Coffee Research Station Research Articles

Weather based pest forewarning models for mealybug infestation in Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora)


 An investigation was carried out to study the effect of weather parameters on mealybug infestation in Robusta coffee and to develop forewarning model using 39 years (1977 to 2015) pest data on mealy bug damage in coffee plantations collected at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad district of Kerala were recorded at fortnightly intervals during 1977 to 2015 (39 years). The results revealed that mealybug infestation was found to vary with season and also year to year. Fruit setting and budding stages of coffee were severely damaged by mealy bug. Analysis indicated that annually, average damage due to mealy bug was 6.4 per cent and ranged between 5.4 per cent in 1984 to 9.7 per cent in 2011. The mealybug damage was maximum during summer season and lowest during South-West Monsoon (June-September) season. Season wise regression models were developed using data up to 2013 for forewarning per cent damage of mealy bug and validated for 2014 and 2015. The model for summer season mealybug damage has maximum R2=0.79 which can be used for operational forecasting of mealy bug damage.

Nutrients Status in Arabica Coffee (Coffea Arabica L) Soils of Non-Traditional Area (NTA)

Coffee growing areas in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (non-traditional area - NTA) are characterized by undulating topography with terraced slopes having narrow valleys with scattered coffee farms across the elevation of the Eastern Ghats of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Koraput (Orissa) districts. Under this situation plant available nutrients will become non-available and the nutrients are stored in several pools as inorganic and organic forms in soil exchange complex are very much essential for coffee plants for its growth and development. Hence, a study was conducted to know the soil nutrient status of coffee growing region of NTA. A total of 693 surface soil samples were collected at depth of 22cm randomly from each coffee growing mandals of NTA and assessed the nutrient status (soil pH, OC, available P and K) at Regional Coffee Research Station, Narsipatnam. Results of the soil test results indicated that most of the Arabica coffee soils of NTA are acidic in reaction (72 %) and soil pH > 6.0 in these soils was 28 % in the tested soils. Plant available phosphorous (P) in the soil is low with 33 % soils and 46 % of the soils are medium in range. However, only 21 % of the soils tested are high in available phosphorous content in these soils. The majority of the soils of this region are high in available potassium about 54 % and 31 % of the soils are medium in range but only 15 % of the soils are low in available K status. Coffee soils of NTA are rich in organic carbon status and almost 47 %. 33 % of the tested soils are medium in range but 19 % of soils were low in organic carbon status. Soils are slightly acidic in reaction and were rich in organic carbon and available potassium status.

Impact of climate variability on coffee yield in India—with a micro-level case study using long-term coffee yield data of humid tropical Kerala

Study on variability in area, production, and productivity of coffee in India during last decade indicates that area and production of coffee is increasing whereas yield of coffee is decreasing trend during the period 1990–1991 to 2015–2016. There was increasing trend of Robusta coffee and decreasing trend of Arabica coffee yields in India with three distinct periods due to climate change. Micro-level study was conducted on variability in yield of Arabica and Robusta coffee vis-a-vis climate change, variability of parameters like rainfall (RF), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), and mean relative humidity (RH) was undertaken with data recorded at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, Kerala State. The yield data for 35 years (1980 to 2014) revealed that the yield of Robusta coffee was higher than that of Arabica coffee in most of the years due to favorable climate requirements in Kerala. There was increasing trend of yield of Robusta coffee in Kerala and decreasing trend of Arabica coffee. Blossom showers had significance influence in increasing the yield of coffee rather than total annual rainfall in Robusta coffee. El Nino events have little effect on coffee production in India in general, and out of 11 El Nino years, only 3 years coffee productivity was adversely affected. However, with respect to Kerala, Arabica yield was adversely affected in strong El Nino years, which was again confirmed with NDVI anomaly too.

Coffee yield forecasting using climate indices based agrometeorological model in Kerala

Climate plays important role in production of coffee. Adequate quantum and timely receipt of blossom rainfall for flowering and subsequent backing showers influence the berry set and yield of coffee. Harvesting of Arabica coffee in Kerala State with humid tropical climate in India is done by December-January and harvesting of Robusta coffee is taken up during January-February. In this paper, attempt was made to develop agrometeorological models to forecast the yield of these two varieties coffee by utilising monthly climate variables from January to December. Long term data from 1991-92 to 2012-13 on coffee yield and weather data from 1991-2012 recorded at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale located in Wayanad district of Kerala State was used to develop agrometeorological model. Statistical regression model between climate indices and yield of Arabica and Robusta coffee was developed and the model was validated using crop and climate data for 2013 and 2014. The model demonstrated that climate indices based agrometeological model is able to forecast the yield of coffee in Kerala.

