A Review on the Status of Coffee Berry Disease (Colletotrichum kahawae) in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia has served in the past and continues to serve as the source of germplasm for several economically important cultivated crops around the world. Coffee is a non-alcoholic and stimulant beverage crop, and belongs to the family Rubiaceae and the genus Coffea. This commercially as well as genetically valuable crop is attacked by a number of pre- and post-harvest diseases, and of these diseases, coffee berry disease (CBD), coffee wilt disease (CWD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR) are the most important in Ethiopia. CBD is by far the most economically important disease causing up to 100% losses in some places.CBD is a major cause of crop loss of arabica coffee in Africa and a dangerous threat to production elsewhere. Prevalence of CBD was conducted in Oromiya Region and Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) and the result indicated 38.8 and 17.2% of mean percent prevalence of the disease, respectively (IAR, 1997). According to the result CBD pressure was very high at higher altitudes in the southwest region, while severe disease was recorded in valleys of Sidamo zone. In Amhara region where CBD occurs, survey result showed that an average CBD severity for the 1996/97-crop season was 38%.The occurrence and intensity of CBD varies from place to place and from one season to the other, depending largely on host susceptibility, pathogen aggressiveness and favorable weather conditions.. The disease is very severe and causes appreciable yield loss in areas where the temperature is relatively low and relative humidity is high, mainly in the rainy seasons.

Keywords:  Coffee Berry Disease (Colletotrichum kahawae) Introduction