Machine Translated by Google

THE COFFEE POT

Family: Rubiacea
Latin name: Coffea
Malagasy name: Kafé

1. AIMS OF CULTURE
The coffee tree is cultivated for its fruits which produce "coffee beans". After roasting, these beans are
used to prepare a drink in almost all parts of the world.
Coffee is used to flavor pastries, ice creams, etc.
The pulp of the dried or fresh fruits is used as organic fertilizer or livestock feed. The parchment and
dried shells also have an interesting calorific value.

The tannins contained in the pulp can be used to tan leather. The pulp, rich in carbohydrates, can be
used to prepare essential oils for the
perfumery.
Coffee is one of Madagascar's main resources and ranks third among agricultural products exported in terms of foreign currency after
vanilla and shellfish.
2. BOTANY Of
African origin, we currently know more than a certain number of species of coffee trees. But only two of them are cultivated and supply
the world, Coffra Arabica from Ethiopia and Coffra Canephora.

The C Arabica coffee tree, the oldest known, is the most widespread (all production in Central and Southern America represents more than
60% of world production).
The Robusta coffee tree belongs to the C Canephore species, the most widely cultivated in tropical Africa. In Madagascar, coffee
cultivation has spread throughout the eastern coastal strip.
The coffee tree C is an evergreen shrub 8 to 12m high in the wild state. The shape of the shrubs takes on varied silhouettes, depending
on the various species and varieties (spreading, drooping, robe, erect, fastigate, multi-stemmed, bushy, slender, dwarf). These shapes are
given to them by the aerial organs: - Erect, vertical stem (orthotropic)

- Opposite branches in a more or less horizontal position (plagiotropic)

- Entire leaves, two by two opposite - Axillary
buds of the stem: primary bud giving plagiotropic branches garnished with buds stuck between stem and petiole, providing orthotropic
suckers and inflorescences - Inflorescences: 3 to 5 inflorescences per leaf axil - Flowers: a flower bud
ends the branches of the inflorescences, each flower is formed by a
reduced calyx whose lobes are limited to notches, a corolla, an ovary and linear anthers.

- Fruits: drupe, commonly called cherry, sub-globose in shape, red when ripe, reaching 8 to 15mm in height depending on the species.
Each ripe fruit consists of an excocarp (skin), a fleshy, yellowish-white mesocarp (pulp) and 2 seeds joined by their flat face.

Each seed is protected by two envelopes: the first, the endocarp, is thin and sclerotic in texture (parchment); the second, the
perisperm, is a very thin membrane (pellicle) more or less adherent to the seed.

3. ECOLOGY 3.1.
Juvenile growth assessment - The
coffee plant multiplies naturally by its seeds. It can also be multiplied by cuttings, grafting and even layering - The mature seed (coffee
bean) covered or not with
its parchment can germinate as soon as it is harvested (absence of dormancy period) under sufficient humidity and temperatures
(25 – 30°C)
- Juvenile growth continues upwards until the first branching appears. The cotyledonary leaves wither and fall 4 to 6 weeks after
emergence - The young plant bears 4 to 8 pairs of branches around one year old -
The aerial apparatus is equipped with all its vegetative attributes -
Growth is regulated by the alternation of dry and wet seasons 3.2.
Productivity phase - around two or three years old, a certain balance between the aerial
system/root system determines
flowering maturity - A first harvest can be assured in the 3rd year - Around 5 – 6 years old, the plant is considered adult; its height is
around 3m
(often reduced to 2m by pruning)

- All constructive functions are based first on the framework of the tree (stem, its primary, then secondary and tertiary
ramifications? Importance of second-order ramifications for the formation and fruiting in Arabica.

