Coffee Flowers Research Articles

Interaction and dynamic changes of microbial communities and volatile flavor compounds during the fermentation process of coffee flower rice wine.

To develop a unique flavor of rice wine, coffee flowers (by-products of the coffee industry) were added because of their biologically active compounds that are conducive to health, and the fermentation parameters were optimized. In addition, the dynamic changes of microbial communities and volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) during the different fermentation stages were investigated. After the optimization of the fermentation parameters, a novel product, i.e., the coffee flower rice wine (CFRW), was obtained with a bright yellow transparent, fragrant, and harmonious aroma and mellow and refreshing taste by sensory evaluation, when 4.62% of the coffee flowers and 1.93% koji were added and fermented at 24.10°C for 3.88 days. The results showed that Lactococcus was the dominant bacteria, accounting for 87.0-95.7%, while Rhizopus and Cladosporium were the main fungi, accounting for 68.2% and 11.3% on average, respectively, in the fermentation process of the CFRW. Meanwhile, twenty-three VFCs were detected in the CFRW, which included three alcohols, six terpenes, ten esters, three aromatics, and one furan. The correlation analysis revealed that there were 16 significant positive correlations and 23 significant negative correlations between the bacterium and VFCs (|ρ| > 0.6, p < 0.05), while there were 12 significant positive correlations and one significant negative correlation between the fungi and VFCs (|ρ| > 0.6, p < 0.05). Furthermore, five VFCs, including linalool, geraniol, ethyl acetate, 1-hexanol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol, contributed vital flavors to the CFRW, and they were all significantly negatively correlated with the changes of Massilia and Acinetobacter (|ρ| > 0.6, p < 0.05). Moreover a significant positive correlation was found between the relative abundance of Lactococcus and the contents of 3-methyl-1-butanol and ethyl acetate (|ρ| > 0.6, p < 0.05). Therefore, this study provides a valuable theoretical basis for further improving the quality and production technology of CFRW.

PERCEPCIÓN DE PEQUEÑOS PRODUCTORES RESPECTO A LOS EFECTOS DEL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO EN LA FLORACIÓN Y PLAGAS DE AGROECOSISTEMAS CAFETALEROS: UN ESTUDIO DE CASO

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background. &lt;/strong&gt;The coffee production in Veracruz state is important in the economic, social, cultural, and environmental sectors, mainly for the small producers who are dedicated to this activity. However, this sector has different problems that have generated its stagnation or abandonment, some of these are caused by the effects of climate change, coupled with the inadequate management of coffee agroecosystems that favor deforestation, low biodiversity and the elimination of natural enemies of pest organisms. &lt;strong&gt;Objective&lt;/strong&gt;. To assess the perception of small coffee producers about the relationship among flowering, pests and climate change in Sabanas, Veracruz. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology&lt;/strong&gt;. Eleven producers were interviewed through a questionnaire with open questions that allowed them to state how they perceive coffee flowering, pest problems, climate change and how they relate to each other. Results. The main problems they mentioned are pests, drought, and delayed flowering. The main pests they mention are rust, nematodes, and the berry borer, and they also indicate the presence of the coffee stem borer, which they had not previously observed. Finally, they perceive that herbicides, deforestation and pollution negatively affect their agroecosystems. &lt;strong&gt;Implications.&lt;/strong&gt; The work suggests carrying out monitoring in the study area and/or surrounding areas to know the dynamics and distribution of the pests present in the crop. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion.&lt;/strong&gt; Small producers relate the increase in severity and the occurrence of new pests with climate change. In addition, they observe that changes in temperature and precipitation influence the delay in flowering and generate certain stress in the plantations, which they consider it is aggravated by practices such as the application of herbicides and the removal of shade trees.&lt;/p&gt;

Antifungal activity against Candida albicans biofilm of Coffea robusta monofloral honey from Vietnam

