Coffee Bean Species Arabica and Robusta Coffee Bean Relationship Wild Coffee Tree Distribution and Characteristics

Many people compare Arabica with Robusta coffee beans and think they are juxtaposed. In fact, Robusta has a higher seniority than Arabica, which is pollinated by a cross between Robusta and Coffea canephora. Let the editor popularize the following little knowledge for everyone today!

Of all the cataloged species of coffee, only three are of commercial importance: small-grain coffee, Coffea canephora and the much less Coffea liberica, the first being the most cultivated crop. C. arabica is a tetraploid species (2n = 4x = 44) derived from a natural cross between C. canephora and C. eugenioides or the ecotypes associated with these two diploid species (2n = 2x = 22). Compared with other known species, it is the highest cup quality species, but this plant is not as strong and resistant as C. canephora species. It has been reported that triploid hybrids originated from the hybridization between C. arabica and diploid species. They tend to be robust plants, but they are almost completely sterile. C. arabica is self-compatible (self-breeding), but C. canephora maintains heterozygosity because of its cross-pollination (self-incompatibility). Liberian coffee Hiern is a diploid species cultivated on a small scale, mainly because it is sensitive to diseases, especially Fusarium oxysporum. Compared with C. canephora species, its seeds tend to have better cup quality, but still worse than C. arabica. Although there is a close phylogenetic relationship between C. liberica and C. canephora, there are great differences in morphological characteristics between these species. Therefore, C. liberica may be interested in interspecific breeding programs.

Due to the richness of coffee types and varieties, as well as the popularity of coffee drinks, some confusion was observed in naming when referring to the main types of coffee, and the author found it useful to clarify some misunderstandings. For example, "Coffea canephora" is described as "Coffearobusta", while "robusta" is actually mainly reported as a variety or subvariety of the Coffea canephora species. Similarly, the term "Robusta" is widely used for commercial and other purposes as a synonym for "Kouilouensis" (also known as "Kouillon" or "Conilon"), which is a different variety of coffee widely cultivated in Brazil and has different chemical and sensory properties. Another misunderstanding sometimes occurs in the term "Coffea dewevrei", which is used in some cases to refer to a single species, while in others it is used as a synonym for Coffea liberica. In fact, & # 39 * 39 * 39; and * # 39 * In addition, coffee varieties (wild genotypes) are confused with the names of cultivated varieties (plants chosen by humans for cultivation). With the progress of science and research to reveal the genetic, chemical and sensory differences between coffee species and varieties / cultivated species, the knowledge of coffee genetics and nomenclature is becoming more and more important for the interpretation and dissemination of correct information in scientific reports.