- Foliation continues on the branches as the internodes develop. Leaf fall is permanent.
Machine Translated by Google
- Photosynthesis and transpiration are a function of stomatal density, cuticular permeability and pigmentation of the leaf blade 3.3. Flowering
- It ensures the reproduction of
the species and
production - Wood bearing inflorescence located on the primary ramifications for
Canephora, and on the secondary ones for Arabica - Evolution: appearance of the floral node until the blossoming of the floral glomeruli:
at least two and
a half months - Transition from the green bud stage to the white blossomed bud stage: 6 to 7 days - Floral blossoms are grouped in one or
two
times following triggering rains (tornadoes) during the dry season (for Canephora) or at
the beginning of the rainy season (Arabica). Small additional blooms can occur in climates with 4 seasons - In the event of ecological
unsuitability of the species, there is virescence or star formation. This is an anomaly of the

floral development, premature opening of flower buds during the last stage of flowering, leading to sterility of the flower.

3.4. Pollination - Provided

by insects (bees and ants), wind, gravity - Pollen has a life of 3 to 4 days under
normal conditions 3.5. Fruiting - About a month and a half after flowering,
the embryo begins to
develop. This phase initiates the fruit setting - Until the final maturation into a berry (red epidermis), it takes: 6 to 8 months for C Arabica -
9 to 11 months for C
Canephora This duration is influenced by altitude (cooling of the atmosphere)

- The rate of growth of the fruit is as follows: 0 to 8 weeks slow growth 8 to 24

. weeks: rapid growth
.
. Beyond 24 weeks: poor development. Color change:
maturation - Fruit drop "shedding": a small
proportion (16 to 20%) of all fertilized flowers reach the ripe fruit stage 3.6. Vegetative decline phase - sterility

- This stage corresponds to a strong degradation of the aerial system (a drop in production) and a decline in the root system - The first signs
of fatigue normally
appear after 15 to 20 years of fruiting

4. ECOLOGY

PARAMETERS COFFEA ARABICA COFFEA CANEPHORA

Tropical temperate by altitude with 2 Hot and humid equatorial or subequatorial

- Climate contrasting seasons climate
1,500 – 1,800 mm: year with season

1,300 – 2,500 mm/year spread over 9 to 10

- Marked dry rainfall (4-5 months)
months

Average: 18 – 22°C 20 – 25° (Min: 11°C) without marked daily

- Temperature
(Min: 4°, Max: 31°C) deviation
- Sunstroke Heliotrope Heliotrope
- Altitude 1,300 – 1,800m Less than 1000m

Light, deep acid reaction (4.5<pH<6.5) No special requirements for deep soils
Soil type

5. CULTURES 5.1.
Multiplication - The
coffee tree multiplies by generative means (sowing) or by vegetative means (cuttings, grafting)
5.1.1. Multiplication by sowing
Germination tray

** Soil preparation: thick compost boards 12 to 20 cm thick

* Sowing: seeds placed flat side down on the ground, depth 1 – 2 cm under straw: germination in 14 months,
shade essential
* Density: spacing 2 – 3 cm in all directions. (1,000 seeds/m2; 1.75 to 2m2 per ha of plantation)
* Duration of stay: 4 to 6 weeks in the germinator (until the cotyledon leaves open)
Nursery
* Arranged in 1.20m to 1.50m planks on non-stony and debris-free ground, up to 40cm
depth
Machine Translated by Google
* Fertilization: well-decomposed organic manure greater than 200 kg/are
* Transplanting: strictly using vigorous plants with straight pivots
* Density: 20 x 20 cm or 1.25 ares for 1 ha to be planted
* Maintenance: shade from transplanting then gradual reduction of shade as the
seedlings are developing, regular watering (not too much), weeding
* length of stay: 12 to 15 months for Arabica 6 - 8 months for Canephora 5.1.2. Cuttings
- the production of
plants by cutting is possible with C Canephora (success rate > 70%). The interest of this multiplication technique lies in the faithful
reproduction of the coffee plant - The cuttings are taken from arched shrubs and specially
raised in wood parks, before being placed = in cutting trays called propagators, for 6 to 8 weeks - The wood park is a set of abundantly
manured flower beds, placed under shade and on

which 16 selected plants were planted per m2 - These plants are

called "baguettes" which are orthotropic suckers with 6 to 10 levels of leaves. The cutting of the baguettes takes place in the morning
- The exploitation of the wood yard can begin after 6 to 9
months - Preparation of the cuttings: with a sharp pruning shears and a
grafting knife, cut the baguette 0.5 - 1 cm above each node bearing a pair of leaves (to prevent the further development of branches
emerging from the primary, extra axillary buds)

