Like most other crops, coffee plants are vulnerable to pests and diseases. For centuries, this has posed enormous challenges to farmers worldwide. Large-scale encroachments or outbreaks can seriously damage coffee plantations and lead to significant economic losses for producers。
It is therefore essential that farmers understand what measures they need to take to mitigate the effects of pests and diseases。
Pablo picazo yamazaki and angelica de la pazérez, in collaboration with the local (otg), supported producers in mitigating the spread of disease and improving production control on the agricultural highlands of chiapas, mexico. They tell us how farmers can fight pests and diseases through technical assistance。
Coffee common pests
For centuries, pests and diseases have been a challenge for coffee producers. Plants affected by multiple conditions may contract production, produce low-quality coffee or die altogether。
This, in turn, imposes an additional economic burden on producers. Lower productivity means lower returns on initial investment by producers, as does lower quality. In addition, the replanting and purchase of fertilizers, insecticides or microbicides would entail additional costs。
While many different pests and diseases affect coffee plantations in different ways, some are more common than others. Let's see some of the most common。
Coffee leaf rust
Cafe rusty, known in spanish as laroya, is one of the greatest challenges facing coffee farmers worldwide。
Coffee leaf rust is an air-borne disease caused by sea urchin fungi. This infection is manifested in orange dust under plant leaves。
Over time, it has hampered the photocooperative capacity of coffee plantations. This prevents the tree from generating energy, thereby weakening it and preventing the full development and maturity of the cherry. This can lead to a dilution of beans, a decline in yields and a bad taste。
In 2012, a leaf rust epidemic engulfed coffee-producing countries in latin america and the caribbean. It is estimated that this cost more than $1 billion in just two years。
Research by the world coffee institute shows that just five years later, the epidemic has affected about 70 per cent of coffee farms in central america. This resulted in the unemployment of 1. 7 million coffee farm workers, resulting in losses of some $3. 2 billion and loss of income。
Pablo says that many historically popular alabika varieties, such as typica, bourbon, mundo novo and caturra, are more sensitive to this fungus. He said that in recent years many central american farmers had replanted their farms with rust-resistant varieties, including marcellesa, costa rica 95 and anacafe 14。
Coffee atrophy
Coffee atrophy (negative fungus) is caused by sickle. It impedes the flow of moisture and juice, leading to the fall of leaves, the death of branches, the premature maturity of cherries and, ultimately, the death of entire bodies. Once infected, death is inevitable, which means that the best defence is prevention。
This plant was first found in the central african republic in 1927 and affected production in robusta and arabica in east and central africa。
Coffee berries
Coffee berries disease (cbd) is caused by the kajawe anthrax. First reported in kenya in 1922, it caused a disease on coffee cherries. These injuries stopped the development of the cherries and eventually led them to rot and fall off the branches。
Cherry is most vulnerable in green and premature times, reportedly between 4 and 14 weeks after flowering. The cbd can be identified by the colour of the cherries, which usually appear in black or brown spots and eventually grow to the entire surface. Microbicides, usually copper-based, can be used to reduce the spread of the cbd。
Ojo de gallo/american leaf spectrum
In english, ojo de gallo literally means “the eye of a chicken”, but it is also known as the united states folic disease。
The disease is caused by orange filamental fungi, which is widespread in latin america and affects coffee and other crops。
Ojo de gallo leads to brown and sub-circle spots on coffee leaves, stalks and berries. Look carefully, you can see light little mushrooms on these leaves. If left untreated, these leaves eventually fall, resulting in plant growth and production being hampered。
Coffee berries and moths
Coffee berries, known in spanish as la broca, is a small black beetle, fully grown up less than two millimeters. Despite its size, worm beetle is one of the biggest pests of coffee. Almost all coffee-producing countries have such coffee。
These little insects lay eggs in coffee cherry. According to pablo, “the piercing of coffee seeds will ultimately result in significant losses for producers”. This is because these piercings lead to a deterioration in the quality of coffee and eventually to the fall of cherry。
Insects take 25 to 45 days from larvae to adulthood. And then it can reproduce, causing the problem to widen.” “coffee berries are breeding up to 1,200 metres above sea level in a warm climate”, pablo adds。
A nematode
The nematode is a tiny parasite that attacks the roots of the coffee plant and prevents it from absorbing nutrients and moisture。
