Diurnal variations in net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration (Ci), and water use efficiency (WUE) were studied on individual leaves of coffee plants to determine the effect of climatic factors on photosynthetic capacity. PN and E showed bimodal behaviour with the maximum values of PN at mid-morning. At noon, under saturating photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and high leaf temperature (Tl), PN declined. In the afternoon (14:00), PN slightly recovered in association with a decrease in Tl and in leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Reductions in E during the morning were associated with decreases in gs. Higher WUE in the morning was related to higher PN and lower E. The reverse occurred in the afternoon. Goudriaan's simulation model, adapted for coffee canopy photosynthesis, was tested at the level of whole plant (Ppl). Three methods were used: (a) Whole plant net photosynthesis (Ppl) under semi-controlled conditions in a chamber. (b) Ppl estimation following Goudriaan's method (Gaussian integration) of instantaneous PN in single leaves at three canopy depths and at three different hours assuming a photosynthesis unimodal behaviour. (c) Ppl using Goudriaan's method but at five different hours according to the bimodal behaviour reported above. Results of Ppl estimates using Goudriaan's model adapted for coffee canopy confirm the observed Ppl bimodal behaviour with high fitness degree of the measured whole plant photosynthesis. The high fitness found among observed and simulated data indicates that the modified model may be used as a subroutine for the general simulation model of coffee crop growth. and L. F. Gómez ... [et al.].