Ecophysiological Diversity of Wild Arabica Coffee Populations in Ethiopia

Download or read book Ecophysiological Diversity of Wild Arabica Coffee Populations in Ethiopia written by Taye Kufa Obso and published by Cuvillier Verlag. This book was released on 2006 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coffea arabica, one of the economically most important crops worldwide, occurs naturally in the undergrowth of montane rainforests of Ethiopia. The study provides the first detailed ecophysiological investigations of wild coffee populations. It demonstrates the inter- and intra-regional variability in phenotypic and hydrological characteristics of wild coffee. The results reveal very different strategies of wild coffee seedlings for coping with drought stress. The ecophysiological diversity shows the importance of Ethiopian wild coffee populations as gene pools for future breeding programs, and underlines the need for an in-situ conservation strategy. The study includes recommendations for coffee forest management and the use of wild arabica coffee in Ethiopia.