**3. Origin and distribution of** *Coffea arabica*

The study of plant domestication, beyond its role in man's cultural evolution, is an excellent experimental system for the study of biological evolution. Numerous dissimilarities in the middle of wild and domesticated types are related to essential features and basic plant biology processes, such as adaptation, development, and reproduction [27].

The *C. arabica* had its origin in the highlands of tropical forests located in southwestern Ethiopia. Under the specter of the biological structure, the genetic basis of the world's coffee plantations is considerably small, as are most commercial coffee varieties to date, derived from a limited number of accessions from Ethiopia's forests [26].

*C. arabica* is one of the most favorite beverage crops globally that accounts for about 70% of the total international coffee market. This crop species is the most valuable globally due to their high beverage quality and taken every day by a million people worldwide. The *C. arabica* was assumed to be originated in the Southwestern part of Ethiopia in specifically called the Keffa area [28]. It is also considered the possibility that *C. arabica* was originated in the Boma plateau in Sudan and Mount Marsabit of Kenya. Ethiopia is recognized strongly substantiated as a primary centre of diversity for coffee arabica [29–31].

In ancient times, coffee was first noticed by the Arab merchants in Ethiopia and taken to Yemen [32]. The origin of *C. arabica* has been subject to both molecular and archeological studies, confirming the Ethiopian origin of *C. arabica* [28, 33, 34]. *C. arabica* is a true allotetraploid species with 2n = 4x = 44 that considered as originated from the interspecific hybridization of *C. canephora* and *C*. *eugenioides* [35, 36].

**63**

*Genetic Diversity of* Coffea arabica

**Figure 1.**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94744*

**4.** *Coffea arabica* **genetic resources**

*[43] with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).*

Indian Ocean, Madagascar, and the Comoros Islands [45].

germplasm collections [3].

financial constraints [46].

*C. arabica* cultivation was started after the wild coffee introduced from Ethiopia to Yemen as early as 575 AD [32]. The cultivated coffee arabica divided in to *C. arabica* var. typica and *C. arabica* var. Bourbon [37]. After its introduction to Yemen, the coffee arabica was distributed worldwide and became the most popular beverage crop. The crop distributed to Reunions Island from Yemen and then introduced to India and Java (Indonesia) [38, 39]. The coffee crop was then distributed from Java to Europe (Amsterdam botanical garden) in 1710 [28, 40]. After that, the coffee plant was taken to South America in 1718 from Europe. It was introduced to Martinique Island in 1720 or 1723 and Brazil via French Guiana in 1727 [40–42]. Finally, the coffee was spread throughout the world from South America. Ferreira et al. 2019 [43] precisely illustrate the origin and dispersion of *C. arabica* (**Figure 1**).

*Origin and dispersion course of* Coffea arabica *all the way through the world. Image reproduced from reference* 

The efficient use of available germplasm for breeding purposes requires detailed information on the relationship of genetic relatedness among accessions that compose it, primarily affected by the domestication process. The prospect of coffee improvement in all desirable aspects depends on the availability and use of the mostly untapped genes found in the wild, in farmers' fields and *in* and *ex-situ*

Conservation *in-situ* of plant species make possible the maintenance a greater diversity of species and genepools in a dynamic environment, supporting populations that continue to evolve [44]. Understory trees in the tropical forests of Africa are the range where wild coffee grows spontaneously. It covers a wide geographic area from Guinea in West Africa through Central to eastern Africa, with additional centres of diversity add the Mascarene Islands (La Réunion and Mauritius) in the

From 1971 and 1997, the deforestation took place in around 235,400 ha of closed and slightly disturbed forests in the highland plateau of southwest Ethiopia. Numerous international organizations have outlined proposals for *in-situ* conservation of *C. arabica*, but regrettably, implementation has been lagging as a result of

#### **Figure 1.**

*Genetic Variation*

their livelihood [25].

reproduction [27].

forests [26].

