MODULE 2

THE COFFEE
PLANT

….bringing Philippine coffee back to the world market.

 THE COFFEE PLANT

• Coffee is one of the world’s most important

crops, given the higher number of people living
directly or indirectly from it.

• This crop is the main source of income for many

developing countries.

• Legend has it that the energizing effect of

coffee was first discovered by a goat in
Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, coffee spread across
Arabia, and eventually found its way into cups
around the world.
 A. GENUS

COFFEA
• A genus of flowering plants whose seeds, called
coffee beans, are used to make coffee.

• It belongs to the Rubiaceae family.

• There are four known varieties of coffee. These are

Robusta, Excelsa, Arabica and Liberica.

• The Philippines is one of the few countries in the

world where all four varieties of coffee are grown on
commercial scale.
ROBUSTA
● commonly known as “ kapeng
manipis”.
● Its taste is fairly strong with caffeine
content of 2% to 2.5% compared to
Arabica.
● It is high yielding and more resistant to
pests and diseases.
● commonly known in almost all coffee
producing provinces of the country.
● It thrives well in areas with elevation
ranging from 600 to 1,200 meters above
sea level.
● It is also the main ingredient in the
production of instant coffee.
EXCELSA

• known as “kapeng makapal”.

• It has distinct pharmacopical taste.

This variety could be grown in
areas with elevation of 600 -1,000
meters above sea level.

• It is resistant to drought.
ARABICA

• locally known as “kapeng tagalog”.

• most commonly grown coffee variety
in the world because of its excellent
flavor and aroma and for its relatively
low caffeine content ranging from
0.8%- 1.3%.
• grown in high elevation of more than
900- 1,800 meters above sea level.
• It thrives well in the mountainous
areas in Mindanao and in the
Cordillera Mountains of Luzon.
LIBERICA

• is locally known as “kapeng

barako”.
• characterized for its very strong
pharmacopical taste and flavor,
powerful body and distinct
aroma.
• this variety could be grown in
areas with elevation of 600 -
1,000 meters above sea level.
• this variety is more tolerant to
drought and can grow to wider
soil types.
 B. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND REQUIREMENTS
FOR CULTIVATION

SPECIES COFFEA COFFEA COFFEA COFFEA

CHARACTER ROBUSTA EXCELSA ARABICA LIBERICA

ECOLOGY Elevation: ranging Elevation: 600- Elevation: more Elevation: 600-

from 600 to 1, 200 1000 meters than 900- 1,800 1000 meters above
meters above sea above sea level; meters above sea sea level
level; temperature 10- level; Temperature 10-30
temperature: 30 degree C degree C
temperature:
between 13 and
26 degree C between 10 and
20 degrees C
PLANT HEIGHT Trees: large, Trees reach in 3 Trees reach in 3 Trees: upright with
umbrella-shaped; m m straight trunks;
4.5 m. high grow to a height of
about 9 m.
 SPECIES COFFEA COFFEA EXCELSA COFFEA COFFEA
CHARACTER ROBUSTA ARABICA LIBERICA
ROOT SYSTEM shallow Deep root system Deep root Deep root system
system
INFLORESCENCES cross self pollination self pollination self pollination
pollination
FLOWERS White with Large and white White and White with four to
five to six with four to six creamy with six petals
petals petals. short pedicles.
LEAVES Thin which Wide leaves are Wavy leaf Thicker than
have more thicker than margins, light Excelsa and
wavy Robusta but thinner, green leaf color twice as long as
margins. smoother and more and thin leaves. Arabica
rounded than
Liberica; young
leaves are usually
shiny with bronze-
violet color.
 SPECIES COFFEA COFFEA COFFEA COFFEA
CHARACTER ROBUSTA EXCELSA ARABICA LIBERICA
FRUITS/ • bearing of • bearing of fruits starts • Oblong in shape, • biggest berries
BERRIES fruits four to five years after measuring about among the four
commences on transplanting 1.5cm long, green varieties which are
its third year • borne in heavy cluster, when immature borne singly or in
from varying in size and and turns red or small clusters
transplanting usually bigger than yellow depending • berries are dark
• borne in heavy Arabica but smaller on maturity red when ripe; its
cluster than Liberica • this is early bearer pulp is thick and
• yields 1,200kg • its pulp and parchment and bear fruits parchment woody
or more of are thicker than two to three years • bearing fruits
clean dry Liberica after transplanting starts 4-5 years
coffee beans • yields approximately • yields 1,000kg of after transplanting
per hectare 1,000kg of clean dry clean dry coffee • yields
• 10-11mos to coffee beans per beans per hectare approximately 500
ripen hectare • 7-9 months after to 1000kg of clean
• small and • develop after 8-11mos flowering. dry coffee beans
roundish. after flowering. per hectare.
 C. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF LEAVES
 D. COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF FRUIT/BERRIES
• borne in • borne in • borne in • borne in small
heavy heavy cluster medium cluster
cluster • roundish, cluster • oblong in
• small and bigger than • oblong in shape
roundish Arabica but shape • thick pulp
• thin pulp smaller than • thin pulp • protruded
Liberica nipple
• pulps are
thicker than
Liberica
 How this coffee plant
was produced?

--- End of Session 2 ---

….bringing Philippine coffee back to the world market.