Coffee (Coffea robusta) flower honey is one of the highest-yielding kinds of honey in Vietnam. Nevertheless, there is little research on the antifungal activity associated with this type of honey. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the antifungal activity against C. albicans of Vietnamese coffee monofloral honey and its potential effects on biofilm formation. This study was conducted using the broth microdilution method. The results showed that coffee flower honey was resistant to Candida albicans strain with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and with minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of 50% and 70% (w/v), respectively. No change in the antifungal activity of honey and the antifungal agent (Amphotericin B) against the C. albicans strain occurred after five consecutive exposures. When using SEM, honey at MIC (w/v) strongly affected the two stages of C. albicans biofilm formation. The surface structure of the biofilm, deformed, distorted, and atrophied phenotypes impacted by honey were also observed. Expression of transcriptional-level genes involved in biofilm formation, quorum-sensing, and stress survival was analyzed by RT-qPCR in honey-treated and untreated biofilms. The present study showed the antifungal activity of Vietnamese coffee flower honey against C. albicans.

The effect of an altitudinal gradient on the abundance and phenology of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) (ferreri) (Coleoptera: scolytidae) in the Colombia Andes

Globally, the coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferreri) is the most severe pest of the commercial coffee species arabica coffee (Coffea arabica). Heterogenous landscapes characterize many coffee-growing areas. We studied the phenology of coffee and the abundance, and development of infestation by CBB within the context an altitudinal gradient in the coffee-growing region of Caldas, Colombia. This was between 1200 m and 1800 m (a.s.l.) from September 2019 to July 2020 covering two seasons of coffee flowering. Coffee berry phenology did not differ over the altitudinal gradient studied, but CBB abundance and berry infestation differed in quantity and timings, with lower altitudes having higher abundances and proportions of infestation than higher altitudes. In the context of CBB management, October through to December is vital for coffee farms <1500 m as CBB abundance and infestation both spike, and March to June is key for farms between 1500-1700 m for the same reasons. In conclusion, coffee farmers in highly heterogeneous landscapes will have to adjust their CBB management according to the altitude gradients of their farm.

Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Flower-Visiting Insects in Coffee Crops.

Despite the important role that flower-visiting insects play in agricultural production, none of the previous studies of coffee pollinators in Colombia have incorporated functional diversity into their analysis. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the abundance, richness, and functional diversity of insects that visit flowers in coffee crops. Twenty-eight plots were selected among five sites in the north, center, and south of Colombia. In each plot, coffee flower insect visitors were collected and recorded on 90 trees at eight-minute intervals per tree, at three different times over three days. All sampling was carried out during two flowering events per year, over three years, resulting in a total of 1240 h of observations. Subsequently, the insects were taxonomically identified, and the number of individuals and species, as well as the diversity of the order q, were estimated. Functional diversity was also characterized in the bee community. The results: (a) 23,735 individuals belonging to 566 species were recorded; of them, 90 were bees, with the native species being the most abundant during 10:30 and 13:00 h; (b) bees formed five functional groups, with corbiculate and long-tongued non-corbiculate bees being the most abundant and occupying the largest regions of functional space; (c) potential pollinators in coffee crops are Apis mellifera, Nannotrigona gaboi, Tetragonisca angustula, Geotrigona cf. tellurica, and Partamona cf. peckolti. Coffee crops host a wide diversity of flower visitors, especially bees, which could be beneficial for productivity and contribute to the maintenance of plant species that accompany coffee cultivation.

Optimizing coffee production: Increased floral visitation and bean quality at plantation edges with wild pollinators and natural vegetation

