Andean, first coffee cultivar for altitude/cold

The Federal University of Espírito Santo – UFES in partnership with the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano – Morrinhos Campus, obtained the first registration of a cultivar of Coffea canephora adapted to high altitudes, lower temperatures. The registration was carried out with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply - MAPA, being called ANDINE, being yet another contribution to coffee growing, this time, for higher altitudes/lower temperatures. It is a cultivar of Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Conilon or Robusta), composed of 05 genotypes/clones, with superior productivity in altitude conditions.

Agronomists Fábio Luiz Partelli (Prof. from UFES) and Adelmo Golynski (Prof. IF Goiano) participated in the registration as breeders and work coordinators. The work also had the participation of other professionals/breeders, including Adésio Ferreira, Madlles Queiros Martins (UFES), Aldo Luiz Mauri (consultant), José Cochicho Ramalho (ULisboa) and Henrique Duarte Vieira (UENF). The registration was carried out by the Institute of Technological Innovation (INIT) of UFES.

Initially, the materials were selected and propagated vegetatively by cuttings, and planted in the same crop, in a “competition trial”. The planting consisted of 28 genotypes (25 propagated by cuttings and three by seeds), in the municipality of Morrinhos, Goiás, at approximately 850 meters of altitude. The experimental area is located at Latitude: 17° 49'30'' S Longitude: 49° 12'01'' W. The region is characterized by presenting a water deficit from the month of April until the month of October, it has a flat topography and wavy relief, the average annual temperature of 20°C, with the minimum air temperature varying from 10°C to 20°C.

The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, with four replications, with each replication consisting of five plants. Pruning was carried out to control the number of orthotropic branches, maintaining the standard of 12.000 to 15.000 stems per hectare. In all experimental years, manual weeding (threshing at the fertilization site), mechanized weeding and chemical weeding were carried out. No micronutrients, insecticides and fungicides were applied during the years of study. The experimental area was irrigated during the 2013 and 2014 harvest years, but in the 2015 and 2016 harvests the experimental crop was not irrigated. The spacing used for planting was 3,5m x 1m, so that each plant occupied 3,5 m2. Productivity data corresponding to four harvests were used (Table 1).

Among all the materials evaluated in the trial, considering characteristics such as productivity, vigor and resistance to pests and diseases, five genotypes considered superior (A1, NV2, NV8, P1 and Verdim TA) were selected to constitute the new clonal cultivar, called Andina. The average of the 4 harvests of the 5 genotypes was 51,3 bags per hectare per year. In the first harvest the plants were still young, so when considering the average of the 3 harvests of the 5 genotypes, productivity reaches 59,29 bags per hectare per year. The average productivity of the cultivar can be considered low, however, the absence of irrigation for two years and the non-use of phytosanitary control must be considered. Furthermore, the average cultivar reached twice that of Cultivar Vitória, under the same cultivation conditions (Table 1).

During the years of evaluation, the good adaptation of the selected genotypes to the cultivation conditions was verified, given their good performance in growth and production under conditions of 850 meters of altitude. There were no severe attacks from the main pests and diseases, with the plants remaining vigorous and with good foliage throughout the cycle.

Thus, the new cultivar presents desirable characteristics, above all, high productivity, even when compared to registered genotypes that are widely accepted among coffee growers (Table 1), and can be planted in climatic conditions similar to those in which it was cultivated (approximately 850 meters of altitude). Therefore, cultivating ANDINE is recommended for States with a Latitude below 22° South and an altitude below 900 meters and which do not have a minimum air temperature below 8ºC for more than 10 days a year. It is noteworthy that this was the first fieldwork with the objective of selecting genotypes of C. canephora adapted to high altitude conditions.

 

Table 1. Average productivity, considering three and four harvests.

Genotypes	Prod. year 1	Prod. year 2	Prod. year 3	Prod. year 4	Prod. Average 4 harvests	Prod. Average 3 harvests	Maturation Time
bag/ha	bag/ha	bags/ha	bags/ha	bags/ha	bags/ha	-
Verdim TA	13,77	43,59	99,14	72,13	57,16	71,62	Media
NV 2	45,05	49,29	100,9	38,97	58,56	63,06	Precocious
A1	44,77	83,32	61,21	34,57	55,97	59,70	Media
NV 8	22,78	66,01	77.81	26,09	48,17	56,63	Media
P1	10,47	78,15	40,29	17,85	36,69	45,43	Late
Andean Cultivar Average	51,31	59,29
Cultivar Vitória Average*	19,59	22,22

