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Coffea canephora

(Redirected from Robusta beans)

Coffea canephora (especially C. canephora subvar. robusta, syn. 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 (nom. illeg.).[2]

Coffea canephora
Berries of Coffea canephora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Coffea
Species:
C. canephora
Binomial name
Coffea canephora
Synonyms

Coffea robusta L.Linden

Field of robusta bushes, Kodagu
Flowers close-up

Coffea canephora 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. canephora.[5][6] Beans from C. canephora tend to have lower acidity, more bitterness, and a more woody and less fruity flavor compared to C. arabica beans.[7] Most of it is used for instant coffee.

Taxonomy

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Though widely known by the synonym Coffea robusta, the plant is currently scientifically identified as Coffea canephora, which has two main varieties, C. canephora var. robusta and C. canephora var. nganda (nom. illeg.).[2] It was not recognized as a species of Coffea until 1897,[8] over a hundred years after Coffea arabica.[9]

Description

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Clusters of robusta coffee flowers

Robusta is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres (30 feet) tall.[10] It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for the berries to ripen, producing oval-shaped beans. C.canephora contains a range of bioactive compounds including caffeine, and polyphenols, which both contribute to its physiological and ecological functions.

The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of arabica, contains more caffeine (2.7% compared to arabica's 1.5%),[11] and contains less sugar (3–7% compared to arabica's 6–9%).[12] As it is less susceptible to pests and disease,[13] robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica. C.canephora exhibits substantial gentetic and morpholigical diversity across its cultivated and wild populations. [14]

Native distribution

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C. canephora grows indigenously in Western and Central Africa from Liberia to Tanzania and south to Angola.[11] It is also reportedly naturalized in Borneo, French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles.[15] In 1927 a hybrid between robusta and arabica was found in Timor. This strain was subsequently used to breed coffee rust-resistant plants.[16]

Cultivation and use

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Unroasted robusta beans
Traditional drying of coffee beans in Kalibaru, Indonesia

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,[17] and is less susceptible to disease than arabica coffea.[16] It represents 43% of global coffee production, with arabica constituting the remainder except for the 1.5% constituted by Coffea liberica.[18] Microbial communities associated with C. canephora roots and fruits can influence plant health and its overall productivity. [19]

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.[20] 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.[18] It surpasses Brazil (25% of the world's production), Indonesia (13%), India (5%), and Uganda (5%).[18] [21]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.[18] The species demonstrates high adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, partly due to its ability to change its behaviour and morphology. [22]

