New Arabica coffee cultivars are recommended for planting in the state of Espírito Santo

Seven new Arabica coffee cultivars are being recommended for the state of Espírito Santo. The nomination is the result of research work carried out by Embrapa Café and the Capixaba Institute for Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Incaper). They are: IPR 103, Catucaí Amarelo 24/137, Catucaí Amarelo 2SL, Acauã/Acauã Novo; Araponga MG1; Catiguá MG1 and MG2; and Pau Brasil. The indications also include nine cultivars already in use and that maintain high productivity, in addition to five that are considered promising and that need to be evaluated for a longer period to be indicated or not. 

The study “Indication of Arabica coffee cultivars for the state of Espírito Santo and comparative evaluation with conilon at high altitude” was published in Technical Circular 6 of Embrapa Café (click here). The work was carried out within the scope of Incaper's Arabica coffee genetic improvement program, in partnership with Embrapa Café, which primarily aims to provide information to coffee growers in Espírito Santo about cultivars that bring together the best agronomic characteristics, as well as adaptability and production stability, considering different environmental conditions and production systems adopted for the cultivation of the species.

The cultivars IPR 103, Catucaí Amarelo 24/137, Catucaí Amarelo 2SL are widely adapted, suitable for locations above 500m in altitude. For places with mild temperatures and rainy/hot climates, generally below 800m altitude, Acauã/Acauã Novo and Araponga MG1 are recommended. The Catiguá MG1 and MG2 cultivars also adapt to places with mild temperatures and below 800m altitude, but with a rainy/dry climate. And the Pau Brasil cultivar is recommended for places with higher temperatures and rainy/dry climates.

In the aforementioned Technical Circular, entitled “Indication of Arabica coffee cultivars for the state of Espírito Santo and comparative evaluation with conilon at high altitude”, it is possible to check the evaluation of Arabica coffee cultivars in low altitude and high temperature regions, such as the Northeast of Espírito Santo Santo, which showed that the average productivity of the cultivars studied was very low, especially when compared with the potential of the species in places at higher altitudes and with milder temperatures and in relation to conilon under the same cultivation conditions.

Therefore, the commercial cultivation of Arabica coffee under these conditions is not recommended, as there is no technical feasibility for the sustainable exploitation of the activity. Furthermore, comparative studies of Arabica coffee with conilon coffee, in transition areas with both species or with milder temperatures, have shown the existence of genetic variability in conilon coffee for adaptation to places with lower temperatures than traditionally recommended.

“These results support the indication and choice of cultivars for renewing Arabica coffee crops or for new plantings, given that the choice of cultivar for planting must be based on the results of research regarding agronomic performance in different environmental conditions, and on knowledge of the area and the cultivation system that will be adopted”, explained Maria Amélia Ferrão, a researcher at Embrapa Café.

Working at Incaper, an institution that is part of the Consórcio Pesquisa Café, coordinated by Embrapa Café, Maria Amélia says that, in many regions of Espírito Santo, there has been an increase in water deficit and changes in temperature, with negative impacts on productivity and coffee quality, in addition to the occurrence of pests and diseases. “Therefore, studies related to the selection and development of cultivars with adaptation and resistance to biotic and abiotic factors are a priority for coffee growing in Espírito Santo and Brazil”, she assessed.

Arabica coffee in Espírito Santo 

The state is a traditional coffee producer and is in second place in the national ranking of coffee production, being the third largest producer of Arabica coffee in the country. This species of coffee has great economic and social importance in the state, and its production is concentrated in the mountains of the Northeast, Serrana and South/Caparaó regions. In 2020, the production estimate was 4,76 million bags of Arabica coffee, with a record productivity of 30,49 bags per hectare.

Visit website da Embrapa Coffee to read the full Technical Circular “Indication of Arabica coffee cultivars for the state of Espírito Santo and comparative evaluation with conilon at high altitude”, via the link:

https://www.infoteca.cnptia.embrapa.br/infoteca/bitstream/doc/1132302/1/Circular-Tecnica-6-Embrapa-Cafe-VF.pdf