Collections of unique germplasm:

The germplasm collections are a key resource for CIFC science. CIFC is in a unique position to exploit these genetic resources in combination with new or improved evaluation procedures and marker-based approaches to assess diversity. The enlargement of germplasm collections is produced mainly from the results of the activities: “ Pathogenicity surveys ” and “ Screening of disease resistance”.
 

Coffea spp.
Several thousands of accessions of coffee plants from different species and origins, including different accessions of Hibrido de Timor (HDT) were characterized at CIFC according to their spectra of resistance against 50 physiologic races of H. vastatrix and grouped in 50 physiologic groups of resistance. In these groups, coffee plants susceptible and resistant to all the known rust races can be found and some are used to differentiate physiologic rust races (coffee differentials). Through crossing between plants of the most commercially important Arabica cultivars and coffee plants of different groups of resistance, more than two hundred hybrids have been synthesized at CIFC. The same procedure is being used in relation to Colletotrichum kahawae (CBD).

Hemileia vastatrix
From about 3600 rust samples from 40 coffee growing countries, more than 50 rust races of H. vastatrix were identified on a selected range of 27 coffee differentials.

Colletotrichum spp.
Some hundreds of isolates of Colletotrichum spp. including C. kahawae, isolated from coffee plants in different coffee growing countries, as well as isolates provided by with other research institutions in the scope of joint projects, constitute an important collection.