Since Robusta is easier to care for and has a greater crop yield than C. arabica, it is cheaper to produce.[23] 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.[24][25] Since arabica beans are presumed 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.[23][26] 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 to provide a full-bodied taste and a better foam head (known as crema).[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Chadburn, H.; Davis, A.P. (2017). "Coffea canephora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017 e.T18290186A18539466. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T18290186A18539466.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 J. Dagoon (2005). Agriculture & Fishery Technology IV. Rex Bookstore, Inc. p. 58. ISBN 978-971-23-4223-3. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "World Robusta coffee production 2022". Statista. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "World Arabica coffee production 2022". Statista. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  5. ↑ R Urgert and M B Katan (1 November 1996). "The cholesterol-raising factor from coffee beans". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 89 (11): 618–623. doi:10.1177/014107689608901107. PMC 1295997. PMID 9135590.
  6. ↑ Gaia Vince (16 November 2005). "Decaffeinated coffee may be harmful to heart". New Scientist. This article seems to have a mistake, using the word "diptenes" instead of "diterpenes", and also seems to contradict the above reference.
  7. ↑ Seninde, Denis Richard; Chambers, Edgar (8 July 2020). "Coffee Flavor: A Review". Beverages. 6 (3): 44. doi:10.3390/beverages6030044. ISSN 2306-5710.
  8. ↑ Froehner, A. (1897). "Übersicht über die Arten der Gattung Coffea". Notizblatt des Königlichen botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin (in German). 1 (7): 237.
  9. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1753). Species plantarum (in Latin). Vol. 1. p. 172.
  10. ↑ Rahman, M. G.; Malek, M. A. A.; Hossain, M. A.; Islam, M. (21 February 2024). "Performance Evaluation of Coffee Coffea canephora (syn. Coffea robusta) Germplasm in the Hilly Region" (PDF). Cross Current International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences. 6 (1): 15–18. doi:10.36344/ccijavs.2024.v06i01.003.
  11. 1 2 Mark Nesbitt (2005). The Cultural History of Plants. Taylor & Francis. pp. 176–177. ISBN 978-0-203-02090-6. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  12. ↑ "Understanding the Difference: Arabica vs Robusta". The Coffee Barrister. 31 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Benoit Daviron; Stefano Ponte (2005). The Coffee Paradox: Global Markets, Commodity Trade and the Elusive Promise of Development. Zed Books. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-84277-457-1.
  14. ↑ Alves, Danielle Inácio; Freitas, Silvio de Jesus; Freitas, Silvério de Paiva; Vettorazzi, Julio Cesar Fiorio; Pereira, Lucas Louzada; Moreli, Aldemar Polonini; Partelli, Fábio Luiz; Berilli, Sávio da Silva; Peluzio, João Batista Esteves; Barbosa, Poliany de Oliveira; Adão, José Elias Alves; Lima, Mayra da Silva Polastrelli; Berilli, Ana Paula Candido Gabriel (25 October 2025). "Pre-Breeding of Promising Coffea canephora Genotypes". Agronomy. 15 (11): 2477. Bibcode:2025Agron..15.2477A. doi:10.3390/agronomy15112477. ISSN 2073-4395.
  15. ↑ "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  16. 1 2 Penarredonda, Jose Luis (6 November 2017). "The disease that could change how we drink coffee". BBC: In depth, Food. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  17. ↑ Vignoli, J. A.; Bassoli, D. G.; Benassi, M. T. (2011). "Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, caffeine and melanoidins in soluble coffee: The influence of processing conditions and raw material". Food Chemistry. 124 (3): 863–868. Bibcode:2011FoodC.124..863V. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.07.008.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Coffee: World Markets and Trade" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture – Foreign Agricultural Service. December 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  19. ↑ Gomes, Willian dos Santos; Partelli, Fábio Luiz; Veloso, Tomás Gomes Reis; da Silva, Marliane de Cássia Soares; Moreli, Aldemar Polonini; Moreira, Taís Rizzo; Pereira, Lucas Louzada (23 November 2024). "Effects of Coffea canephora genotypes on the microbial community of soil and fruit". Scientific Reports. 14 (1): 29035. Bibcode:2024NatSR..1429035G. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-80403-4. ISSN 2045-2322.
  20. ↑ A. Rami Horowitz (2004). Insect pest management: field and protected crops. Springer. p. 41. ISBN 978-3-540-20755-9. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  21. ↑ "A Guide to Coffee Flavors from 16 Countries". ICOSA Brewhouse. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  22. ↑ Ferrão, Maria Amélia G.; Riva-Souza, Elaine M.; Azevedo, Camila; Volpi, Paulo S.; Fonseca, Aymbiré F. A.; Ferrão, Romario G.; Montagnon, Christopher; Ferrão, Luis Felipe V. (September 2024). "Robust and smart: Inference on phenotypic plasticity of Coffea canephora reveals adaptation to alternative environments". Crop Science. 64 (5): 2709–2724. doi:10.1002/csc2.21298. ISSN 0011-183X.
  23. 1 2 Miyanari, Walter (2008). Aloha Coffee Island. Savant Books & Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-615-18348-0. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  24. ↑ Andrew J. Taylor, Robert Linforth (2010). Food Flavour Technology. John Wiley and Sons. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-4443-1778-7. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  25. ↑ Wintgens, Jean Nicolas (2009). Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production: A Guidebook for Growers. Wiley-VCH. p. 799. ISBN 978-3-527-32286-2. Retrieved 13 December 2011.[permanent dead link]
  26. ↑ "Roasting and grinding - Coffee & Health". www.coffeeandhealth.org. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  27. ↑ Peluso, Mariano (28 June 2024). "Regional Variations in Italian Coffee Culture: Historical Influences and Contemporary Preferences for Robusta-Arabica Blends". Proceedings. MDPI: 9. doi:10.3390/ICC2024-18022.
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