Genotypes

Prod. year 1 

Prod. year 2

Prod. year 3

Prod. year 4

Prod. Average

4 harvests

Prod. Average

3 harvests

Maturation Time

bag/ha

bag/ha

bags/ha

bags/ha

bags/ha

bags/ha

-

Verdim TA

13,77

43,59

99,14

72,13

57,16

71,62

Media

NV 2

45,05

49,29

100,9

38,97

58,56

63,06

Precocious

A1

44,77

83,32

61,21

34,57

55,97

59,70

Media

NV 8

22,78

66,01

77.81

26,09

48,17

56,63

Media

P1

10,47

78,15

40,29

17,85

36,69

45,43

Late

Andean Cultivar Average

51,31

59,29

 

Cultivar Vitória Average*

19,59

22,22

 

* All genotypes of the “Vitória Incaper 8142” variety were evaluated in the competition test for “comparison purposes”.

The number of selected genotypes ensures a good level of cross-fertilization. Despite the registration of a cultivar with 5 genotypes, the work team encourages the farmer to have the freedom to plant the clones in any way he deems convenient, as long as it is with technical guidance, as the species C. canephora It is allogamous, having gametophytic self-incompatibility.

It is not mandatory to plant the 5 clones (closed variety) in the same row or mixed crops. The farmer, for example, can choose one of the clones as the main one and use other clones, from the ANDINA cultivar and/or other clones, as crosses, interspersing their lines to guarantee full fertilization of the crop. The advancement of the breeding/selection program for genotypes adapted to high altitudes/lower temperatures will occur with the introduction of new clones or plants originating from seeds and the study of their potential to develop and produce in these conditions.

“We want to thank the first breeders, the farmers who make the initial selection of the vast majority of available and superior genotypes. Therefore, we kept the name of the clones as they are known among farmers. It was up to us (Ufes and IF Goiano) to carry out the evaluations in the field, comparing different genotypes at altitude. We did not develop the genotypes studied, but we made a scientific contribution in the characterization and definition of which are the best clones, among those studied, when cultivated at 850 meters of altitude, resulting in the registration of the first cultivar for high altitude regions in Brazil”.

Origins of clones:

In the vast majority of cases, promising and registered clones are “discovered” by farmers. Therefore, we describe information about the genotypes that make up the new cultivar:

A1: Genotype initially propagated/disseminated by Ivan Milanez and Hélio Dadalto. Also known as H and H1.

NV2 and NV8: Genotypes discovered and disseminated by Edson Vettoraci, also known as Neno Vettoraci, justifying the nomenclature of “NV” genotypes. Higher plants found in a seed crop on the Edson property, in the municipality of Marilândia - ES.

P1: Genotype developed/selected by producer Paulo Benacchi, in the municipality of Marilândia – ES.

Verdim TA: Genotype originally found in São Gabriel da Palha - ES, on the property of Senhor Mário Andréa. It was discovered and disseminated by the brothers João Darly Andréa and Mário Tadeu Andréa, who is also known as Tadeu André, justifying the name of the Verdim TA clone (due to the characteristics of the plant and the initials of the name by which Tadeu is known).

Other research in the area of ​​improvement:

Other research work in this area of ​​knowledge is being conducted at UFES, by the Coffee Research Laboratory:

1. Competition trial with 42 promising genotypes in Nova Venécia/ES and Itabela/BA;

2. Initial evaluation of 20 genotypes tolerant to water deficit in Vila Valério/ES;

3. Continuity of evaluations of Conilon genotypes at altitude in Morrinhos/GO;

4. Effective performance in international partnerships in the areas of physiology, biochemistry and molecular in Coffea sp under conditions of high CO concentration₂, high temperature and water deficit; It is

5. Introduction, technical guidance and research into Coffea in Mozambique, in trilateral cooperation between Brazil (UFES and Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Portugal (ULisboa and Camões) and Mozambique (Gorongosa National Park and Ministry of Land).

These actions allow applied and scientific research to be carried out. Furthermore, they significantly help in the training of human resources, through visits to experimental areas, field days, scientific initiation, master's, doctorate and post-doctorate degrees.

The actions/projects mentioned are linked to the Postgraduate Programs in Tropical Agriculture (PPGAT) and Genetics and Improvement (PPGGM), both at UFES. Several farmers and institutional partners participate, such as: University of Lisbon, Instituto Federal Goiâno, Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense and others. We also record the support of the Espírito Santo Research Support Foundation (FAPES), Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT).