee growers
A healthy-looking coffee tree suddenly shows:
- Leaves yellowing from the bottom to the top, drying in pairs
- Mass drop of young fruit, seriously affecting yield
This often appears from the end of the rainy season to the start of the dry season when care is not correct.
Main causes of coffee leaf yellowing and fruit drop
1. Nutrient deficiency – especially potassium and magnesium
- The tree cannot support its fruit and leaves yellow quickly. Calcium deficiency weakens fruit stalks → fruit drops easily
Signs:
- Leaves yellow but still soft, veins still green
- Young fruit still glossy but dropping in large numbers
2. Mealybug and aphid attack
- Sap sucking → weakened trees, stunted tips
- Honeydew leads to sooty mould → blocks photosynthesis
Treat with a two-way systemic product such as Pilaravia 155SC
3. Brown spot, pink disease, root nematodes
- Damage the root system → the tree cannot take up nutrients
- More common during prolonged rainy seasons
Combine a fungicide + beneficial root microbes
4. Poor irrigation & drainage
- Local waterlogging rots roots and causes fruit drop
- Water shortage during fruit set → early drop
How to manage leaf yellowing and young fruit drop
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
| Balanced fertilising | Apply NPK + micronutrients (Mg, Ca, Zn, B...) at the right time |
| Mealybug control | Use Pilaravia 155SC + Viet-up 90 for thorough mealybug control |
| Soil improvement | Use well-composted organic fertiliser + microbes to restore roots |
| Better irrigation | Ensure good drainage in the rainy season; supplement water in the dry season |
Need technical advice on treating leaf yellowing and fruit drop?
Call +84 86 210 5050
Visit: www.vietcropchem.com
Our technical team is always ready to help!
Read more:
Coffee in the establishment phase – How to grow a sustainable garden
Coffee nutrition & fertilising by growth stage
SEO keywords used in this article: #Pilaravia155SC #ThuocTriRepSapCaPhe #RepSaoCaPhe #RepMuoi #LuuDanHaiChieu #Vietcropchem
[NEWS 20/8/2025]