* Each piece of baguette, bearing the 2 leaves cut in the middle or at a third of their length (for
limit evapotranspiration) is cut 3 cm (or one inch) below these leaves
*The cuttings are then split: sectioned into two longitudinal segments, each bearing
a leaf. This operation is however only possible with cuttings of sufficient diameter.
- The prepared cuttings are placed in frames or trays filled with alternating layers of stones and gravel, thus facilitating drainage and
supporting the rooting medium. The latter consists of a layer of porous, chemically inert material at least 20 cm thick (coarse, fermented,
sieved and washed sawdust, coarse river sand, rice husks, parchment or composted coffee husks. These frames called propagators
or cutting pits contain 250 cuttings per m2 (i.e. a density of 15cm x 2.5cm) and are 50% shaded - Watering takes place once every 2
days in cold and rainy weather and once or twice a day in hot weather, and is preferably done in the evening with clean water - The
cuttings remain in
the propagators for 2 to 3 months. As soon as the roots are 3 to 4 cm long, they are transplanted into a nursery - The nursery is
identical to that of sowing. Draw lines on the flowerbeds spaced 25 cm
apart, place a rooted cutting on each line every 25cm, shade the cuttings in the dry season for 15 days, weed, clean the flowerbeds,
and water when the soil
dries out - After 6 to 8 months in the nursery, i.e. aged 8 to 11 months, the young coffee plants from the cuttings are ready to be planted
in the open field - In practice, only young plants with 6 pairs of leaves are transplanted 5.1.3 Propagation by grafting - The
rootstock is either a plant from the seedling or a rooted cutting. The rootstock must be
hardy and well adapted to the terrain (floodable? Coffea Congensis, dry lands? Coffee Excelsa)

- The graft is a fragment of suckers from an elite tree that we want to multiply - Grafting is done by approach, in shield
and especially in ordinary cleft - The problems of this method of propagation, which limit
popularization, concern the affinities and incompatibilities of the varieties or species present and the professional qualification of
the operators.
5.2. Planting 5.2.1
Soil preparation
- Is done almost a year before planting the coffee tree - Coffee trees
are usually established in forest land - Clear the paths, planting lines and
holes without burning - Stake out the paths, planting lines and holes - Anti-erosion needs,
depending on the configuration of the land, the nature of the soil,
the importance and violence of the rains - On sloping land, stake out the rows of holes parallel to the contour lines. Separate the rows
with an anti-erosion hedge of
Flemingia, Citronella or Vetiver. In the inter-rows, sow a cover plant (legume family)

- Plant temporary shade and permanent shade 6 months before planting the coffee trees
- Dig planting holes measuring 50cm x 50cm x 50cm in the previously marked areas - Spacing:

- Arabica: 2m x2m to 3m x 3m (up to 5,000 plants/ha)

- Canephora: 2.5m x 2.5m x 4m (1000 to 1500 plants/ha) 4 to 5
weeks after digging, fill the holes with cover soil. If possible, mix with well-rotted manure (or compost using coffee mill waste) and
mineral fertilizer. Also treat the soil with Aldrin (20%) at a rate of 20g per hole.
Machine Translated by Google
- 4 to 5 weeks after filling the holes, young coffee trees can be planted. Temporary shade trees should be 50 to 60 cm high.