Abstract Animal pollination is important for more than 75% of agricultural crops, including coffee, whose productivity can increase with adequate pollination. Bees, including many solitary species, are diverse pollinators, with around 85% of them considered more effective than honeybees in pollen transfer. We assessed the coffee plantation and its surrounding vegetation for solitary bee nesting throughout the coffee flowering season and measured their impact on coffee productivity. We installed collection stations with trap nests inside a coffee plantation, on the border and inside the native vegetation in a farm in Diamantina, MG, Brazil. We used 10 weekly monitored replicates at least 1 km apart. We evaluated fruiting by autogamy in relation to natural pollination and used the increase in fruit set from pollinators to calculate the farmer's monetary gain. We recorded bee visits to the exposed flowers during coffee flowering considering both on the edge and inside the coffee plantation. Ripe fruits were dried, counted and weighed. We discovered 132 solitary bee nests outside the plantation, with 54% containing coffee pollen grains, indicating coffee as an essential resource for bees even outside the crop area. More bee visits occurred at the coffee plantation's edge, resulting in increased fruit production, denser fruits, and rounder fruits in that area. Bagged flowers produced consistent seeds in all locations. The farmer could earn an extra US$1736.37 per hectare if the entire area received the same level of pollination contribution from bees as observed at the coffee border. Synthesis and applications. Our study emphasises the key role of pollinators in coffee production and their impact on fruit and seed characteristics. Bee visits were more frequent on border areas, emphasising their reliance on natural nesting sites. Bee‐mediated pollination positively affected fruit traits and self‐pollinated fruits in plantation borders had reduced mass. Solitary bee nesting was primarily observed in native vegetation, underlining its importance for bee populations. Pollen composition in nests varied with proximity to coffee plantations, indicating landscape vegetation influences pollinator foraging. These findings support optimising coffee plantation design by preserving native vegetation to increase coffee yields and conserve biodiversity.

Pollen sources used by the stingless bee Schwarziana quadripunctata in a coffee-growing landscape

Research on the food sources used by bees in agricultural landscapes is crucial to promote pollinator conservation measures in and around cultivated areas. This investigation aims to identify and quantify the pollen resources exploited by Schwarziana quadripunctata (Lepeletier 1836), assessing the trophic niche of this bee in agricultural areas with coffee plantations. Pollen analysis was conducted based on the pollen load of the corbiculae of 70 bees, sampled during the flowering period of two species of coffee trees in commercial plantations located in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, Brazil, in 2019 and 2021. A total of 78 pollen types from 23 botanical families were identified, with Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora comprising 92% of the samples. Cestrum sp. (2.3% – Solanaceae), Fabaceae sp. 1 (0.9%), Solanum sp. (0.75% – Solanaceae) and Chamaecrista sp. (0.71% – Fabaceae) were the next most prevalent. The dominance of the coffee tree pollen confirms the floral constancy of S. quadripunctata during periods of intense flowering. Excluding coffee pollen, the most represented families were Solanaceae (46.6% of the samples), Fabaceae (27.5%), Rubiaceae (8.51%), and Meliaceae (2.53%). The findings reveal that S. quadripunctata actively forages from sources other than coffee, even during the intense flowering of these plants, highlighting the importance of floral resources in the proximity of plantations. The use of pollen sources beyond the coffee tree highlights the importance of conserving nearby forest fragments and maintaining a diverse array of plants surrounding coffee trees even during coffee flowering.

Transcriptomic Data Analysis Using the Galaxy Platform: Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Flowers as Example.

Coffee, an important agricultural product for tropical producing countries, is facing challenges due to climate change, including periods of drought, irregular rain distribution, and high temperatures. These changes result in plant water stress, leading to significant losses in coffee productivity and quality. Understanding the processes that affect coffee flowering is crucial for improving productivity and quality. In this chapter, we describe a protocol for transcriptome analysis using available Internet software, mainly in the Galaxy Platform, using RNA-Seq data from flowers collected from different parts of the coffee tree. The methods presented in this chapter provide a comprehensive protocol for transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes from flowers of coffee plant. This knowledge can be utilized in coffee genetic improvement programs, particularly in the selection of cultivars that are tolerant to water deficit.

