Genetic-environment interactions and climatic variables effect on bean physical characteristics and chemical composition of Coffea arabica

BACKGROUND: The effects of the environment and genotype in the coffee bean chemical composition were studied using nine trials covering an altitudinal gradient [600–1100 m above sea level (a.s.l.)] with three genotypes of Coffea arabica in the northwest mountainous region of Vietnam. The impacts of the climatic conditions on bean physical characteristics and chemical composition were assessed. RESULTS: We showed that the environment had a significant effect on the bean density and on all bean chemical compounds. The environment effect was stronger than the genotype and genotype-environment interaction effects for cafestol, kahweol, arachidic (C20:0), behenic acid (C22:0), 2,3-butanediol, 2-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, benzaldehyde, benzene ethanol, butyrolactone, decane, dodecane, ethanol, pentanoic acid, and phenylacetaldehyde bean content. A 2 °C increase in temperature had more influence on bean chemical compounds than a 100 mm increase in soil water content. Temperature was positively correlated with lipids and volatile compounds. With an innovative method using iterative moving averages, we showed that correlation of temperature, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and rainfall with lipids and volatiles was higher between the 10th and 20th weeks after flowering highlighting this period as crucial for the synthesis of these chemicals. Genotype specific responses were evidenced and could be considered in future breeding programmes to maintain coffee beverage quality in the midst of climate change. CONCLUSION: This first study of the effect of the genotype–environment interactions on chemical compounds enhances our understanding of the sensitivity of coffee quality to genotype environment interactions during bean development. This work addresses the growing concern of the effect of climate change on speciality crops and more specifically coffee. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry

Effect of Three Post-Harvest Methods at Different Altitudes on the Organoleptic Quality of C. canephora Coffee

C. canephora (syn. C. robusta) is distinctive due to its rising industrial value and pathogen resistance. Both altitude and post-harvest methods influence coffee cup quality; however, modest information is known about this coffee species. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between four different altitudes and post-harvest processes (dry, honey, and wet) to the improvement of the organoleptic quality of the C. canephora congolensis and conilon drink. For dry processing, congolensis and conilon showed the lowest scores in terms of fragrance/aroma, flavour, aftertaste, salt–acid, bitter–sweet, and body. Above 625 m, coffees from dry, honey, and wet processes increased scores in their sensory attributes, but there was no difference at such high altitudes when comparing post-harvest samples. Dry-processed coffee samples had total scores over 80 points at high altitudes. Conilon was perceived to have the best sensory attributes at high altitudes using honey processing. In general, the wet-processed congolensis and conilon samples had a tastier profile than dry-processed ones

Contrasted agronomical and physiological responses of five Coffea arabica genotypes under soil water deficit in field conditions

Introduction: Breeding programs have developed high-yielding Coffea arabica F1-hybrids as an adaptation against adverse conditions associated with climate change. However, theresponse to drought of coffee F1 hybrids has seldom been assessed. Methods: A trial was established with five C. arabica genotypes (2 pure lines: Catimor and Marsellesa and 3 F1 hybrids: Starmaya, Centroamericano and Mundo Maya) planted under the leguminous tree species Leuceana leucocephala. Coffee growth, yield and physiological responses were assessed under a rain-fed (control: CON) and a rainfall reduction treatment (RR) for 2 years. Results: The RR treatment created a long-term rainfall deficit in a region with suboptimal temperature similar to those predicted by climate change scenarios. Moreover, the RR treatment reduced soil water content by 14% over 2 successive years of production and increased hydric stress of the three F1-hybrids (leaf water potentials averaged -0.8 MPa under RR compared with -0.4 MPa under CON). Under RR, coffee yields were reduced from 16 to 75% compared to CON. Mundo Maya F1 hybrid was the sole high-yielding genotype apable of sustaining its yield under RR conditions. Our results suggested that its significant increase in fine root density (CON = 300 and RR = 910 root.m-2) and its maintenance of photosynthetic rate (2.5 – 3.5 mmol CO2 m-2 s-1) at high evaporative demand might explain why this genotype maintained high yield under RR condition. Discussion: This work highlights a possible drought tolerance mechanism in fruit bearing adult coffee trees where the plant fine root number increases to intake more water in order to preserve turgor and sustainphotosynthesis at high ETo and therefore conserves high yield in dry conditions

Effects of Altitude and Processing Methods on the Organoleptic Quality of Robusta Coffee

