Abstract:
Low yield is the major problem threatening the Ethiopian coffee industry. Such low yield is largely attributed to the lack of high
yielding, disease resistant and good quality cultivars for different coffee
growing ecologies of the country. Proper management practices are also
important to use the genetic potential of cultivars efficiently and by that
increase yield per unit area. Since its inception, in 1967, the Jima
Agricultural Research Center (JARC) has attempted to develop coffee
cultivars that combine high yield, disease resistance and quality
characters. The first impact, in this regard, was noticed nationwide when
the center released 18 cultivars that are highly resistant to coffee berry
disease (CBD), the main production constraint in coffee that causes
national average yield loss of up to 40% in some years (Van der Graaff
1981).
These released cultivars were primarily selected for their resistance to
CBD, and are more adapted to high altitudes, where rainfall and relative
humidity are high, temperature is low and soils are rich. Improved
cultivars are lacking for mid-and low-altitude coffee growing areas of the
country. The JARC has now come up with new cultivars that are hiphly
suited to the mid-and low-altitudes. These cultivars were evaluated in the
field at Jima, Goma, Metu, Tepi and Bebeka by a Technical Committee
on Coffee Research (TCCR) in September 1996. Based on the evaluation
and several years data the committee approved five cultivars for release.
The approved cultivars were presented to the National Variety Release
Committee with their detailed description. The committee confirmed the
release of the five new cultivars. This research report is prepared to
enhance the efficient use of research recommendations for coflee
production in Ethiopia.