Modifications in floral morphology of Coffea spp. genotypes at two distinct elevations

Floral traits are influenced by elevation in various species, but no information is available for the Coffea canephora and C. arabica. It was hypothesized that: 1) number of stamens and petals can vary depending on the species and genotype within the same species; 2) variations in the morphological traits occur in response to the difference in elevation, 3) greater variability in flower morphology among C. canephora genotypes is expressed at high- than at low-elevation, due to environmental pressure, and 4) the changes in floral morphology due to alterations in elevation are more pronounced in C. canephora than in C. arabica. This study aimed to investigate the G × E interaction for morphological traits of coffee flowers and, based in genetic parameters estimation, explore the potential use of these traits in breeding programs. Experiment comprised of coffee plantations under full sun of both species at two elevations. The number of petals and stamens varied between five and six in C. canephora. At two elevations, Beira Rio 8 (C. canephora) genotype stood out for presenting the highest averages for all size traits related to corolla, and stigmatic lobes. The variability in floral morphology among C. canephora genotypes was not greater at high- than at low- elevation. Overall, flower size of all studied C. canephora and C. arabica genotypes was larger at low- than at high-elevation, but the stigmatic lobes length, the ratio between stigmatic lobe length and style length, and partially the ratio between anther length and stamen length were greater at high-elevation. C. arabica flowers were smaller and mostly irresponsive to elevation, in contrast with C. canephora flowers. There was a significant genotype by environment interaction for seven out of the nine traits, with a predominance of complex-type interactions. Conducting studies on morphological traits of flowers at a greater number of environments with distinct elevations can provide better insights into the potential use of these traits in studies of adaptability and stability of Coffea spp. genotypes to different environmental conditions, contributing to genetic improvement efforts to achieve resilience of coffee cultivation in the scenarios of climate change.

Inferring multiple coffee flowerings in Central America using farmer data in a probabilistic model

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is a climate-sensitive crop; rainfalls may trigger flowering event occurrences, and extreme rainfall during a flowering day can cause considerable yield reductions. Multiple flowering events can occur in the span of 12 months; the number varies from year to year. This paper introduces a Bayesian network model capable of inferring coffee flowering events in coffee areas in the Pacific Region of Central America based on observed data for coffee flowering and precipitation. The model structure was determined based on expert knowledge, and the model parametrization was learned from 53 years of data registered in the region. Data from four farms in the region were used for model validation. The model's performance in the inference of flowering intensity was good (spherical payoff of 0.78 out of maximal 1.00), and the model was able to depict expected behaviors for single and multiple flowerings. Further, comprehensive new details on the dynamics of multiple flowerings within a crop season were obtained, e.g., that a large flowering event tends to occur more quickly (8 to 10 days) after rain than a small flowering (10 to 13 days). We believe that this Bayesian network model has the potential to evolve and support the development of agricultural index-based insurance to deal with yield losses due to extreme rainfall during flowering. The use of longer farm records for model building may also serve to increase farmers' trust in the reliability of the tool.

Fruit production in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) crops is enhanced by the behaviour of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

AbstractChanges in floral visitors' diversity and community composition have been reported to affect coffee production, which optimal growing conditions are cool to warm tropical climates found in the coffee belt. However, few studies have focused on understanding how insects' foraging behaviour (e.g., contact with floral reproductive organs) relates with coffee production. Thus, it is important to consider floral visitors' foraging behaviour, as this can influence the transfer of conspecific pollen required for plant fertilisation, the efficiency of floral visitors and improve the pollination service provided. Here, we assessed how foraging behaviour of honeybees and stingless bees affects coffee fruit set and fruit weight in conventional and agroecological managed crops. We quantified local floral resources and recorded diversity, abundance and behaviour of floral visitors at eight pairs of sites with agroecological and conventional management systems to assess how foraging behaviour of honeybees and stingless bees affects coffee fruit set and fruit weight in both types of managed crops. We found that the managed honeybee Apis mellifera and three wild bees Tetragonisca angustula, Scaptotrigona mexicana and Partamona bilineata are the principal floral visitors of coffee crops in Guatemala, whose total abundance but not richness was higher in agroecological areas. Regarding their behaviours, we observed that the average number of flowers visited by P. bilineata and its behaviour of touching the nectaries of coffee flowers were positively related to fruit set, while only the percentage of A. mellifera carrying pollen was positively related with fruit weight, suggesting that although A. mellifera is found in large quantities, wild bees are also efficient pollinators of coffee in the region. Our findings also suggest that in other tropical regions where coffee is grown and honeybees have been observed as a primary pollinator, wild bees may play an important role when considering their behaviour. In the same way, coffee farms in Guatemala are a representation of the diversity of agroecosystems found worldwide, and thus, the study of foraging behaviour of managed and wild bees and the conservation of wild bee species in different coffee agroecosystems should be emphasised to improve the production of coffee and other cash crops.

