RooseveltMacCull at 12:14, 15 March 2026

2026-03-15T12:14:16Z

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{{Short description|Species of coffee plant}}
{{Redirect|Robusta|the satellite|ROBUSTA}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = ''Coffea canephora''
| image = Ripe Seeds Coffee Robusta Coorg Karnataka India Feb24 D72 25688.jpg
| image_caption = Berries of ''Coffea canephora''
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Chadburn, H. |author2=Davis, A.P. |date=2017 |title=''Coffea canephora'' |volume=2017 |article-number=e.T18290186A18539466 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T18290186A18539466.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Coffea
| species = canephora
| authority = [[Jean Baptiste Louis Pierre|Pierre]] ex [[Albrecht Froehner|A.Froehner]]
| synonyms = ''Coffea robusta'' <small>[[Lucien Linden|L.Linden]]</small>
}}
[[File:Coffee Singnally Coorg Jun24 A7CR 01495.jpg|thumb|Field of robusta bushes, [[Kodagu]]]]
[[File:Flowers Closeup Coffee Robusta Suntikoppa Apr24 A7C 10826.jpg|thumb|Flowers close-up]]
'''''Coffea canephora''''' (especially '''''C. canephora'' subvar. ''robusta''''', syn. '''''Coffea robusta''''', or commonly '''robusta coffee''') is a species of [[coffee plant]] that has its origins in central and western [[sub-Saharan Africa]]. It is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Rubiaceae]]. Though widely known as ''Coffea robusta'', the plant is scientifically identified as ''Coffea canephora'', which has two main varieties, ''robusta'' and ''nganda'' (''nom. illeg.'').<ref name=Dagoon05>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MPjMkLKebBQC&pg=PA58| title=Agriculture & Fishery Technology IV| page=58| author=J. Dagoon| publisher=Rex Bookstore, Inc.| year=2005| access-date=22 July 2011| isbn=978-971-23-4223-3}}</ref>

''Coffea canephora'' represents between 40% and 45% of global [[coffee]] production, with ''[[Coffea arabica]]'' constituting most of the remainder.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Robusta coffee production 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/225402/world-robusta-coffee-production/ |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Arabica coffee production 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/225400/world-arabica-coffee-production/ |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> There are several differences between the composition of [[coffee bean]]s from ''C. arabica'' and ''C. canephora''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=R Urgert and M B Katan |title=The cholesterol-raising factor from coffee beans. |journal=[[Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine]] |date=1 November 1996 |volume=89 |issue=11 |pages=618–623 |doi=10.1177/014107689608901107 |pmid=9135590 |pmc=1295997 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gaia Vince |title=Decaffeinated coffee may be harmful to heart |journal=New Scientist |date=16 November 2005 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8328-decaffeinated-coffee-may-be-harmful-to-heart/}} This article seems to have a mistake, using the word "diptenes" instead of "[[diterpene]]s", and also seems to contradict the above reference.</ref> Beans from ''C. canephora'' tend to have lower acidity, more bitterness, and a more woody and less fruity flavor compared to ''C. arabica'' beans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Seninde |first=Denis Richard |last2=Chambers |first2=Edgar |date=2020-07-08 |title=Coffee Flavor: A Review |url=https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/6/3/44 |journal=Beverages |language=en |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=44 |doi=10.3390/beverages6030044 |doi-access=free|issn=2306-5710 |via=}}</ref> Most of it is used for [[instant coffee]].

== Taxonomy ==
Though widely known by the [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] ''Coffea robusta'', the plant is currently scientifically identified as ''Coffea canephora'', which has two main varieties, ''C. canephora'' var. ''robusta'' and ''C. canephora'' var. ''nganda'' (''nom. illeg.'').<ref name=Dagoon05/> It was not recognized as a species of ''[[Coffea]]'' until 1897,<ref>{{Cite journal| last=Froehner| first=A.| date=1897| title=Übersicht über die Arten der Gattung Coffea| journal=Notizblatt des Königlichen botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin| url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28795717| lang=de| volume=1| issue=7| page=237}}</ref> over a hundred years after ''[[Coffea arabica]]''.<ref>{{Cite book| last1=Linnaeus| first1=Carl| authorlink=Carl Linnaeus| date=1753| title=Species plantarum| url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358191| lang=la| volume=1| page=172}}</ref>