America fell 8.6% to 32.74 million [23].

of global consumption and the capacity to produce in large quantities, Brazil has become one of the largest coffee beans exporters. In numbers, it represents more than 34 thousand bags, which corresponds to the US \$ 5.4 billion in revenue, 15% of which consists of *Specialty* coffee. The United States and Germany are the major importing countries [24]. The coffee tree farmland employs approximately 26 million people, many of whom are small farmers, dependent mainly on coffee for

In the budgetary part, the International Coffee Organization's composite indica-

tor fell 4.1% in May 2020, registering an average of 104.45 US cents per pound, which represented a second consecutive month of decline. The price trend curve for all *C. arabica* groups was bearish. From October 2019 to April 2020, shipments from Africa increased 7% to 7.66 million bags, and those from Asia and Oceania increased by 0.6%, to 23.62 million bags. In the same period, shipments from Central America and Mexico fell 4.9% to 8.77 million bags, and those from South

A series of research recognizes the economic value of genetic diversity [26]. However, these authors confirm the market failure in the case of conservation of coffee genetic resources, especially in Ethiopian highland forests, alerting that in 10 years, the coffee forest will disappear if the current devastation rates persists, which is alarming. This study addressed Ethiopian genetic coffee resources, the primary centre of diversity, revealing the potential economic importance of amounts to nearly US\$1458 million, considering a 5% discount rate and US\$420 million for a 10% discount rate. A good explanation of this outsized discount rate impact may be the expressive time lag between the required cost of coffee breeding programmes

The study of plant domestication, beyond its role in man's cultural evolution, is an excellent experimental system for the study of biological evolution. Numerous dissimilarities in the middle of wild and domesticated types are related to essential features and basic plant biology processes, such as adaptation, development, and

The *C. arabica* had its origin in the highlands of tropical forests located in southwestern Ethiopia. Under the specter of the biological structure, the genetic basis of the world's coffee plantations is considerably small, as are most commercial coffee varieties to date, derived from a limited number of accessions from Ethiopia's

*C. arabica* is one of the most favorite beverage crops globally that accounts for about 70% of the total international coffee market. This crop species is the most valuable globally due to their high beverage quality and taken every day by a million people worldwide. The *C. arabica* was assumed to be originated in the Southwestern part of Ethiopia in specifically called the Keffa area [28]. It is also considered the possibility that *C. arabica* was originated in the Boma plateau in Sudan and Mount Marsabit of Kenya. Ethiopia is recognized strongly substantiated as a primary

In ancient times, coffee was first noticed by the Arab merchants in Ethiopia and taken to Yemen [32]. The origin of *C. arabica* has been subject to both molecular and archeological studies, confirming the Ethiopian origin of *C. arabica* [28, 33, 34]. *C. arabica* is a true allotetraploid species with 2n = 4x = 44 that considered as originated from the interspecific hybridization of *C. canephora* and *C*. *eugenioides*

and the gains resulting from enhanced cultivars development.

**3. Origin and distribution of** *Coffea arabica*

centre of diversity for coffee arabica [29–31].

**62**

[35, 36].

*Origin and dispersion course of* Coffea arabica *all the way through the world. Image reproduced from reference [43] with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).*

*C. arabica* cultivation was started after the wild coffee introduced from Ethiopia to Yemen as early as 575 AD [32]. The cultivated coffee arabica divided in to *C. arabica* var. typica and *C. arabica* var. Bourbon [37]. After its introduction to Yemen, the coffee arabica was distributed worldwide and became the most popular beverage crop. The crop distributed to Reunions Island from Yemen and then introduced to India and Java (Indonesia) [38, 39]. The coffee crop was then distributed from Java to Europe (Amsterdam botanical garden) in 1710 [28, 40]. After that, the coffee plant was taken to South America in 1718 from Europe. It was introduced to Martinique Island in 1720 or 1723 and Brazil via French Guiana in 1727 [40–42]. Finally, the coffee was spread throughout the world from South America. Ferreira et al. 2019 [43] precisely illustrate the origin and dispersion of *C. arabica* (**Figure 1**).

