Coffea canephora

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Robusta coffee
Ripe Seeds Coffee Robusta Coorg Karnataka India Feb24 D72 25688.jpg
Berries of Coffea canephora
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Coffea
Species:
C. canephora
Binomial name
Coffea canephora
Pierre ex A.Froehner
Synonyms

Coffea robustaL.Linden

Ripe berries Coffea canephora 2 at Aanakkulam.jpg
Ripe berries
Flowers Coffea canephora 1 at Aanakkulam.jpg
Flowers

Coffea canephora (especially C. canephora var. robusta, so predominantly cultivated that it is often simply termed Coffea robusta, or commonly robusta coffee) is a species of coffee plant that has its origins in central and western sub-Saharan Africa. It is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. Though widely known as Coffea robusta, the plant is scientifically identified as Coffea canephora, which has two main varieties, robusta and nganda. [2]

Contents

Coffea robusta represents between 40% and 45% of global coffee production, with Coffea arabica constituting most of the remainder. [3] [4] There are several differences between the composition of coffee beans from C. arabica and C. robusta. [5] [6] Beans from C. robusta tend to have lower acidity, more bitterness, and a more woody and less fruity flavor compared to C. arabica beans.

Description

Robusta coffee flowers Coffee flowers.jpg
Robusta coffee flowers

Robusta is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. Though widely known by the synonym Coffea robusta, the plant is currently scientifically identified as Coffea canephora, which has two main varieties, C. c. robusta and C. c. nganda. [2] The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres (30 feet) tall. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10—11 months for the berries to ripen, producing oval-shaped beans.

The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of arabica, contains more caffeine (2.7% compared to arabica's 1.5%), [7] and contains less sugar (3—7% compared to arabica's 6—9%). [8] As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, [9] robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica.

Native distribution

C. canephora grows indigenously in Western and Central Africa from Liberia to Tanzania and south to Angola. It was not recognized as a species of Coffea until 1897, [10] over a hundred years after Coffea arabica . [11] [7] It is also reportedly naturalized in Borneo, French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles. [12] In 1927 a hybrid between robusta and arabica was found in Timor. This strain was subsequently used to breed coffee rust-resistant plants. [13]

Cultivation and use

Unroasted (or 'green') robusta beans Canephora.jpg
Unroasted (or 'green') robusta beans
Traditional drying of coffee beans in Kalibaru, Indonesia Coffee drying traditional Indonesia.jpg
Traditional drying of coffee beans in Kalibaru, Indonesia

Coffee made from beans of the Coffea canephora plant has low acidity and high bitterness, often with a distinct woody and nutty taste. C. canephora beans, widely known by the synonym Coffea robusta, are used primarily in instant coffee, espresso, and as a filler in ground coffee blends.

Robusta has its origins in central and western sub-Saharan Africa. [2] It is easy to care for, has a greater crop yield, has almost double the amount of caffeine and more antioxidants, [14] and is less susceptible to disease than arabica coffea. [13] It represents 43% of global coffee production, with arabica constituting the remainder except for the 1.5% constituted by coffea liberica. [15]

It is mostly grown in Vietnam, where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century, though it is also grown in India, Africa, and in Brazil, where the conilon variety is widely grown. [16] In recent years,[ when? ] Vietnam, which produces mostly robusta, has become the world's largest exporter of robusta coffee, accounting for over 40% of the total production. [15] It surpasses Brazil (25% of the world's production), Indonesia (13%), India (5%), and Uganda (5%). [15] Brazil is still the biggest coffee producer in the world, producing one-third of the world's coffee, though 69% of that is C. arabica. [15]

