New Therapy for Coffee Leaf Rust in Ethiopia Coffee prices in Ethiopia

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It is well known that coffee leaf rust is caused by fungus Hemileia Vastatrix. The common symptom of this disease is yellow spots on the surface of the leaves, then expand into bright orange to red spots, and finally turn brown; there are orange powdery lesions on the lower surface of the leaves, which is a pile of rust spores. The infected leaves drooped and gradually fell off. On the other hand, the productivity and quality of infected coffee plants will also decline.

Planting coffee trees in shady places can provide a favorable environment for hosts that can effectively control fungal leaf rust (L. lecanii), said Beyene Zewdie, an expert at Stockholm University. "Shading also creates a favorable environment for parasites carrying this fungus (L. lecanii), and we need to maximize this potential."

But a study in Ethiopia suggests that a creature growing on leaves infected with leaf rust may be the key to farmers fighting the disease. Beyene Zewdie, a researcher on the study, said: "Leaf rust is a global challenge to coffee production. Coffee production has been reduced by 30% because of the disease. "

In a study published in Agriculture, Ecosystems andEnvironment on May 1st, researchers observed two strains of bacteria in southwestern Ethiopia between 2017 and 2019: the rust that causes leaf rust and the strain that attacks rust, called Lecanicillium Lecanii.

The researchers found that coffee leaf rust was more serious during the dry season, while insect pests were more severe during the rainy season in two of those three years. With the increase of the intensity of management of coffee plants, the incidence of leaf rust also increased, while the intensity of management decreased, parasites were more common. And there are slight differences in environmental preferences between coffee leaf rust and insect pests: leaf rust prefers dry environments, while parasites prefer humid and cool environments.

This study revealed the relationship between leaf rust fungi and parasites and had a positive impact on the treatment of coffee leaf rust and pests.

The survey in Ethiopia found that local farmers did not pay attention to coffee leaf rust because although the leaves of infected plants would fall off, the leaves would grow back in the next rainy season. The researchers warned that the loss of leaves had a negative impact on plant growth and said shading could help reduce the damage. Coffee crops need to grow in a microclimate in the shade. Shading provides a favorable growth environment for parasites with leaf rust resistant fungi (L. lecanii). We need to make the best use of this to make the two organisms symbiosis to curb coffee leaf rust.

Bernard Mukiri Gichimu, a senior lecturer in the department of agricultural resource management at Embu University in Kenya, said the findings were important for farmers. With the global climate change, coffee leaf rust will become more destructive, and parasites with leaf rust resistant fungi (L. lecanii) make a special contribution to the discovery of coffee leaf rust control. After all, biological control is better than the use of fungicides, which are unsafe and pollute the environment for consumers.

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