5.2.2. Planting - After

copious watering, the plants in clods are removed from the nursery - Maintain the soil around
the roots with tied banana leaves or woven straw. If the plants are in plastic pots, remove them when planting - In the case of a Canephora
plantation, plant a mixture of 7 to 8 clones (polyclonal mixture), to ensure good fertilization of
the flowers later - When planting, make sure to place the collar at ground level and not twist the taproot - Plug the hole by firmly tamping
the soil around the young coffee plant - Then protect the young coffee
plant with shade from foliage (fern or longoza) for 15 days - Planting date: - On the East Coast, planting can be done all
year round if you have plants in plastic pots. While the best planting time is from November to
March for bare-root plants - On the High Plateaus, young coffee trees are planted at the beginning of the rainy season 5.3. Shading In
addition to protection from the
sun, shading is mainly intended to protect coffee trees from the cold and wind. Shading is also recommended for coffee trees located in
rugged high-altitude regions, to protect the soil from rain erosion.

The disadvantages of its use, in the event of poorly controlled excess (e.g. reduced yields, increased production costs, risk of disease
development in humid environments, water and nutritional competition) often outweigh its advantages. The use of permanent
shading of plots is therefore only recommended when ecological
conditions are limiting for coffee growing (areas exposed to frost, hail, excessive heat or rainfall).

Temporary shading (one to two years) of young coffee plantations by interplanting shrubs offers more advantages than disadvantages
5.3.1. Temporary or provisional shading - Sow 6
months before planting the coffee trees on the
stakes, immediately after clearing and staking out the land. The lines are oriented East-West - Use a mixture of crotalaria, Flemingia,
Cajanus Cajan (pigeon pea). Tephosa is prohibited,
as it attracts scale insects. Banana trees are not recommended because they are very hungry for potash - Thin out to 50cm on either side of
the coffee trees, when the temporary shade reaches 3m in height. Repeat this operation as many times as
necessary so as not to smother the coffee trees - Remove this shade after the 3rd year 5.3.2. Permanent or definitive shade - Plant at
the same time as temporary shade - Use legumes such as Inga Dulcis, Albizia stipulata which are
placed on the rows of coffee trees - Remove one shade tree out
of two around the 7th or 8th year of planting 5.4.
Intercropping An intercropping in a strip, sufficiently far from
the base of the coffee trees (approximately 0.70m), made up of selected plants which do not shade the growth of the young plants, well
maintained, can contribute to its good management: enrichment by its harvest residues.

Economic interest of the practice: immediate harvests for the planter, while the coffee plantation does not produce
Again.

Its agronomic interest: fertilization (necessary), weeding and phytosanitary treatments (possible) of intercropping contribute to the
good condition of the coffee trees.
The varieties most suitable for this type of cultivation:
* Beans, peanuts, earth peas (vouandzou) and in general non-climbing legumes, enriching the soil with their nodules * Rice, corn (the latter
not repeated from one year to
the next and harvested before its shade on the young coffee trees tends to make them shoot, despite its always favorable effect of
green break)
* Various vegetables: cabbages, potatoes when the climate allows them; spice plants (pepper) or stimulants (tobacco); cotton also in a
single line 5.5. Permanent associated crops We are
considering the simultaneous and perennial
cultivation, on the same land, of coffee trees and one of the major tropical cash crops (quinquina, rubber, oil palm, coconut). But this
associative system is not recommended even if it is carried out with partners whose association may be more temporary (e.g.
banana trees). Because of the competition generated at the level of soil nutrients and water competition (always harmful to the
productivity of the whole.