Use of Portable Fluorescence Spectroscopy and SIMCA Method to Test The Authenticity of Apis mellifera Honey From Coffee Flower Nectar Mixed With Two Artificial Sweeteners

Honey with coffee flowers nectar is native honey formed from flower nectar. In this investigation, corn syrup and rice syrup, two artificial sweeteners, were utilized as an adulterant. Portable fluorescence spectroscopy and the SIMCA method are the tools and techniques employed. There were up to 20 samples of pure Apis mellifera honey and up to 120 samples of mixed honey (MC), each used twice. Data on the emission spectra, which are excited at a wavelength of 365 nm, were measured over the wavelength range of 300-800 nm. To improve accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, the original spectral data was altered using a number of pre-treatments. Pretreatment with the original data with smoothing moving average may accurately identify samples and provides 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. One of the steps of the SIMCA approach, the cumulative PC, has a value of 92%, which indicates that it well explains the variation of the data. The x-loading plot's values are near the peak of the waves at 378 and 460 nm, indicating the existence of phenolic and flavonoid chemicals at those wavelengths. Keywords: Apis mellifera honey, Corn syrup, Rice syrup, Portable Spectroscopy, SIMCA.

Quantification and Qualification of Floral Patterns of Coffea arabica L. in Colombia.

The phenological patterns of coffee flowering in Colombia have typically been studied in a descriptive way, with knowledge from an inferential perspective being scarce. The present study evaluated the effect of geographic location and accession on the floral patterns and phenological descriptors of Coffea arabica L. Fifteen accessions from the Colombian coffee collection (four tall and eleven short) were planted in the departments of Cesar, Caldas, Quindío and Cauca (Colombia). The number of flower buds per branch per plant per evaluated accession was recorded weekly during four flowering semesters. Subsequently, the phenological flowering descriptors, namely synchrony among individuals, intraindividual temporal variability and number of events were calculated. The data were analyzed descriptively, and then the inferential component was conducted using analysis of variance for a two-factor additive model and randomization restriction. The results showed that there are two flowering patterns according to the expression of flowering in the floral cycles, the "annual" class in the department of Cesar and the "continual" class in the departments of Caldas, Quindío and Cauca. The phenological descriptors show differences between the departments according to the coffee zone to which it belongs (northern, central or southern). In turn, the floral pattern of each area can be linked to the latitudinal change in daily sunshine, as well as to the distribution of rainfall and temperature, in a very broad sense and based on the literature. The data did not provide statistical evidence to suggest differences among the accessions or between the tree sizes evaluated.

Flower-Visiting Insects Ensure Coffee Yield and Quality

(1) Background: The participation of insects in the pollination of self-pollinating plants, such as coffee, is still controversial. This study determined the effect of flower-visiting insects on coffee berry set, yield, and quality. (2) Methods: Over 2 years, five evaluations in different locations, dates, and harvest times were carried out. Each evaluation consisted of eight treatments with 50 replicates each, arranged in a completely randomized experimental design. Treatments were established to identify the contribution of insects, wind, gravity, self-pollination, and cross-pollination to coffee yield and quality. (3) Results: The insects contributed 16.3% of the berry set, 26.9% of the berry coffee yield, and 30.6% of the weight of supremo-type beans. No differences were observed in the sensory quality of coffee produced with or without insects. For stigma receptivity, results indicate that there is a 6.3% probability of self-pollination during pre-anthesis. (4) Conclusions: The species Coffea arabica, despite being a self-pollinating plant, benefits from the presence of flower-visiting insects. During anthesis, arabica coffee flowers are ready for cross-pollination.