## **4.** *Coffea arabica* **genetic resources**

The efficient use of available germplasm for breeding purposes requires detailed information on the relationship of genetic relatedness among accessions that compose it, primarily affected by the domestication process. The prospect of coffee improvement in all desirable aspects depends on the availability and use of the mostly untapped genes found in the wild, in farmers' fields and *in* and *ex-situ* germplasm collections [3].

Conservation *in-situ* of plant species make possible the maintenance a greater diversity of species and genepools in a dynamic environment, supporting populations that continue to evolve [44]. Understory trees in the tropical forests of Africa are the range where wild coffee grows spontaneously. It covers a wide geographic area from Guinea in West Africa through Central to eastern Africa, with additional centres of diversity add the Mascarene Islands (La Réunion and Mauritius) in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar, and the Comoros Islands [45].

From 1971 and 1997, the deforestation took place in around 235,400 ha of closed and slightly disturbed forests in the highland plateau of southwest Ethiopia. Numerous international organizations have outlined proposals for *in-situ* conservation of *C. arabica*, but regrettably, implementation has been lagging as a result of financial constraints [46].

An effort to preserve the last remaining coffee forests in Ethiopia and to prevent the loss of biodiversity resulted in a creation of the Yayu Biosphere Reserve and the Kafa Biosphere Reserve, in 2010. At that time, due to the sustainable strategic interest, it became component of the United Nations World Network of Biosphere reserves. Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere plays a crucial role in the *in-situ* conservation being the last remaining montane rainforest fragments with wild *C. arabica* populations in the world [47].

Given this alarming scenario, in the past, the strategic importance of wild *C. arabica* boosted exploration missions guided to in its primary centre of origin (Ethiopia and Kenya) and the secondary centre of diversity, Yemen. In this sense, in 1964–1965, a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted collecting expedition of coffee germplasm in different locations in Ethiopia [48]. In 1966, an expedition mission performed by ORSTOM (Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer; a formerly designation of Institute de Recherche pour le Développement [IRD]) collected germplasm from 70 different origins. Despite the original purpose, most accessions were collected from cultivated coffee being only some native of the understory of tropical forest [49].

The accelerated devastation of the tropical forest ecosystems in Africa, Madagascar, the Comoros and Mascarene islands drove collecting mission for other *Coffea* species. The result of those collecting expedition yielded a total of 20,000 wild coffee trees collected, representing more than 70 species and also the identification of 300 wild coffee populations [49].

According to Bramel et al. [31], is consensus in the majority of institutions worldwide indicates the conservation of the collection is secure due to the adherence and engagement of the institutes and their team. In most institutions, everyone is challenged, to some degree, to cover the yearly cost for everyday conservation operations. One critical study concerning costing for Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) confirms the long-term implications of negligence if the fund is insufficient, which is quite alarming.

Comprehensively, the conservation tactics applied to *C. arabica* accessions may be *in-situ* sites or both *ex-situ* and *in-situ*. *In-situ* involves the maintenance of genetic material in the arrangement of native populations by implementing ecosystem reserves such as national parks and refuges. On the order hand, *ex-situ* that deals maintenance of a species out its original habitat. In this approach, farmed and natural plant species are collected and transferred to a specific site aiming to conserve the genetic information. Furthermore, the accessions are maintained locally in the forms seeding, seeds or *in vitro* culture [31].

In this sense, the chief way of knowing and measuring the size of species variability is to carry out collection expeditions to acquire materials in a vast natural geographic occurrence. After that, each accession must be documented, and subsequently, the measurement of its phenotype must be carried out. In germplasm conservation *ex-situ*, the most common scheme used in coffee, this surveying must be made with suitable statistical designs, plot sizes suitably reliable, an adequate number of repetitions and field locations.

According to Giomo et al. [50], the first and critical step in a breeding programme is the presence and understanding of genetic diversity. In this sense, the knowledge of a series of desirable traits is required to develop a new cultivar of coffee such as adaptability, architecture, fruit color, longevity, maturation, precocity, productivity, resistance to pests and diseases, size, type of grain, quality of coffee cupping, vigor, among others. Therefore, it is imperative to know the distinguished accessions selecting particular interest traits, including agronomic characterization of plants up to the beans' chemical composition and sensory quality, to meet the specific coffee production chain demands.