This damage leads to yellowing and atrophy of leaves, hinders plant growth and affects productivity. In serious cases, it also causes plant death。
How can technical assistance help combat pests and diseases
Pablo and angelica have been implementing technical assistance programmes with members of mayan wine cooperatives since 2017. Together with maya vinic's board of directors and chris treter of the michigan roaster high grounds trading project, they designed the project to be implemented by ocg。
Pablo and angelica, as partners in the omg (the sister non-profit organization of high grounds trading), told me how they brought the work of the chiapas project to the mayan wine cooperative。
Pablo and angelica explained that the focus of otp work in chiapas was to improve access of coffee producers to clean water, agro-training and technical assistance。
The focus on disease reduction through technical assistance supports them in addressing what otp describes as “a changing environment that is threatening global agricultural communities”。
It is, however, easier to say than to do. Although otp has supported maya vinic's partners in replanting the kanica variety in their fields (which is resistant to coffee leaf rust), the time between planting and the first harvest is a problem。
This is because, as stated in the world coffee study, experts believe that over time, varieties resistant to leaf rust may eventually become sensitive to adapted fungi strains。
The ocg website even states that experts believe that la roa will begin to influence the kanak species within three to five years. This is the time when the new maya vinic plants are beginning to produce harvestable fruits。
In 2017, there was significant evidence of the variability of coffee leaf rust in honduras. Following widespread adoption by honduran farmers to combat folic rust, lempira varieties (a hybrid between 832/1 and caturra in timor) were actually found to be sensitive to different mutations of fungi。
Mitigating the effects of pests and diseases
In addition to replanting, producers can use microbicides and insecticides to control pests and diseases on farms. For small farmers, however, this may be an expensive investment。
Pablo explained that there were many natural ways to help mitigate the effects of pests and diseases。
“for example, the use of agro-ecological practices”, he said, included the application of mountain microorganisms, calcium sulphate soup, stone powder, composting, earthworm composting, lactacid bacteria, coffee crust ash and biopoturium.”
However, angelica notes that each farm is different. She said it was important to remember that each farm should have different agricultural measures。
She said, “we must see what works and what does not, because it is different for everyone.” there are different necessities, types, climates and circumstances
A good starting point for technical assistance, then, is soil and plant nutrition. With an appropriate nutritional balance, trees are best placed to maintain strength and health。
Fertile and healthy soils support larger and more developed cherry growth, thus improving quality and higher market prices。
In the case of the mayan wine cooperative, angelica added that otp encouraged such practices as trimping and shade and stressed the importance of the use of fertilizers. Pablo explained that most of the farmers of mayan wine use the catimo variety; he said that there was a “better yield” but a “lower quality cup file”。
Angelica adds: “that is why we are working with farmers to help them increase their fertilizer. This enables them to improve the quality of coffee.”
She also pointed out that the success of technical assistance programmes was not limited to improving quality or focusing on the sustainability of each farm. She also noted support for cooperative members to “replicate the knowledge they have learned in their communities”, disseminate more knowledge and support other farmers throughout the supply chain。
Dan bailey is the owner and founder of the amavida coffee baking company and is a member of its current board of directors. “coffee producers around the world are clearly affected by carbon pollution in developing countries. They can do little to find ways to adapt and build resilience。
“however, i believe that the work being done by pablo and angelica provides solutions for coffee producers whose plans require sustained support.”
Better access to technical assistance has not only helped coffee farmers to successfully mitigate the effects of farm pests and diseases. It also helps them to improve the sustainability of coffee farms and support their better income and better quality of life。
In addition, producers ' knowledge is enriched by improved capacity to manage these risks. They can then benefit the wider community by sharing knowledge, skills and expertise。
Disclaimer: this paper, which is edited and edited by “stuward café” (coffee launcher), devotes a great deal of time and effort to reproducing the reference (www. Stewardcoffee. Com) and is intended to spread the culture of coffee, and if the violation is removed, thank you
