Abstract

D.J.I. Mtenga and S.O.W.M. Reuben

Four trials were executed at the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) from September 2006 to April 2007 and at the Coffee Rust Research Center (CIFC), Portugal from March 2007 to June 2007 to evaluate variation in resistance to Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) caused by Colletotrichum kahawae within and among four Coffea arabica varieties. The varieties tested were Bourbon, Compacts (Catimor), Rume sudan and Hybrid de Timor obtained from TaCRI germplasm. Local CBD isolate was used in the trials at TaCRI while at CIFC Portugal, four CBD isolates T3, Ca1, Z9 and Q2 were used in the resistance evaluation. There was significant (P ≤ 0.05) variation against CBD within and among varieties against most isolates. Accessions PNI086, VCE1589 and VC299 in varieties Compacts, Hybrid de Timor and Rume sudan respectively showed high resistance while variety Bourbon a control, showed high levels of susceptibility. It is therefore necessary in breeding programmes to select the best accessions within varieties for development of superior coffee varieties with resistance to CBD.