== Description ==
[[File:Clusters Flowers Coffee Suntikoppa Apr24 A7C 10765.jpg|thumb|Clusters of robusta coffee flowers]]
Robusta is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Rubiaceae]]. The plant has a shallow [[root system]] and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=off|sigfig=1}} tall.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rahman |first=M. G. |last2=Malek |first2=M. A. A. |last3=Hossain |first3=M. A. |last4=Islam |first4=M. |date=2024-02-21 |title=Performance Evaluation of Coffee Coffea canephora (syn. Coffea robusta) Germplasm in the Hilly Region |url=https://www.easpublisher.com/media/features_articles/CCIJAVS_61_15-18_bE3mwxJ.pdf |journal=Cross Current International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences |volume=6 |issue=01 |pages=15–18 |doi=10.36344/ccijavs.2024.v06i01.003}}</ref> It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for [[Berry (botany)|the berries]] to ripen, producing oval-shaped beans.

The robusta plant has a greater [[crop yield]] than that of arabica, contains more [[caffeine]] (2.7% compared to arabica's 1.5%),<ref name=Nesbitt05>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5JXBN7fqg0MC&pg=PA177 |title=The Cultural History of Plants|pages=176–177|author=Mark Nesbitt|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year= 2005 |access-date=22 July 2011|isbn=978-0-203-02090-6}}</ref> and contains less sugar (3–7% compared to arabica's 6–9%).<ref name="TheCoffeeBarrister">{{cite web |title=Understanding the Difference: Arabica vs Robusta |publisher=The Coffee Barrister |date=31 July 2016 |url=https://www.coffeeb.net/arabica-vs-robusta/ |access-date=2 August 2016 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820053209/https://www.coffeeb.net/arabica-vs-robusta/ }}</ref> As it is less susceptible to pests and disease,<ref name="DavironPonte2005">{{cite book|author1=Benoit Daviron|author2=Stefano Ponte|title=The Coffee Paradox: Global Markets, Commodity Trade and the Elusive Promise of Development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mwpAO0J9ojgC&pg=PA51|year=2005|publisher=Zed Books|isbn=978-1-84277-457-1|page=51}}</ref> robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica.

== Native distribution ==
''C. canephora'' grows indigenously in Western and Central Africa from [[Liberia]] to [[Tanzania]] and south to [[Angola]].<ref name=Nesbitt05/> It is also reportedly [[Naturalization (biology)|naturalized]] in [[Borneo]], [[French Polynesia]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Jamaica]] and the [[Lesser Antilles]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=45464|title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|website=apps.kew.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-08-01}}</ref> In 1927 [[Plant hybrid|a hybrid]] between robusta and arabica was found in [[Timor]]. This strain was subsequently used to breed [[coffee rust]]-resistant plants.<ref name="bbc" />

== Cultivation and use ==
[[File:Canephora.jpg|thumb|Unroasted robusta beans]]
[[File:Coffee drying traditional Indonesia.jpg|thumb|Traditional drying of coffee beans in Kalibaru, Indonesia]]
Robusta has its origins in central and western [[sub-Saharan Africa]].<ref name=Dagoon05/> It is easy to care for, has a greater [[crop yield]], has almost double the amount of caffeine and more antioxidants,<ref>{{cite journal | title = Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, caffeine and melanoidins in soluble coffee: The influence of processing conditions and raw material| first1=J. A. | last1=Vignoli | first2=D. G. | last2= Bassoli | first3=M. T. | last3=Benassi | journal=Food Chemistry | volume=124 | issue=3 | year=2011 | pages=863–868 | doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.07.008}}</ref> and is less susceptible to disease than [[arabica coffea]].<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|last1=Penarredonda|first1=Jose Luis|title=The disease that could change how we drink coffee |url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171106-the-disease-that-could-change-how-we-drink-coffee |date = 6 November 2017 |website=BBC: In depth, Food |access-date=23 November 2017}}</ref> It represents 43% of global coffee production, with arabica constituting the remainder except for the 1.5% constituted by ''[[Coffea liberica]]''.<ref name="CoffeeProduction">{{cite web |title=Coffee: World Markets and Trade |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture – Foreign Agricultural Service |date=December 2019 |url=https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/m900nt40f/sq87c919h/8w32rm91m/coffee.pdf |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>