Weather based forewarning models for coffee berry borer and shot hole borer in Wayanad, Kerala

Pest damage due to coffee berry borer and shot hole borer in coffee plantations in Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale and data on weather parameters were recorded during 1977 to 2007 (30 years). These long- term data on the pest damage and weather parameters were utilized to study the influence of weather variables on coffee berry and shot hole borer incidence with a view to develop weather based forewarning models for coffee berry borer and shot hole borer damage in Wayanad. The damage of coffee berry borer (CBB) was observed to be significant during January to March while the damage of shot hole borer (SHB) was spread during January to April and October to December. Highest percent damage of coffee berry borer and shot hole borer was observed during first fortnight of January. Maximum damage due to coffee berry borer was observed during 1982 and maximum damage due to shot hole borer was observed in 1994. Maximum temperature recorded during the first fortnight of January is predominant weather variable determining infestation of shot hole borer during first fortnight of January. Harvest and budding stages of the crop suffered heavy incidence of coffee berry borer and shot hole borer, respectively.

Climate-based statistical regression models for crop yield forecasting of coffee in humid tropical Kerala, India.

A study on the variability of coffee yield of both Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora as influenced by climate parameters (rainfall (RF), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), and mean relative humidity (RH)) was undertaken at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, Kerala State, India. The result on the coffee yield data of 30years (1980 to 2009) revealed that the yield of coffee is fluctuating with the variations in climatic parameters. Among the species, productivity was higher for C. canephora coffee than C. arabica in most of the years. Maximum yield of C. canephora (2040kgha-1) was recorded in 2003-2004 and there was declining trend of yield noticed in the recent years. Similarly, the maximum yield of C. arabica (1745kgha-1) was recorded in 1988-1989 and decreased yield was noticed in the subsequent years till 1997-1998 due to year to year variability in climate. The highest correlation coefficient was found between the yield of C. arabica coffee and maximum temperature during January (0.7) and between C. arabica coffee yield and RH during July (0.4). Yield of C. canephora coffee had highest correlation with maximum temperature, RH and rainfall during February. Statistical regression model between selected climatic parameters and yield of C. arabica and C. canephora coffee was developed to forecast the yield of coffee in Wayanad district in Kerala. The model was validated for years 2010, 2011, and 2012 with the coffee yield data obtained during the years and the prediction was found to be good.

Analysis of Variability of Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora var. Robusta) Germplasm in India

Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner var. robusta) germplasm comprising of 73 collections established in the gene bank of Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, India were evaluated with respect to 15 characters including seven growth parameters and eight yield contributing characters, for three successive seasons. The data were subjected to ANOVA to assess the significance of variations between accessions. All the seven growth parameters and eight yield contributing characters showed significant variations between the accessions. Among the growth characters, the highest coefficient of variation was observed for girth of primary branches followed by number of secondaries per primary while the lowest coefficient of variation was observed in the case of stem girth. With respect to yield contributing characters, the highest coefficient of variation was recorded for number of fruits per node followed by fruit volume. There was a wide variation for yield both within the accession and also among different accessions evaluated. Out turn (ripe to clean coffee) ranged from 18.84% to 26.06%. Study of overall performance of genetically diverse accessions of a crop plant is the first step in selection of superior genotypes for further exploitation in breeding programmes. Based on performance index derived from growth as well as yield contributing characters, all of which were quantitative in nature, the genotypes were ranked from 1 to 71 in the order of performance. The five superior accessions selected based on overall performance were S.3399, Wt.4, S.3657, Wt.2, and Wt.6 in the order. Interestingly, the best performer was the exotic introduction from Costa Rica followed by collections from Wariat Estate of Wayanad region of India and collections from Ivory Coast. Elite plants were marked from among these five accessions for cross compatibility studies in order to establish clonal as well as seedling orchards.