Development of Malay Deli Songket Motifs Based on Symmetry Groups

One of the tribes in North Sumatra Province that has a wide variety of art is the Deli Malays, especially the Songket motifs. Songket is a type of traditional Indonesian weaving that should be preserved to maintain Indonesia’s wealth. The motifs in the Malay Deli Songket can be analyzed because of its symmetrical pattern. In this study, the author developed the Malay Deli Songket motif based on the concept of the symmetry group. The motif development was carried out with the Matlab program based on the frieze group pattern and the crystallography group pattern. The Frieze pattern, often called the Frieze Group, is a symmetry group created from one-way translation, forming a linear pattern that repeats one way. The crystallography group has 17 crystallographic patterns formed by a specific transformation from each type of unit lattice. Through the development of motifs, 6 new Songket motifs were obtained based on the Frieze pattern in 11 observed Malay Deli Songket motifs, namely the Moon Orchid motif, the Orchid motif, the Balong Ayam motif, the Coffee Flowers motif, the Tobacco Leaves 1 and 2 motifs, the Corn motif, the Paddy motif, the Tampuk Manggis motif, the Tobacco motif, and the Ulam Raja motif. In 4 previously observed Malay Deli Songket motifs, 11 new Songket motifs were obtained for crystallography patterns: the Deli Tobacco Leaves motif, the Coffee motif, the Tampuk Gelugor motif, and the Undang Kupu-Kupu motif.

Farmers Weather Knowledge in Preparations for Rain-Fed Crop Cultivation in Fundong Subdivision Northwest Region, Cameroon

Rain-fed food crops cultivation constitutes a foremost livelihood source for humans. In Fundong subdivision, the seed sowing of rain-fed food crops is always done at the month of March following the first rains. Over the last decade, increasing uncertainty of the first rains during the planting seasons has increased tremendously and farmers have resort to the use of local sources and strategies of weather forecast to plan for seed sowing of rain-fed food crops. From these grounds, this paper seeks to investigate the strategies as well as the motives for indigenous preference in weather forecast as an adaptation strategy against the increasing uncertainties in the first rains during the planting seasons in Fundong subdivision. Data was collected from randomly selected 187 households using semi-structured questionnaires, focus groups discussions, interviews and field observations. The data collected was descriptively analysis and the results presented in the form of tables and bar charts. Photos were equally taken to portray the field reality. About seven (7) strategies viz; flowering of coffee, mist covering mountains, excessive heat during the night, smell of toilet, dew fall on leaves of bananas, trees and roof of houses observed in the morning, concentration of dark clouds in the sky and smell of rain are the strategies farmers used to forecast the onset of rains which help them prepare for the planting of rain-fed food crops. The motives for indigenous weather preference was assessed to be due to limited conventional sources of weather information, low level of education of farmers, lack of electricity in some areas of the study site, complexity of scientific weather knowledge, no weather scientist and difficult access to network in certain locations of the study area. The study opined that conventional sources of weather information should be installed in the study area in order to complement indigenous knowledge in studying extreme weather events.

Comparison of chemical compositions, antioxidant activities, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities between coffee flowers and leaves as potential novel foods.

This study aimed to compare chemical compositions, antioxidant activities, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of coffee flowers (ACF) and coffee leaves (ACL) with green coffee beans (ACGB) of Coffea Arabica L. The chemical compositions were determined by employing high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) techniques. Antioxidant effects of the components were evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities were also evaluated. The coffee sample extracts contained a total of 214 components identified by HPLC-MS and belonged to 12 classes (such as nucleotides and amino acids and their derivatives, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, benzene, phenylpropanoids, and lipids.), where phenylpropanoids were the dominant component (>30%). The contents of flavonoids, alkaloids, saccharides, and carboxylic acid and its derivatives in ACF and ACL varied significantly (p < .05) compared to similar components in ACGB. Meanwhile, 30 differentially changed chemical compositions (variable importance in projection [VIP] > 1, p < .01 and fold change [FC] > 4, or <0.25), that determine the difference in characteristics, were confirmed in the three coffee samples. Furthermore, among 25 volatile chemical components identified by GC-MS, caffeine, n-hexadecanoic acid, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-phenol], and quinic acid were common in these samples with caffeine being the highest in percentage. In addition, ACL showed the significantly highest (p < .05) DPPH radical scavenging capacity with IC50 value of 0.491 ± 0.148 mg/ml, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity with inhibition ratio 25.18 ± 2.96%, whereas ACF showed the significantly highest (p < .05) ABTS radical scavenging activity with 36.413 ± 1.523 mmol trolox/g Ex. The results suggested that ACL and ACF had potential values as novel foods in the future.