5.6. Maintenance
- replacement of missing parts: regeneration of old coffee plantations. The operation concerns both coffee plantations "beyond economic age"
(having exceeded the age limit of 25 to 30 years) and relatively young but degraded coffee plantations - Avoid "ploughman's madness" or
excessive
stirring of the soil between the rows causing an activation of microbial work, with as a consequence the accelerated destruction of the
humus and an unfavourable effect on the
Machine Translated by Google
soil cohesion - It is
therefore advisable to work the soil as little as possible, especially in the rainy season. The least dangerous maintenance methods to be
recommended in order are: * mulching (ideal but expensive to
implement) * chemical weeding: requires good technical skills from participants and
the availability of good herbicides

* Living and permanent soil cover: this is the method that ensures soil protection at the lowest cost, provided that the species
constituting the cover has been well chosen. It gives a living soil, resistant to climatic inclement weather and is opposed to the system of bare
weeding. The recommended plants are:
Legumes due to the additional enrichment in nitrogen by their nodules (Mimosa inisa, Desmodium ovalfolium (green leaf), Desmodium
intortum (silver leaf), Pueraria javanica, Flemingia congesta - Maintenance of shade trees and periodic thinning of these -
Spreading of Aldrin as a preventive measure and at a rate of 15 cm3 of 20% emulsion
product in 2 liters per coffee tree during the first 2 years - Periodic de-budding of coffee trees (every 2 months during the hot and
humid season)

5.7. Size
The young coffee tree, when it enters production, presents a beautiful architectural and functional symmetry, where branches are regularly
arranged from the base to the top. Flowering and fruiting, more or less abundant, fill the oldest glomeruli. Thus, the reproductive
surface increases at the same time as the tree, develops new ramifications which, themselves branch out into secondary or tertiary palmettes.
As it ages, the beautiful vegetative and reproductive harmony deteriorates:

** The stem rises to sometimes considerable heights (5m to 15m depending on the species or variety) leading to a tall bouquet of young
branches.
** The branches lengthen, losing their leaves at their base after fruiting ** In the middle part
of the tree, these leafless branches dry up and die on the anarchic trunk of unproductive suckers. , not leaving to subsist

The purpose of pruning the coffee tree is therefore to restore as much as possible the effective surface area of branches and leaf nodes
likely to bear new and abundant inflorescences and capable of ensuring their development without physiological hazards. In
,
addition, pruning will give the crops a robust and balanced appearance, supporting well-oriented fruiting branches facilitating their exploitation.
In coffee growing, three main methods can be adopted: single-stem pruning, multiple-stem pruning, free growth
managed with accelerated periodic renovation.

Currently, single-stem (unicaule) pruning is abandoned because it is too expensive and too complicated.
Multi-stemmed pruning is preferred, as it gives higher yields than single-stemmed trees.

5.7.1. Training pruning After

the young coffee tree has taken root during the first hot season (from November to early February on the East Coast), arching will be
carried out in order to force the young coffee trees to produce new shoots. To this end, the low
branches are removed and the coffee tree is held horizontally using a hook or tie.

We keep 4 shoots distributed around the foot and as close as possible to the collar, 2 to 3 months later.
The head of the main stem which is parallel to the ground is generally removed because it will, at best, give only a small production.

5.7.2. Production pruning The

principle is to keep the stems in production only until their 3rd harvest without pinching them. After the last harvest, some of them will
be removed. They will be replaced gradually by new shoots, so as to constantly have 4 stems in production:

- The previous 4 shoots grow, flower and give their first harvest. Remove all the shoots that appear.

- After the second harvest, keep an additional shoot - After the 3rd harvest,
remove one of the oldest stems and keep a new shoot. Do the same after the 4th and 5th harvest - After the 6th harvest, remove the
last of the stems from the initial shoots
and always keep a new shoot.