**65**

cryobank [3, 53].

(7756) [31].

*Genetic Diversity of* Coffea arabica

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94744*

ingly adapted and productive cultivars.

In coffee species, a significant marketable crop, the research on genetic improvement carried out by a renowned research center around the world has in the germplasm banks its primary source of raw material, essentially in *C. arabica* and *C. canephora*. Germplasm banks guard and preserve an extensive collection of genetic resources used in breeding research and biotechnology to obtain increas-

Among the world-leading significant germplasm resources and conservation of the *Coffea* genus, we highlight the following research institute: Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA), United States Department of Agriculture - National Plant Germplasm System, CATIE, Centro de Cooperación Internacional de Investigación Agricola para el Desarrollo (CIRAD), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC), Institute of Biodiversity Conservation, Instituto Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR), and Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC). Those institutes enable the acquisition, exchange, conservation, duplication, and documentation of this crop's valuable genetic resources, aiming the world food security. These organizations also performs phenotypic, cytogenetic, and molecular evaluation seeking elite accessions looking for specific attractive traits, primarily due to the already known low variability of *Coffea arabica* species, allowing in this way, putative well successful crosses.

The genebanks around the world have a collection of *C. arabica* which stands out with the most significant number of accessions (11,415), immediately succeeded by *C. canephora* (625), *C. liberica* (94), *C*. *eugenioides* (81) and other *Coffea* species

CNRA was founded in 1998 and headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. According to Labouisse [13], CNRA has the most extensive genebank field collection of coffee in the world with 8003 accessions that resulted of prospecting conducted in eight African countries: Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, Tanzania,

Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) comes again developing a *Coffea* collection as part of the National Plant Germplasm System, with approximately 300 accessions. In the past, this governmental department used

Established in 1942, CATIE botanical garden and germplasm collection inaugurated its headquarter in Turrialba, Costa Rica. In 1948, the field collections of rubber, cocoa and coffee launched the germplasm preservation in Turrialba [52]. The CATIE International Coffee Germplasm Center is one organization in the public domain because of its designation to the International Institute *ex-situ* collections network under the auspices of FAO [3]. Their field genebank of coffee places the third in the world [52], and include to an ample range the entire genetic diversity of *C. arabica* recording 1987 accessions and above 9000 coffee trees. Also, the genetic diversity of a couple of other *Coffea* species is represented to a minor extent, covering 68 introductions of *C. canephora* and 24 introductions of *C. liberica* [49]. The *C. arabica* germplasm bank of CATIE possess 880 wild and semi-wild genotypes, 581 accessions of them acquired from collecting expedition performed by FAO and ORSTOM in Ethiopia - the known biodiversity hotspots; 923 belongs cultivars, mutants and selections section; 19 interspecific hybrids; and 165 intraspecific hybrids [3]. Considering that field collections maintenance is very costly to maintain, and the conserved genetic material is continuously endangered to biotic and abiotic stress, the research team of CATIE, from this point of view, developed a methodology for cryopreservation in liquid Nitrogen for long-term germplasm conservation of coffee seeds. Lately, CATIE maintains a core subset of 63 accessions from Ethiopia cryopreserved and thus establishing the first world

Kenya, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

to maintain 500 accessions of arabica coffee [31, 51].

*Genetic Variation*

tions in the world [47].

cation of 300 wild coffee populations [49].

forms seeding, seeds or *in vitro* culture [31].

number of repetitions and field locations.

specific coffee production chain demands.

negligence if the fund is insufficient, which is quite alarming.