Multigenic regulation in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway during coffee flowering.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-022-01235-y.

Integrating effects of neighbor interactions for pollination and abiotic resources on coffee yield in a multi‐strata agroforest

AbstractAnimal‐pollinated plants interact with neighbors for both abiotic resources and pollination, with consequences for reproduction and yield. Yet few studies have compared the relative magnitude of these effects, particularly in agroecosystems. In vertically stratified communities, such as agroforests, neighbor effects may be stratum‐dependent. Understanding the net effects of neighbors on crop yield is important for managing multifunctional agroecosystems to simultaneously support production and biodiversity. This study evaluated the effects of neighboring plants on pollen deposition, fertilization, and yield in Coffea arabica in a shaded organic coffee farm with high non‐crop plant abundance and diversity in Chiapas, Mexico. We assessed the impact of (1) floral resources at three vertical strata (herbs, coffee bushes, and canopy trees) on stigma pollen load (a measure of interaction for pollination), and (2) floral density and canopy cover (proxies for competition for abiotic resources) on yield (final fruit set and per‐fruit weight), using structural equation modeling to evaluate the relative effect of each interaction type. Coffee competed for pollination with neighbors (conspecifics and heterospecifics) across strata. Pollen load influenced final fruit set, but the effect of neighbor competition for pollination was weaker than effects mediated by interactions for abiotic resources. Effects of interactions for abiotic resources were heterogeneous across strata, with negligible effects of herb‐layer or coffee flower density but net positive effects of canopy trees on final fruit set. Overall effects of neighbors on coffee yield were weak, suggesting that coffee agroecosystems can be managed to maintain high plant density and diversity without sacrificing yield.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Coffea arabica honey from Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Coffea arabica is one of the most widely consumed and marketed commodities in the world. The study was designed to characterize C.arabica honey for botanical composition, physicochemical parameters, and antioxidant properties of honey. Twelve honey samples of C. arabica honey were collected during the flowering period of coffee flowers from the Zander hive. The physicochemical properties of honey and the Botanical origin of honey were determined based on Harmonized methods of the International Honey Commission. The antioxidant power of the coffee monofloral honey samples was determined by dissolving 1.5 gm of honey with 25 ml distilled water and mixing it with 25ml methanol and placed at 25◦C for sixty minutes of maceration using a temperature shaker. The pollen count percentage from honey indicated that all honey samples collected from Gera, Gomma, Yayu, and Manna districts were identified as coffee monofloral honey representing 84%, 93%, 75%, and 73 % of pollen count respectively. The mean moisture, ash, HMF, EC, FA, pH, fructose, glucose and sucrose content of Coffea arabica honey were 22.48%, 0.21%, 11.88, 0.49 mS/cm, 13.44 meq/Kg, 3.32, 32.77%, 32.9%, and 3.57% respectively. The total phenol and flavonoid content range from 42.1-82.1 and 21.7-59.7 mg/100 g of GAE/g respectively while the radical scavenging activity ranges from 60.2- 66.3%. The pollen analysis of honey from the area is coffee monofloral honey since its pollen count exceeds more than 45% and the honey quality also meets the Ethiopian and International standards. The antioxidant power of Coffee honey has a considerable amount of polyphenolics which have relevant antiradical activity.