Since Robusta is easier to care for and has a greater crop yield than C. arabica, it is cheaper to produce. [17] Roasted robusta beans produce a strong, full-bodied coffee with a distinctive earthy flavour, but usually with more bitterness than arabica due to its pyrazine content. [18] [19] Since arabica beans are believed to have smoother taste with more acidity and a richer flavour, they are often considered superior, while the harsher robusta beans are mostly used as a filler in lower-grade coffee blends. [17] However, the powerful flavour can be desirable in a blend to give it perceived "strength" and "finish", notably in Italian coffee culture. Good-quality robusta beans are used in traditional Italian espresso blends, at about 10–15%, to provide a full-bodied taste and a better foam head (known as crema ). It is also used as a stimulant, diuretic, antioxidant, antipyretic and relieves spasmodic asthma.[ citation needed ] [20] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Coffea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. Coffea species are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. The seeds of some species, called coffee beans, are used to flavor various beverages and products. The fruits, like the seeds, contain a large amount of caffeine, and have a distinct sweet taste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee</span> Brewed beverage made from coffee beans

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks.

<i>Coffea arabica</i> Species of coffee plant

Coffea arabica, also known as the Arabica coffee, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is believed to be the first species of coffee to have been cultivated and is currently the dominant cultivar, representing about 60% of global production. Coffee produced from the less acidic, more bitter, and more highly caffeinated robusta bean makes up most of the remaining coffee production. The natural populations of Coffea arabica are restricted to the forests of South Ethiopia and Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee bean</span> Seed of the coffee plant

A coffee bean is a seed from the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pip inside the red or purple fruit. This fruit is often referred to as a coffee cherry, and like the cherry, it is a fruit with a pip. Even though the coffee beans are not technically beans, they are referred to as such because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits most commonly contain two stones with their flat sides together. A small percentage of cherries contain a single seed, instead of the usual two, called a "peaberry". The peaberry occurs only between 10% and 15% of the time, and it is a fairly common belief that they have more flavour than normal coffee beans. Like Brazil nuts and white rice, coffee beans consist mostly of endosperm.

<i>Coffea liberica</i> Species of coffee plant

Coffea liberica, commonly known as the Liberian coffee, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae from which coffee is produced. It is native to western and central Africa, and has become naturalised in areas including Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, Borneo and Java.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in Indonesia</span>

Indonesia was the fourth-largest producer of coffee in the world in 2014. Coffee cultivation in Indonesia began in the late 1600s and early 1700s, in the early Dutch colonial period, and has played an important part in the growth of the country. Indonesia is geographically and climatologically well-suited for coffee plantations, near the equator and with numerous interior mountainous regions on its main islands, creating well-suited microclimates for the growth and production of coffee.

The Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia (SCAI) is a trade association that represents stakeholders of Indonesia coffee Industry . The organization was founded in 2007 and as of October 2020 have more than 800 active members. "Excellence in Diversity" is the motto for SCAI, due to the facts Indonesia may have the most variety of coffee in the world and also representing its members that comes from very diverse background but shares same idealism on how to develop Indonesia coffee industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in India</span>

Coffee production in India is dominated in the hill tracts of South Indian states, with Karnataka accounting for 71%, followed by Kerala with 21% and Tamil Nadu. Indian coffee is said to be the finest coffee grown in the shade rather than direct sunlight anywhere in the world. There are about 250,000 coffee growers in the country; 98% of them are small growers. As of 2009, Indian coffee made up just 4.5% of the global production. Almost 80% of Indian coffee is exported; 70% is bound for Germany, Russia, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Greece, Netherlands and France. Italy accounts for 29% of the exports. Most of the export is shipped through the Suez Canal.

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Coffea charrieriana, also known as Charrier coffee, is a species of flowering plant from the Coffea genus. It is a caffeine-free coffee plant endemic to Cameroon in Central Africa. It is the first recorded caffeine-free Coffea in Central Africa, and the second to be recorded in Africa. The first caffeine-free species was previously discovered in Kenya, named C. pseudozanguebariae. The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and a committee of taxonomists and scientists voted C. charrieriana as one of the top 10 species described in 2008.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in Thailand</span>

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References

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  11. von, Linné, Carl; Lars, Salvius (1753). "Caroli Linnaei ... Species plantarum". 1. Impensis Laurentii Salvii.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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