Effect of Different Watering Regimes on Agro-morphology of Selected Coffee Genotypes

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different watering regimes on selected coffee genotypes and to evaluate drought tolerance among selected coffee genotypes. The study also aimed at determining the optimum watering interval for these genotypes under high temperature conditions. Study Design: Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 replications. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Coffee Research Station in Ruiru, Kenya between October and December 2012. Methodology: A total of 11 coffee genotypes were used in this study. These comprised of Coffea canephora (Robusta), one wild accession and nine Coffea arabica genotypes. Six months old seedlings of the test genotypes pre-germinated and transplanted in black polythene bags were obtained from the Coffee Research Station experimental nursery. The seedlings were placed on raised benches in the green house and each potted seedling represented a plot. The seedlings were watered with 0.3 liters of water per pot at six watering regimes applied as follows: watering after every 2 days, 4 days, 7days, 14 Original Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 4(9): 1016-1026, 2014 1017 days, 21 days and no watering at all. Morphological data on leaf number, number of nodes and plant height were recorded at the start of the experiment and after every 7 days until termination of the experiment. Root to shoot biomass ratio was also computed as percentage at the end of experiment. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of significance. Least Significance Difference (LSD5%) was used to separate the means. Results: Significant difference on change in leaf number, number of nodes, plant height and percent root: shoot biomass was observed among the genotypes. Growth was found to decrease as water stress increased. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is a potential for selection for drought tolerance from a diverse population of coffee genotypes. The most promising genotypes were West Pokot accession and tall Arabica genotypes such as SL34.

English

Predacious phytoseiid mites, Euseius kenyae (Swirski and Ragusa) plays a major role in management of coffee thrips and other pests such as Phytophygous mites in coffee. Their conservation under various agro-ecosystems remains importance. An assessment on effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer sources on augmentation and conservation of E. kenyae was carried out at Coffee Research Station (CRS), Ruiru. Compound organic and inorganic fertilizers were applied on mature coffee trees as the treatments. There were no biocides sprayed to control the coffee pests. The population of E. kenyae was assessed monthly. Fertilizers significantly increased the number of E. kenyae. The mites’ population initially increased and thereafter leveled out. The population of E. kenyae was increased by 2.3, 1.8 and 1.3 folds under organic compost, N.P.K. 22:6:12 and N.P.K. 17:17:17 respectively when compared with control. Temperature and rainfall fluctuations affected the population of E. kenyae either positively or negatively. To enhance conservation of E. kenyae under coffee growing agro-ecosystems, farmers are encouraged to use organic manure. This will benefit the management of coffee thrips and other insect pests as well as the conservation of environment. Key words: Predacious phytoseiid mites, Euseius kenyae, organic compost, inorganic fertilizers, agro-ecosystems.

High genetic diversity of in situ and ex situ populations of Madagascan coffee species: further implications for the management of coffee genetic resources

The genetic diversity of endemic Madagascan Coffea species has not received any considerable attention, despite the high extinction threat facing most of the species on the island. In order to address this shortfall, we assessed and compared the genetic diversity and allelic richness of ex situ and in situ populations for four selected species, and 18 ex situ populations maintained at the Kianjavato Coffee Research Station. We also investigated the possibility of in situ and ex situ hybridization events for Madagascan coffee, both within and between species. For these purposes, we used 18 nuclear microsatellite markers, on a total of 37 Coffea populations (4 in situ and 33 ex situ) representing a total of 398 genotypes (96 in situ and 302 ex situ) for 23 species. Our study showed (1) strong differentiation between Madagascan Coffea species; (2) good differentiation between all the populations studied, including those from the same locality (even when the area of the locality was restricted); (3) good evidence for both in situ and ex situ hybridization, although in situ hybridization appeared to be limited; (4) much higher genetic diversity within in situ collections compared to ex situ collections; and (5) that, despite limitations, the Kianjavato Coffee Research Station collection is an extremely valuable resource of Madagascan coffee germplasm. Recommendations for in situ and ex situ germplasm conservation are discussed.

