USDA’s Agricultural Research Service announced it has joined the Global Coffee Breeding Network coordinated by World Coffee Research. The network will offer USDA broader opportunities to develop more climate-resilient coffee varieties with resistance to pests and diseases.
Kona coffee, one of Hawaii’s most legendary and valuable agricultural crops, has come under increasing threats from new diseases and pests. A U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center spokesperson says, “we’ll have a partnership with coffee growing countries around the world that will expand our ability to add pest and disease resistance and greater climate resilience to the coffee crop and supporting U.S. growers.”
The network’s goal is to bring together collaborating countries to transform coffee breeding and accelerate the pace of genetic improvement to the crop’s yield, quality, climate resilience, and resistance to pests and diseases. Nine countries have joined the network, including Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, Uganda and now ARS in the United States.
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