Distribution and Intensity of Coffee Berry Diseases (Colletotrichum Kahawae Waller and Bridge) in Gurage Zone

Abstract

In worldwide more than 125 million people and in Ethiopia around 15-16 million peoples were derive their income from Coffee. Coffee berry disease (CBD), coffee wilt disease (CLD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR) are most important coffee diseases in Ethiopia. Previous research works have little information on CBD distribution, status and associated factors in Gurage zone southern parts of Ethiopia. This study was designed to carry out the CBD disease intensity. The assessment was done in Enemorina Ener, Ezha and Cheha districts of Gurage zone during July to August 2017. The study result indicated that CBD was prevalent in all inspected farmers’ field with a disease incidence range of 100% and 86.66%. Percent Severity Index was recorded from 38.89 to 59.44% in all assessed areas. Pearson correlation analysis showed that disease incidence (DI) and percent severity index (PSI) have positive and strong relationship with altitude (r=0.46) and (r=0.73), respectively. It is good when the study was repeated in one more production year and with including other coffee producing districts of Gurage zone. The present study gives clues to generate CBD disease management strategies as short term and develop resistant cultivars for the study area as long term strategy to increase county foreign currency.