Teniendo en cuenta la importancia del perfil aromático y el sabor único del café Arábica, la mayor parte de la literatura se centra en esta especie debido a su alta participación en el mercado; sin embargo, hoy en día, el café Robusta se destaca por su creciente valor industrial y resistencia a la sequía. El presente trabajo enfatiza la importancia del café como producto agrícola, y por tanto se presenta una evaluación de la influencia de factores pre y poscosecha en la calidad organoléptica de la taza de café. Para esto, en el primer capítulo se presenta una revisión bibliográfica que abarca información relevante a los factores de pre y poscosecha que influyen en el procesamiento y calidad de las dos especies más importantes de café: Coffea arabica y Coffea canephora. En el segundo capítulo, se exponen los resultados de una evaluación de la calidad organoléptica de tazas de café C. canephora de los grupos congolensis y conilon, granos que fueron cultivados a diferentes altitudes de Ecuador y sometidos a diferentes métodos poscosecha. El tercer capítulo trata sobre la influencia de diferentes métodos de procesamiento poscosecha en la calidad física y sensorial (notas de degustación) de los granos de café Robusta congolensis y conilon.Taking into account the importance of the aromatic profile and unique flavor of Arabica coffee, most of the literature focuses on this species due to its high market share; however, today, Robusta coffee stands out for its increasing industrial value and drought resistance. The present work emphasizes the importance of coffee as an agricultural product, and therefore an evaluation of the influence of pre- and post-harvest factors on the organoleptic quality of the cup of coffee is presented. For this, the first chapter presents a bibliographic review that covers information relevant to the pre- and post-harvest factors that influence the processing and quality of the two most important coffee species: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. In the second chapter, the results of an evaluation of the organoleptic quality of cups of C. canephora coffee from the congolensis and conilon groups are presented, beans that were grown at different altitudes in Ecuador and subjected to different post-harvest methods. The third chapter deals with the influence of different post-harvest processing methods on the physical and sensory quality (tasting notes) of Robusta congolensis and conilon coffee beans

ANTIADHESIVE AND ANTIBIOFILM POTENTIAL OF SUBCRITICAL WATER EXTRACTS DERIVED FROM MASHROOM INONOTUS OBLIQUUS

Mushroom Inonotus obliquus has been traditionally used in China, Korea, Russia and in most Baltic countries as health promoting remedy. The study was designed to investigate antimicrobial activity of subcritical water extracts derived from mushroom I. obliquus originating from Mongolia (IM) and from mountain Vlasina, Serbia (IS), including their antiadhesive and antibiofilm capability. Antimicrobial potential of subcritical water extracts was tested by microdilution method. The antiadhesive and antibiofilm abilities were monitored using Gram positive bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Gram negative Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The most significant biofilm production was observed in E. faecalis (the third category) and S. aureus (the second category). It was noticed that IS and IM were able to provide up to 90% of E. faecalis and S. aureus adhesion and biofilm reduction, i.e. to decrease the ability of these two bacteria to adhere and form a biofilm (the first or almost zero category, after contact with extracts). In general, Gram positive bacteria appeared as more susceptible to the presence of both tested subcritical water extracts (MBC - 20 mg/mL in all experiments). According to the obtained MIC values, IM (5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL) exhibited a stronger effect than IS (10 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL) on L. monocytogenes, E. faecalis and S. aureus, respectively. This study revealed that tested subcritical I. obliquus water extracts are very effective in preventing the formation of biofilms, especially those of selected Gram-positive bacteria. This discovery could be very useful in combating biofilms, taking into account all the problems and dangers that they brin

TOTAL QUALITY INDEX APPROACH IN THE CULTIVATION OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS) GROWN IN CELLULOSE PLANT WASTE

Pleurotus ostreatus is the second most commonly cultivated and consumed mushroom in the world due to its specific mild taste of oyster in culinary processing. Its fruiting bodies can develop on different and specific cellulose plant wastes used as substrate without specific enrichment material. Advantages of using this type of waste are low costs of their production, usually without high technological investments. On the other side, productivity and quality of fruiting bodies, is affected by the chemical composition of the used substrate. In order to evaluate different quality parameters of fungii one of proposed methods is using total quality index (TQI). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of used plant waste on selected quality parameters of Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies from the day of harvesting during the storage period of 7 and 14 days in refrigerating conditions (~4 °C). Based on textural, color, antioxidative and biochemical quality parameters of Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies, a mathematical model for calculating a single TQI has been proposed in order to identify optimal substrate concentration in growing selected variety of fungii