It is mostly [[Coffee production in Vietnam|grown in Vietnam]], where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century, though it is also grown in India, Africa, [[Coffee production in Brazil|and in Brazil]], where the ''conilon'' variety is widely grown.<ref name=Horowitz04>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=GYZaVvtGJ4sC&pg=PA41 |title=Insect pest management: field and protected crops |page=41|author=A. Rami Horowitz|publisher=Springer|year= 2004 |access-date=23 August 2011|isbn=978-3-540-20755-9 }}</ref> In recent years,{{when|date=January 2024}} Vietnam, which produces mostly robusta, has become the world's largest exporter of robusta coffee, accounting for over 40% of the total production.<ref name="CoffeeProduction" /> It surpasses Brazil (25% of the world's production), [[Coffee production in Indonesia|Indonesia]] (13%), [[Coffee production in India|India]] (5%), and Uganda (5%).<ref name="CoffeeProduction" /> <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-18 |title=A Guide to Coffee Flavors from 16 Countries |url=https://icosabrewhouse.com/blogs/news/a-guide-to-coffee-flavors-from-16-countries |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=ICOSA Brewhouse |language=en}}</ref>Brazil is still the biggest coffee producer in the world, producing one-third of the world's coffee, though 69% of that is ''C. arabica''.<ref name="CoffeeProduction" />

Since Robusta is easier to care for and has a greater crop yield than ''C. arabica'', it is cheaper to produce.<ref name=Miyanari08>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=84mcxGe5WtsC&pg=PA7 |title=Aloha Coffee Island |first=Walter |last=Miyanari |page=7|publisher=Savant Books & Publications |year=2008 |access-date=13 December 2011|isbn=978-0-615-18348-0 }}</ref> Roasted robusta beans produce a strong, full-bodied coffee with a distinctive earthy flavour, but usually with more bitterness than arabica due to its [[pyrazine]] content.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=2_WbE3gaDH0C&q=robusta++earthy+flavour&pg=PT83 |title=Food Flavour Technology |author= Andrew J. Taylor, Robert Linforth |page=68|publisher=John Wiley and Sons |year= 2010 |access-date=13 December 2011|isbn=978-1-4443-1778-7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lxbz7TG5wwAC&pg=PA799 |title=Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production: A Guidebook for Growers |page=799 |first=Jean Nicolas |last=Wintgens |publisher=Wiley-VCH |year=2009 |access-date=13 December 2011 |isbn=978-3-527-32286-2 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Since arabica beans are presumed to have smoother taste with more acidity and a richer flavour, they are often considered superior, while the harsher robusta beans are mostly used as a filler in lower-grade coffee blends.<ref name=Miyanari08/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Roasting and grinding - Coffee & Health |url=https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/about-coffee/roasting-grinding |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=www.coffeeandhealth.org}}</ref> However, the powerful flavour can be desirable in a blend to give it perceived "strength" and "finish", notably in [[Italian coffee culture]]. Good-quality robusta beans are used in traditional Italian [[espresso]] blends to provide a full-bodied taste and a better foam head (known as ''[[crema foam|crema]]'').<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Peluso |first=Mariano |date=2024-06-28 |title=Regional Variations in Italian Coffee Culture: Historical Influences and Contemporary Preferences for Robusta-Arabica Blends |url=https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/109/1/9 |journal=Proceedings |language=en |publisher=MDPI |pages=9 |doi=10.3390/ICC2024-18022 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

== See also ==
*''[[Coffea arabica]]''
*''[[Coffea charrieriana]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Coffea canephora}}
{{Wikispecies|Coffea canephora}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090324155957/http://www.ico.org/botanical.asp Comparison Chart of Robusta to Arabica] (archived 24 March 2009)
*[http://www.ineedcoffee.com/02/vietnam/ Robusta Coffee in Vietnam]
*[http://www.beanground.com/difference-between-arabica-and-robusta/ The Difference Between Arabica and Robusta?]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120331180727/http://dev.ico.org/prices/m1.htm Jan 2008 ICO break down of all Coffee exports] (archived 31 March 2012)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080322175921/http://dev.ico.org/prices/m1a.htm Jan 2008 ICO break down of Green Coffee exports] (archived 22 March 2008)

{{Coffee}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q47532}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Coffea|canephora]]
[[Category:Flora of West Tropical Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of East Tropical Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of Angola]]
[[Category:Flora of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Flora of Sudan]]
[[Category:Crops originating from Africa]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1897]]

Coffea canephora - Revision history

RooseveltMacCull at 12:14, 15 March 2026