5.7.3. Regeneration pruning - It

applies to coffee trees that are not managed rationally and that generally only have a single trunk - It is also carried out by periodically
cutting back tall, exhausted and unproductive stems - Only plantations that are still vigorous and have adequate shade
should be cut back - The cutting back period is imperatively the dry season, as soon as possible after the harvest,
in order to obtain an early start of the new stems and their flowering a year later. Cutting back is carried out between the months of August
and October on the East Coast - We start by first adjusting the shade by reducing it if it is too thick - Then cut the base of the coffee tree
diagonally at a height of 0.30 to 0.40 m
after having slashed the vegetation around the base. Take the opportunity to thin out the plantation
and replace the missing plants
Machine Translated by Google
- Three months after the pruning (around February/March) carry out selective disbudding by choosing three to six of the most robust
suckers, well distributed around the well-lit stump and remove the others - One to two months later, make a second selection
of suckers and remove the new shoots to finally keep the three or four planned stems - After the 3rd or 4th harvest, cut except for one
which serves as a sap-puller - Choose 4 new suckers - As soon as
the sap-puller harvest is finished, remove it - The 4 new shoots will provide the next
harvest and the cycle thus begins again
5.8. Fertilization Regarding organic manure: - Provide as much well-
decomposed farmyard manure as possible per hole at the time of planting - Then provide every 4 years:
40 to 50 T of farmyard
manure as a cover around each coffee plant.

Add a little ammonium sulfate to the manure to facilitate its decomposition. As for mineral fertilization: -
When planting, add 500g of dicalcium
phosphate and 500g of dolomite per hole with the manure - For coffee trees 1 to 3 years old, add 50g of urea per plant (in
April on the EC) and 50g of urea per plant in November - For coffee trees in production, add 100g per year of 20 – 10 – 10 per plant
in two times:
in April and November - In the event of a magnesium deficiency, add 100g/plant per year of kieserite

6. HARVEST AND YIELD - Age of first

harvest: 3 – 4 years - Pick only very ripe
cherries (red). Immature cherries (green) only produce coffee beans in smaller quantities. Overripe cherries (brown) produce coffee beans
with a bad taste and defective presentation.

- Only harvest cherry by cherry in several times as they reach maturity - The harvested cherries must be taken immediately to
the place of treatment - Average yield of a coffee tree: 5 to 10 kg of cherries, or 1 to 2 kg
of commercial coffee, or a yield of 300 to 800 kg/ha - Viability: 20 years on average. It can reach 50 years

7. DISEASES AND ENEMIES

There are two major scourges: orange rust and grain borer.
Rust (cryptogamic disease caused by Hemileia vastatrix and H coffeicola) is manifested by the appearance of yellowish spots on
the leaves, the fall of diseased leaves can lead to the complete defoliation of the shrub.

The bark beetle is an insect that perforates cherries and can cause the fruit to fall or its quality to deteriorate.

In addition, there is root rot (longitudinal cracks and rot of the taproot and main roots) caused by fungi, the only effective means of control of
which are to isolate the diseased plants by digging deep enough holes, uproot them (and shade them with them) and incinerate all the trunks
and woody debris. Anthracnose of fruits causes cherries to drop.

It is treated with copper solutions. Cochineals can attack roots and aerial organs (forming a sleeve around the collar, causing the disease
called Phthiria (dangerous for young coffee trees) or sooty mold.

8.TECHNOLOGY To
obtain commercial coffee, the beans must be removed from their husks. Two methods are used: .
Wet processing: this is the most
interesting because the beans, once processed, will require little conditioning. Their color is very uniform. corn a wet processing facility
requires a minimum of 200 ha plantation to be profitable. Dry processing: which is the most used and the simplest

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY
- "Memento de l'Agronome" - New edition. French Republic - Ministry of Cooperation - 1984 - "Collection of Special Agriculture Technical
Sheets" by Mr. Paul HUBERT-Agronomist Engineer - 1968 - Volume 1 - "Larousse Agricole" published under the direction of Jean-Michel
Clément
- Librairie Larousse - 1981 - "Le caféier" by HR Cambrony - Edition, Maisonneuve et Larose - Agency for Cultural and Technical
Cooperation - Technical Center for Regional and Rural Cooperation - 1987 - "The Coffee Industry in Madagascar" - Document - Produced
by CITE and GRET - October 1990 "Ny Fambolena Kafe Arabica eto afovoan-tany" by
Sendika Kristiana Fianarantsoa - 1956
Machine Translated by Google