Influence of coffee production systems on the occurrence of coffee beans abnormality: Implication on coffee quality

Abstract

In Ethiopia, coffee production system can mainly be categorized as; garden, plantation, semi-forest and forest coffee production systems which are assumed to vary in the intensity of management. But, little is known whether these production systems and the associated management practices have effect on coffee beans abnormalities. Besides, the role of pea berry on cup quality parameters has not been documented under Ethiopian condition. Therefore, the study was carried out to assess the influence of coffee production systems on the occurrence of bean abnormality and cup quality. The study was carried out in the landscape matrix of forest and agricultural lands near Jimma, in South-western Ethiopia. A total of 24 study sites in four production systems were sampled. Coffee cherries were prepared following the standard procedure for wet method of processing. The beans sensory quality was tested with and without pea berry (the major bean abnormality observed in this study). Coffee production system showed significant influence on the occurrence of bean abnormality. Plantation coffee production system showed significantly higher proportion of pea berry which accounts for higher portion of bean abnormality than the rest of production systems (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the coffee beans tested with and without pea berry in all of the production systems except body in the garden coffee production system, where the coffee tested with pea berry gave the lower grade while coffee tested without pea berry scored the highest grade. In conclusion, an evidence was not generated for the negative effect of pea berry on coffee quality. However, future study was recommended on the causes of bean abnormalities in coffee across coffee production systems as occurrence of pea berry may have yield implication.