Interrelationship and Association of Characters in Robusta Coffee (Coffea Canephora Var. Robusta)

Commercial coffee is obtained from the processed beans of two species of the genus Coffea namely C. arabica and C. canephora, the former yielding arabica coffee and the latter yielding robusta coffee. Most of the agronomic characters of crop plants are controlled by polygenes and hence they show different levels of interrelationships. Analysis of correlation between such characters and further study of relative contribution of each character towards the genetic potential of the species provide valuable tools to identify the lead characters among them so that further improvement programmes could be based on such characters. The present study of the agronomically important polygenic characters of robusta coffee, utilizing the robusta coffee germplasm maintained in the Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, Kerala, India by the Central Coffee Research Institute of India has shown that girth of primary branches, weight of 100 dry fruits and percentage of A grade beans have got significant positive correlation with the maximum number of other characters. Factor analysis revealed that bush spread showed the maximum factor loading followed by length of primary branches and girth of primary branches. This shows the strength of the association of these characters with others and their importance in robusta breeding programmes.

An assessment of the genetic integrity of ex situ germplasm collections of three endangered species of Coffea from Madagascar: implications for the management of field germplasm collections

Madagascar has 59 species of Coffea, of which 42 are listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable by criteria of the Red List Category system of the World Conservation Union. In an attempt to assess the conservation value of ex situ collections of Malagasy coffee species, a study was undertaken using the field genebank collections maintained at the Kianjavato Coffee Research Station. Three species were selected for this purpose, C. kianjavatensis, C. montis-sacri, and C. vatovavyensis, and for comparative purposes extant, in situ populations of the same species were studied. Parentage analyses of ex situ propagated offspring of C. kianjavatensis and C. montis-sacri were performed to assess if crossing with other Coffea species maintained in the field genebank is compromising the genetic integrity of the collection. For these three species, higher genetic diversity was observed in the ex situ populations compared to the in situ populations, highlighting the importance of preserving the plants currently in ex situ collections. Parentage analyses of seed-propagated offspring of C. kianjavatensis and C. montis-sacri revealed that cross contamination with pollen from other Coffea species in the ex situ field genebank is occurring. These results have significant implications for the conservation management of wild Coffea species and for the management of ex situ genebanks.

STUDIES ON THE NEED OF PHYTOSANITORY MEASURES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COFFEE BERRY BORER IN PULNEY HILLS

The study conducted at the Regional Coffee Research Station, Thandigudi in four villages during the year 2004- 05 to identify the source of inoculum and pattern of emergence of the coffee berry borer adult from gleanings (fallen fruits) and left-over arabica coffee berries revealed that irrespective of the locations surveyed, the population of coffee berry borer in the left over berries appeared to be the main source of inoculum for carryover of the pest to the next season’s crop. The mean number of borer adults that emerged from gleanings was high (21.72) due to rain. Hence, it is important to remove the left-over berries and gleanings to keep the population level low in the next season’s crop.

A new species of Apenesia (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from India, a parasitoid of coffee white stem borer Xylotrechus quadripes (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

Apenesia sahyadrica sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on specimens from Arabic coffee infested with the white stem borer Xylotrechus quadripes Chevrolat. The new species is endemic to Western India and is under laboratory rearing in Coffee Research Station Chikmagalur for biocontrol of this pest. The new species is compared with other related species of Oriental Apenesia.

Breeding for resistance to coffee berry disease caused by Colletrotrichum coffeanumNoack (Sensu Hindorf) in Coffea arabica L. I. Methods of preselection for resistance

Two methods of preselection for resistance to coffee berry disease, by artificial inoculation of young coffee seedlings, have been developed recently at the Coffee Research Station in Kenya. The efficiency of these methods has been investigated in a series of experiments by comparing the results of the preselection tests with mature plant resistance, as indicated by visual field scores and artificial inoculation of berries and bud leaves of mature trees and including a large number of varieties and cultivars of Coffea arabica. The preselection test, by which the hypocotyl stems of 6-week old seedlings are inoculated with a spore suspension of the pathogen, proved to be more reliable than the second preselection test with shoot-tips of 10-month old plants. Correlation coefficients between the preselection test and mature plant resistance were resp. r=0.73–0.80 for the first test against r=0.60 for the latter.

