SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
This topic explores the key Kenyan-developed coffee varieties—SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian—their origins, traits, flavor profiles, and significance for disease resistance and quality.
Cup quality
Typica and Bourbon lineages
This topic explores the two foundational Arabica lineages—Typica and Bourbon—their origins, spread, genetic traits, and importance for modern coffee cultivation and flavor diversity.
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.
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.