Africa testing wilt resistant Arabica and Robusta coffee trees
The Coffee Research Institute (CORI) at Kituza, Mukono district has come up with Robusta and Arabica coffee trees that are resistant to the coffee wilt disease.
“This is a mitigation against the effect of the coffee wilt disease. The institute is trying out a wilt resistant Arabic coffee popularly known as Tuza. It is already doing very well in Bushenyi, Rukungiri and Ibanda districts,” said an official from CORI who preferred anonymity.
He said samples from the seeds have been tested and the results are promising. “So, plans are underway to take it to other districts, but it has to be done systematically to avoid mixing it with Robusta. Farmers are urged to buy seeds from authorised sellers,” the official said.
The coffee materials are undergoing evaluation in different agro-ecological zones with on-line stations at Kacwekano, Mukono, Mbarara and Bulegeni.
Filed under: Coffee News on April 10th, 2007
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