An answer to the coffee challenge: from herbarium to coffee genetic resource collections in the Democratic Republic of Congo: The uncertain future of coffee

About 99% of the world coffee production is based on two species, Coffea arabica (‘Arabica coffee) and C. canephora (‘Robusta coffee’). Although the exact impact of global change on coffee production is still under debate (DaMatta et al., 2019), severe impact on coffee yield and quality can be expected if no adaptation takes place (Läderach et al., 2017; Ovalle- Rivera et al., 2015). In general, climatic suitability for Arabica coffee is predicted to decrease in Meso-America and East Africa, while Robusta coffee will compensate this decline by an increase in productivity, particularly in Meso- andcoffee’) and C. canephora (‘Robusta coffee’). Although the exact impact of global change on coffee production is still under debate (DaMatta et al., 2019), South America, Indonesia, and Africa (Magrach and Ghazoul, 2015; Ovalle- Rivera et al., 2015). On the other hand, new consumer behavior, new processing technologies and the quest for new culinary experiences will change the requested ‘traits’ of the raw material, namely the green coffee bean. In this context, wild coffee diversity is an important source of traits for breeding, or can even serve directly as alternative species for the production of coffee. The introduction of Robusta coffee in the early 20th century, in response to the 19th century coffee leaf rust crisis, is a good example of a successful introduction of a new crop species that came directly from the wild.

Auteurs: Stoffelen Piet, Ithe Mwanga Mwanga, Bienfait Kambale, Salvator Ntore, Chantal Shalukoma, Céphas Masumbuko, Elasi Ramazani, Patrice Lomboto, Tshimi Ebele, Justin Asimonyio, Francesca Lanata, Samuel Vanden Abeele, Steven Janssens & Filip Vandelook