Current status and management of coffee leaf rust in Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, coffee leaf rust, a fungal disease caused by Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br., was first detected in Coffea arabica in January 1970, in the southern region of Bahia state. Today, the disease is present in virtually all arabica and conilon (Coffea canephora) coffee-growing areas of Brazil, and continues to threaten coffee production with losses that range from 30 to 50 %. The disease is usually less severe at elevations above 1,200 m, where the environment is less conducive for the rust. Disease risk is increased in arabica coffee compared to conilon, and lower production is expected in the year following an epidemic due to early defoliation and drying of branches. Several varieties were developed in the country using sources of resistance from germplasm collections in Portugal. However, very few are completely resistant, instead exhibiting various levels of partial resistance. The disease is currently managed through the use of protectant and systemic fungicides including copper, triazoles and strobilurins that should be applied following rules of decision that vary according to the risk scenario. A review of the biology and epidemiology of coffee rust in Brazil is presented and the best management practices for controlling the disease based on advances in breeding for resistance and crop protection are discussed.

Population genomic footprints of host adaptation, introgression and recombination in coffee leaf rust

“…From the first epidemic report in Sri Lanka in 1869, Hv has spread to virtually every coffee‐growing region in the world in about one and a half centuries (McCook and Vandermeer, ; Talhinhas et al ., ). During this period, several major outbreaks have been registered in Asia and Africa and, more recently, since 2008, a cluster of outbreaks has been occurring across the Americas (Avelino et al ., ; McCook and Vandermeer, ; Zambolim, ). Breeding for coffee resistance is considered to be the best long‐term solution to control CLR (McCook and Vandermeer, ), but the introduction of resistant varieties in the field has inevitably resulted in the loss of resistance as a result of adaptation of the pathogen.…”

Resistance inducers applied alone or in association with fungicide for the management of leaf rust and brown eye spot of coffee under field conditions

“…& Br., and brown eye spot (BYS), caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Cercospora coffeicola Berk. However, weather conditions, phenology and disease incidence should be taken into account during the decision-making process (Zambolim, 2016). Both diseases cause a reduction in leaf area and intense defoliation, which decreases the photosynthetic capacity of the plant, compromising the yield of the subsequent year (Zambolim, Vale, & Zambolim, 2005).…”

Assessment of genetic diversity of coffee leaf rust pathogen Hemileia vastatrix using SRAP markers

“…It has been estimated that in severe incidence level, the yield reduced from 30% to 80% in the case of arabica coffee. Although chemical control of CLR disease by using different fungicides was largely practised in plantation, the use of rust‐tolerant coffee genotype was considered to be the most promising alternative (Várzea & Marques, ; Zambolim, ). In India, coffee breeding aimed for rust resistance has been taken up and continued for the last 80 years, and as a result, many resistant cultivars have been released for commercial cultivation.…”