An effort to preserve the last remaining coffee forests in Ethiopia and to prevent

the loss of biodiversity resulted in a creation of the Yayu Biosphere Reserve and the Kafa Biosphere Reserve, in 2010. At that time, due to the sustainable strategic interest, it became component of the United Nations World Network of Biosphere reserves. Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere plays a crucial role in the *in-situ* conservation being the last remaining montane rainforest fragments with wild *C. arabica* popula-

Given this alarming scenario, in the past, the strategic importance of wild *C. arabica* boosted exploration missions guided to in its primary centre of origin (Ethiopia and Kenya) and the secondary centre of diversity, Yemen. In this sense, in 1964–1965, a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted collecting expedition of coffee germplasm in different locations in Ethiopia [48]. In 1966, an expedition mission performed by ORSTOM (Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer; a formerly designation of Institute de Recherche pour le Développement [IRD]) collected germplasm from 70 different origins. Despite the original purpose, most accessions were collected from cultivated coffee being only some native of the understory of tropical forest [49]. The accelerated devastation of the tropical forest ecosystems in Africa, Madagascar, the Comoros and Mascarene islands drove collecting mission for other *Coffea* species. The result of those collecting expedition yielded a total of 20,000 wild coffee trees collected, representing more than 70 species and also the identifi-

According to Bramel et al. [31], is consensus in the majority of institutions worldwide indicates the conservation of the collection is secure due to the adherence and engagement of the institutes and their team. In most institutions, everyone is challenged, to some degree, to cover the yearly cost for everyday conservation operations. One critical study concerning costing for Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) confirms the long-term implications of

Comprehensively, the conservation tactics applied to *C. arabica* accessions may be *in-situ* sites or both *ex-situ* and *in-situ*. *In-situ* involves the maintenance of genetic material in the arrangement of native populations by implementing ecosystem reserves such as national parks and refuges. On the order hand, *ex-situ* that deals maintenance of a species out its original habitat. In this approach, farmed and natural plant species are collected and transferred to a specific site aiming to conserve the genetic information. Furthermore, the accessions are maintained locally in the

In this sense, the chief way of knowing and measuring the size of species variability is to carry out collection expeditions to acquire materials in a vast natural geographic occurrence. After that, each accession must be documented, and

subsequently, the measurement of its phenotype must be carried out. In germplasm conservation *ex-situ*, the most common scheme used in coffee, this surveying must be made with suitable statistical designs, plot sizes suitably reliable, an adequate

According to Giomo et al. [50], the first and critical step in a breeding programme is the presence and understanding of genetic diversity. In this sense, the knowledge of a series of desirable traits is required to develop a new cultivar of coffee such as adaptability, architecture, fruit color, longevity, maturation, precocity, productivity, resistance to pests and diseases, size, type of grain, quality of coffee cupping, vigor, among others. Therefore, it is imperative to know the distinguished accessions selecting particular interest traits, including agronomic characterization of plants up to the beans' chemical composition and sensory quality, to meet the

**64**

In coffee species, a significant marketable crop, the research on genetic improvement carried out by a renowned research center around the world has in the germplasm banks its primary source of raw material, essentially in *C. arabica* and *C. canephora*. Germplasm banks guard and preserve an extensive collection of genetic resources used in breeding research and biotechnology to obtain increasingly adapted and productive cultivars.

Among the world-leading significant germplasm resources and conservation of the *Coffea* genus, we highlight the following research institute: Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA), United States Department of Agriculture - National Plant Germplasm System, CATIE, Centro de Cooperación Internacional de Investigación Agricola para el Desarrollo (CIRAD), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC), Institute of Biodiversity Conservation, Instituto Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR), and Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC). Those institutes enable the acquisition, exchange, conservation, duplication, and documentation of this crop's valuable genetic resources, aiming the world food security. These organizations also performs phenotypic, cytogenetic, and molecular evaluation seeking elite accessions looking for specific attractive traits, primarily due to the already known low variability of *Coffea arabica* species, allowing in this way, putative well successful crosses.

The genebanks around the world have a collection of *C. arabica* which stands out with the most significant number of accessions (11,415), immediately succeeded by *C. canephora* (625), *C. liberica* (94), *C*. *eugenioides* (81) and other *Coffea* species (7756) [31].

CNRA was founded in 1998 and headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. According to Labouisse [13], CNRA has the most extensive genebank field collection of coffee in the world with 8003 accessions that resulted of prospecting conducted in eight African countries: Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) comes again developing a *Coffea* collection as part of the National Plant Germplasm System, with approximately 300 accessions. In the past, this governmental department used to maintain 500 accessions of arabica coffee [31, 51].