Studies in the Physiology of the Onion Plant

Bulb development in the onion plant, which occurs in response to the stimulus of long days, has two main morphological features : swelling of the base of the pseudostem and the formation of scales from leaf initials produced at the stem apex. The swelling may be expressed as the 'bulbing ratio', i.e. the ratio of the maximum diameter at the base to the minimum at the neck, but this is a somewhat insensitive measure under adverse light conditions and no ratio can be specified at which bulbing is first apparent. In the absence of bulbing, leaf initials have at all stages of development a blade longer than the leaf sheath, giving a 'leaf ratio' of blade/sheath at all times greater than unity. In scale formation, when bulb development begins, the sheath of a small initial starts to grow sooner than in foliage leaf formation and blade growth is suppressed ; the leaf ratio therefore falls rapidly below unity and this is diagnostic of bulbing. Characteristic graphs of leaf ratio plotted against leaf number from the apex demonstrate the stage of bulbing reached and a fall in leaf ratio from near the apex in such a graph can indicate the beginning of bulbing before any actual scales (with ratios less than unity) have been formed. In normally grown plants, differentiation into foliage leaves or scales appears to take place when the initials reach about i mm in length. When the incidence of bulbing within a treatment is very variable, difficulties arise in averaging the leaf ratio curves for the different plants. Mean number of scales per plant, or mean minimum leaf ratio, may then be used as measures of bulbing. Heavy shading in winter was found to delay but not prevent the bulbing of those plants which survived. 'Buds', consisting of a portion of stem with the apex surrounded by leaf initials, but no scales, were dissected out from onion sets and cultured aseptically in tubes. Limited growth was obtained and rooting occurred in some cases. In the presence of sucrose, swelling of leaf sheaths and reduction of the leaf ratios took place; these responses increased with sucrose concentration. Glucose similarly stimulated bulbing but high osmotic pressure caused by mannitol or mineral nutrients had no effect. Rooting appeared to reduce the degree of bulbing, possibly by competing for carbohydrate supply. The bulb development in these sterile 1 Present Address: Coffee Research Station, Lyamungu, Moshi, Tanganyika. 2 The experiments described form part of the work presented for the degree of Ph.D. of the University of Reading. Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 16, No. 46, pp. 128-144, January 1965. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.149 on Wed, 28 Sep 2016 05:17:11 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Heath and Hollies—Studies in Physiology of Onion Plant. VI 129 cultures was most unusual in occurring in short photoperiods and the possibility of a residue of 'bulbing hormone' being stored in sets is discussed.

‘Lyamungu dieback’ of arabica coffee in Tanganyika

SUMMARYThe symptoms of Lyamungu dieback on foliage, branches and roots are described and compared with those of other diebacks of coffee; retention of the dead leaves is a distinguishing symptom. The severity of the disorder is related to the stage of maturity and size of the crop.The degree of brown flecking of the xylem of the roots reflects the severity of the attack but is not determined by infection by Fusarium oxysporurn. The number and weight of secondary roots is reduced in the first year that the coffee is affected and further reduced if the trees survive into the succeeding year.Lyamungu dieback has caused serious losses at the Coffee Research Station, Lyamungu, since 1956, and is randomly distributed on estates in northern Tanganyika.The disorder is associated with heavy cropping and influenced by environment and cultural management. In experimental plots its effects were diminished by artificial shading (which reduced the crop) and by heavy nitrogenous manuring.

Nitrogen studies in a coffee soil III. The comparative efficiency of ammonium sulphate and urea fertilizers in the presence and absence of an organic mulch measured in terms of crop yield

The work reported in two previous papers, Robinson (1960a, b) led to certain conclusions which required evaluation in terms of coffee yields (Coffee arabica Linn). The work describes changes in nitrate and ammonia-N in the Kikuyu red loam coffee topsoil, both natural and fertilizer derived, in the presence and absence of mulches.This paper presents early coffee yield results which have been obtained from field trials laid down on the Coffee Research Station, Ruiru, Kenya, to measure the effect of treatments based on the conclusions drawn from the soil studies.

Irrigation Experiments at the Coffee Research Station, Ruiru, Kenya

"Irrigation Experiments at the Coffee Research Station, Ruiru, Kenya." The East African Agricultural Journal, 22(4), pp. 186–187

The History of a Herd at the Coffee Research Station, Lyamungu, Moshi, 1935–1944

The History of a Herd at the Coffee Research Station, Lyamungu, Moshi, 1935–1944