Common physiological disorders
This topic covers the most frequent physiological (non-pathogenic) disorders in coffee plants, how they differ from diseases, their causes, and their impact on yield and bean quality.
Coffee botany & plant biology
Yield vs quality trade-offs
This topic explains the natural and management-driven trade-offs between maximizing coffee yield and achieving high cup quality, and why farmers, buyers, and consumers must balance these competing priorities.
Altitude and temperature effects on growth
This topic explores how altitude and temperature shape coffee growth, yield, and flavor, explaining why terroir is central to coffee’s identity and quality.
Water relations and drought tolerance
This topic explores how coffee plants manage water, how drought affects their physiology and productivity, and the strategies farmers use to improve resilience in water-limited environments.
Nutrient uptake and deficiencies
This topic explains how coffee plants absorb nutrients from the soil, the role of each essential nutrient, and how deficiencies manifest in visible symptoms and reduced productivity.
Photosynthesis, shade response, and stress
This topic explores how coffee plants capture energy through photosynthesis, how they respond to shade versus direct sunlight, and how environmental stress affects their growth, yield, and cup quality.