Young coffee plants of Coffea arabica cv. Catuaí, cv. Arabica, C. canephora cv. Guarini and C. arabica x C. canephora cv. Icatu (BC2 C. arabica) were evaluated at 8 and 22 months after germination for root and snoot length, and their dry weight. At the 8th month, the coffee germplasm were also submitted to comparisons pertaining to the effects of direct sowing or transplantation of the seedlings to plastic pots after germination in sand trays. At the 22nd month the root volume were also evaluated in coffee plants planted in plastic pots. 'Guarini', 'Catuai' and 'Icatu', having higher yielding ability than 'Arabica', showed also better root system development. 'Guarini' presented the highest lateral root and shoot values. The highest lateral root/shoot dry weight ratio was observed for 'Guarini' and 'Catuai'. This is one important feature for the plant in water stress conditions. The 22-month evaluation from 10 liter pots was considered more suitable to study root and shoot growth development than the 8-month evaluation from 0.5 liter plastic.