World Coffee Research and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have published the results of the coffee sector's largest coordinated variety trial in Scientific Reports. The programme grew 32 arabica varieties at 30 research sites across 17 countries, drawing on field data gathered from 2015 to 2023.
The headline finding: recently bred varieties carrying genes from other coffee species consistently beat traditional "pure" arabica on both yield and resistance to coffee leaf rust, one of the crop's most damaging diseases. The F1 hybrids H1 Centroamericano and EC16 (Mundo Maya) delivered the highest yields, followed by Parainema and Ruiru 11. H1 did better in warm, stable climates, while EC16 preferred cooler areas with wide day-night swings.
The researchers note that cup quality was not assessed, and that F1 hybrids cost more and are harder to propagate. Their advice is that any promising variety should first be proven under local conditions.