Established in 1942, CATIE botanical garden and germplasm collection inaugurated its headquarter in Turrialba, Costa Rica. In 1948, the field collections of rubber, cocoa and coffee launched the germplasm preservation in Turrialba [52]. The CATIE International Coffee Germplasm Center is one organization in the public domain because of its designation to the International Institute *ex-situ* collections network under the auspices of FAO [3]. Their field genebank of coffee places the third in the world [52], and include to an ample range the entire genetic diversity of *C. arabica* recording 1987 accessions and above 9000 coffee trees. Also, the genetic diversity of a couple of other *Coffea* species is represented to a minor extent, covering 68 introductions of *C. canephora* and 24 introductions of *C. liberica* [49]. The *C. arabica* germplasm bank of CATIE possess 880 wild and semi-wild genotypes, 581 accessions of them acquired from collecting expedition performed by FAO and ORSTOM in Ethiopia - the known biodiversity hotspots; 923 belongs cultivars, mutants and selections section; 19 interspecific hybrids; and 165 intraspecific hybrids [3]. Considering that field collections maintenance is very costly to maintain, and the conserved genetic material is continuously endangered to biotic and abiotic stress, the research team of CATIE, from this point of view, developed a methodology for cryopreservation in liquid Nitrogen for long-term germplasm conservation of coffee seeds. Lately, CATIE maintains a core subset of 63 accessions from Ethiopia cryopreserved and thus establishing the first world cryobank [3, 53].

CIRAD commenced does collecting mission since the 1960s, being some of these collecting expeditions occurred in association with other institutions - viz., ORSTOM, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), and IRD [3]. In 1977, an ORSTOM/CIRAD mission arrived in Kenya where they collected eighty different accessions of *C. arabica* at Mount Marsabitan, along with samples of *C*. *eugenioides*, *C*. *zanguebariae*, and *C. fadenii*. Subsequently, in 1989, samples from coffee plantation arising from 22 different origins were collected by an IPGRI/ CIRAD mission-focused in Yemen. Besides that, the mission recognized six morphologically different types of coffee plants [3]. According to FAO-WIEW database 1990–2001, CIRAD maintain in Guyana a total 3800 accession *ex-situ* of coffee [31].

In Ethiopia, the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) has the commitment to be a leading centre of excellence research for arabica coffee on the planet, operating ten research stations located strategically in the main coffee production areas. The Jimma Research Station initiated variety development and germplasm conservation activity in 1966–1967. From 1966 to nowadays, the field collection has assembled 5853 accessions of *C. arabica* grouped in the following program/ type: National collection - 1431, Exotic collection - 78, Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) resistance collection - 825, and Local landrace - 3519. To date, JARC has launched 42 coffee varieties. In Ethiopia, JARC is the unique public institution that has taken the initiative of multiplying and providing basic coffee seeds, primarily, coffee adapted varieties and CBD resistant material. Furthermore, this research institute plays a considerable role in dissemination and adoption of improved coffee technologies by innovative farmers, private and state-owned farms throughout the countryside [13, 54, 55]. Other important genetic resources organization in Ethiopia is the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation established in Choche (Limu) field genebank with 5196 accessions conserved [13].

In Brazil, the IAPAR was founded in 1972 and headquartered in Londrina, in the state of Paraná. The IAPAR operates in a 300 ha-farm, of which 40 ha are cultivated with coffee. In 1975 was established the field genebank of coffee that were primarily composed by IAC accessions with posterior inclusions of accessions from the FAO/IBPGR collection. Also, they have a partnership with five farmers to test the F3/F4 generations. Several cultivars have been released by IAPAR improved to achieve high yield, drought tolerance, resistance to rust, nematodes, bacterial blight, and leaf miner; and also, different ripening cycles. The IAPAR combine testing, seed production and demonstration to farmers in the F6 generation, speeding, in this way, the time to release genetic material. The IAPAR institution has a good reputation among of coffee farmer's producers in Paraná [31].

The Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC), institution of the Brazilian Coffee Consortium, maintains the largest and the oldest coffee germplasm bank in the country, with 5451 records. Supported by the framework of this diversity, the active germplasm bank of the "Instituto Agronômico" has contributed for 87 years with significant results in the Brazilian coffee research. IAC also perform a series of research in collaboration with other research institutions within the Brazilian Coffee Consortium [50, 56].

IAC continuously performs morphological, agronomic, chemical and molecular characterization of the genetic materials maintained in its germplasm banks. This is essential for the definition and identification of the most genetic promising materials, with better productivity and other attributes considered according to each survey. To achieve an desired coffee cultivar is required a long-term due to the time demanded to advance the genetic material from generation to generation. In Brazil, the two most adopted cultivars in coffee plantations, Mundo Novo and Catuaí, are the results of improvement research conducted by the "Instituto Agronômico" from its germplasm bank. They are planted in about 80% of Brazilian coffee crops area today [56].

**67**

bean that produces.

of 100 beans, caracoli rate, etc).

*Genetic Diversity of* Coffea arabica

inconsistent across reports.

least ten accessions.

**agronomic traits**

interest [57].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94744*

Besides, the germplasm bank of the IAPAR and IAC, there are other five coffee germplasm banks in Brazil: Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Instituto Capixaba de Pesquisa, Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (INCAPER), Fundação Procafé, and Embrapa Rondônia. According to Bramel [31], the collection of these germplasm banks has an estimation of about 13,856 accessions; however, the number of accessions may be

As stated by Bramel [31], it is estimated 21,026 accessions in a compilation of world coffee collections that account 52 holding coffee germplasm collection with at

In plant breeding, it is crucial to identify the most critical phenotypic traits to boost plant production. Consequently, the evaluation of trait occurrences and differences in a population is a key to determining probably valuable crosses among accessions. Although most studies focus on genetic diversity with molecular markers, it is also useful for plant breeders to recognize the morphological diversity of traits of

Around the world, the arabica breeding programmes has the primary purpose of developing new cultivars taking into account the economic benefits to be returned to coffee growers. The target characteristics in the desired arabica cultivar are productivity, mainly focused on bean size as well as cup quality and resistance to major diseases and pests. On the other hand, each breeding programme has its own particularities that establish the priorities of selection criteria usually defined based on multifactorial variations in specific circumstances of weather conditions, soil, biotic and abiotic stresses, cropping systems, socio-economic factors, market dynamics and consumer preferences. In arabica coffee, typically, four primary methods of breeding and selection are used: 1- Pure line selection; 2- Pedigree selection after hybridization (sometimes also backcrossing); 3 - Intraspecific F1 hybrids; 4 - Interspecific hybridization (arabica x robusta), backcrossing and pedigree selection. The comprehensive overview of selection criteria and outcomes

**5. Breeding and genetic diversity based on morphological and** 

from each breeding method is presented in detail by Van der Vossen [58].

Gathering a series of studies, Monge and Guevara [52] make the compilation of the critical phenotypic markers for evaluation of coffee and suggests a list of appropriated traits evaluation markers: morphological descriptors - viz.: architectural (ramification degree, number of internodes, and length of plagiotropic branches) and physical (dimensions and color of leaves, flowers and fruits, flush color, stem diameter, et*c.*); phenological descriptor (flowering dates, fructification cycle duration); ecological adaptation descriptors (altitude, dry or humid regions, resistance to pest and diseases); productive descriptors (productivity level and early or late flowering, and fruit set); technological descriptors (coffee quality, the weight

Monge and Guevara [52] in a review also outlined a compilation result of two studies concerning the phenotypic evaluation of 300 wild *C. arabica* collected in eight Ethiopia area, those accessions were added into CATIE collections in 1985. It highlighted the high variability in fruit maturation length (ranging from 130 to 258 days), a caracoli rate (varying from 1 to 71%), size of leaves, internode length and bean size. Furthermore, there was a detected correlation concerning morphologic variables - viz.: the lower ramification of the tree, the bigger the leaves and the

