Strategy for Selection of Drought-Tolerant Arabica Coffee Genotypes in Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to establish a strategy for drought-tolerant selection in Arabica coffee genotypes in Brazil, combining field trials under natural conditions with controlled growth condition experiments. A group of genotypes was evaluated in the greenhouse using 28 morphological, anatomical, and physiological traits. In addition, the productivity of genotypes was evaluated in the field. Under water deficit in the greenhouse, 13 studied traits showed significant genetic variance. For these traits, the heritability coefficients estimated based on the progeny mean ranged from 65 to 92%. A selection index combined with predicted means was applied at these traits to select four progenies for drought tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Under field conditions, the selection applied to genetic values that favored positive genetic gains in four progenies, indicating the potential use of these cultivars for breeding advanced generations. The selection results of coffee plants under greenhouse conditions matched the selection results in the field in a water-deficit region by 50% based on productivity; thus, two genotypes (H419-3-3-7-16-11 and H516-2-1-1-7-2) were identified that have both the productivity and morpho-anatomical traits that confer greater drought tolerance. Finally, we discussed possible strategies for the development of drought-tolerant cultivars.

Phenotypic Plasticity Index as a Strategy for Selecting Water-Stress-Adapted Coffee Genotypes

“…Responses to water stress vary among species and within genotypes of the same species, with some being more adapted due to genetic, environmental, and management factors [4,16,17]. Tolerance to stress is determined by these complex elements.…”

“…Therefore, there is an urgent need for a systemic approach to evaluating phenotypic plasticity, aiming to improve the understanding of the plant system as a whole based on non-reducible characteristics [35,36]. The MVPi is proposed as a phenotypic plasticity index, which comprises multiple traits into a single indicator of plant status-not in a modular way, but as a representation of the whole [16].…”

“…However, the surge in genotypes for evaluation, combined with advanced high-throughput phenotyping methods, has led to more intricate and potentially less efficient processes [15]. Drought tolerance, a complex trait influenced by multiple genes, necessitates the assessment of various morphological, physiological, and molecular characteristics to identify tolerant plants [1,[16][17][18]. This evaluation often spans multiple coffee crop cycles due to its perennial nature.…”

Coffee—From Plant to Cup

“…Likewise, Silva et al [17] focused on identifying a strategy for enhancing drought tolerance in Arabica coffee genotypes. Recognizing the importance of developing resilient crops in an era of escalating climate change, this research represents a significant contribution towards future-proofing the coffee industry.…”

Multiple Traits Selection Strategies: A Proposal for Coffee Plant Breeding

“…Agronomy 2023, 13, 2033 2 of 13 The development of a superior and widely adapted cultivar requires the evaluation of multiple traits to be used as selection criteria. Selection indices have been used for the selection of superior progenies [6][7][8]. A numerical value is estimated as a function of the linear combination of multiple traits measured by the researcher.…”