Page 48 - #51 English
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Arabica coffee was originated in Ethiopia. As research made forms. Hybrids are created by crosses between two
said, the oldest known coffee is considered to be Typica. Typica different species or two different forms of the same species.
was taken from Ethiopia to Yemen and from there to India, Hybrids may occur through naturally or selective breeding,
Indonesia, to the botanic gardens of Europe, where it moved on meaning, it can reproduce. For example, Mundo Novo developed
to Central and Southern America. It is believed that Typica and in Brazil: is a hybrid of Sumatra Typica and Red Bourbon. Or,
Bourbon are the ascendants of most modern coffee varieties. Arabica and Robustas are occasionally crossed to create hybrids,
Though there are many more wild Arabicas in Ethiopia, but only making the good tasting Arabica more resistant to diseases.
a few specieswere grownin other parts of the world. The mixed This diagram represents the relationships between the
heirlooms in Ethiopian are still to be explored and developed.
most common coffee species, varieties, and cultivars. Lines and
Coffee Adaptation: arrows linking plant groups indicate parentage. Line lengths do
not represent relative relatedness or genetic distances. Arrows
Due to the climate changes and diseases, humans and toward mutations represent that those cultivars that resulted
also the coffee plant itself learn to deal with these changes by from a spontaneous genetic change. Arrows toward selections
developing it to cope more, and making its taste better or more indicate a selection made by humans that resulted in a differen-
tolerant to diseases. tiated variety or cultivar, or in the case of C. Arabica, a natural
There are some ways to do this either naturally or human - hybrid cross which occurred in nature.
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