#### *Genetic Diversity of* Coffea arabica *DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94744*

*Genetic Variation*

CIRAD commenced does collecting mission since the 1960s, being some of these collecting expeditions occurred in association with other institutions - viz., ORSTOM, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), and IRD [3]. In 1977, an ORSTOM/CIRAD mission arrived in Kenya where they collected eighty different accessions of *C. arabica* at Mount Marsabitan, along with samples of *C*. *eugenioides*, *C*. *zanguebariae*, and *C. fadenii*. Subsequently, in 1989, samples from coffee plantation arising from 22 different origins were collected by an IPGRI/ CIRAD mission-focused in Yemen. Besides that, the mission recognized six morphologically different types of coffee plants [3]. According to FAO-WIEW database 1990–2001, CIRAD maintain in Guyana a total 3800 accession *ex-situ* of coffee [31]. In Ethiopia, the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) has the commitment to be a leading centre of excellence research for arabica coffee on the planet, operating ten research stations located strategically in the main coffee production areas. The Jimma Research Station initiated variety development and germplasm conservation activity in 1966–1967. From 1966 to nowadays, the field collection has assembled 5853 accessions of *C. arabica* grouped in the following program/ type: National collection - 1431, Exotic collection - 78, Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) resistance collection - 825, and Local landrace - 3519. To date, JARC has launched 42 coffee varieties. In Ethiopia, JARC is the unique public institution that has taken the initiative of multiplying and providing basic coffee seeds, primarily, coffee adapted varieties and CBD resistant material. Furthermore, this research institute plays a considerable role in dissemination and adoption of improved coffee technologies by innovative farmers, private and state-owned farms throughout the countryside [13, 54, 55]. Other important genetic resources organization in Ethiopia is the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation established in Choche (Limu)

In Brazil, the IAPAR was founded in 1972 and headquartered in Londrina, in the state of Paraná. The IAPAR operates in a 300 ha-farm, of which 40 ha are cultivated with coffee. In 1975 was established the field genebank of coffee that were primarily composed by IAC accessions with posterior inclusions of accessions from the FAO/IBPGR collection. Also, they have a partnership with five farmers to test the F3/F4 generations. Several cultivars have been released by IAPAR improved to achieve high yield, drought tolerance, resistance to rust, nematodes, bacterial blight, and leaf miner; and also, different ripening cycles. The IAPAR combine testing, seed production and demonstration to farmers in the F6 generation, speeding, in this way, the time to release genetic material. The IAPAR institution has a

The Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC), institution of the Brazilian Coffee Consortium, maintains the largest and the oldest coffee germplasm bank in the country, with 5451 records. Supported by the framework of this diversity, the active germplasm bank of the "Instituto Agronômico" has contributed for 87 years with significant results in the Brazilian coffee research. IAC also perform a series of research in collaboration with other research institutions within the Brazilian

IAC continuously performs morphological, agronomic, chemical and molecular characterization of the genetic materials maintained in its germplasm banks. This is essential for the definition and identification of the most genetic promising materials, with better productivity and other attributes considered according to each survey. To achieve an desired coffee cultivar is required a long-term due to the time demanded to advance the genetic material from generation to generation. In Brazil, the two most adopted cultivars in coffee plantations, Mundo Novo and Catuaí, are the results of improvement research conducted by the "Instituto Agronômico" from its germplasm bank. They are planted in about 80% of Brazilian coffee crops area today [56].

good reputation among of coffee farmer's producers in Paraná [31].

field genebank with 5196 accessions conserved [13].

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Coffee Consortium [50, 56].

Besides, the germplasm bank of the IAPAR and IAC, there are other five coffee germplasm banks in Brazil: Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Instituto Capixaba de Pesquisa, Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (INCAPER), Fundação Procafé, and Embrapa Rondônia. According to Bramel [31], the collection of these germplasm banks has an estimation of about 13,856 accessions; however, the number of accessions may be inconsistent across reports.

As stated by Bramel [31], it is estimated 21,026 accessions in a compilation of world coffee collections that account 52 holding coffee germplasm collection with at least ten accessions.
