Association and Path Coefficient Analysis of Some Arsi Coffee Accesions (<i>Coffea arabica </i>L.) for Quality Traits at Mechara, Ethiopia

Abstract

Coffee is still one of Ethiopian’s primary agricultural export crops accounting for more than 25% of export earnings. Arsi coffee is known to produce Harar C coffee quality grade and known for its unique flavor and aroma. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine association among coffee bean quality traits and, the direct and indirect effects of bean quality traits on overall quality of coffee. A total of 56 Arsi coffee accessions and four Hararghe coffee varieties were evaluated for bean physical and organoleptic coffee quality traits using Completely Randomized Design with three replications. The analysis of variance results showed significant variation among Arsi coffee accession for all traits except astringency, bitterness, and odor. The overall coffee quality had positive and significant phenotypic and genotype correlations with aromatic intensity, aromatic quality, acidity, body, flavor, overall standard quality and overall cup quality. These traits also had positive direct effects on overall coffee quality however; aromatic intensity and body exerted negligible negative direct effects at genotypic level whereas aromatic quality had negative direct effect at phenotypic level. All these traits through overall standard quality, and aromatic intensity, aromatic quality and acidity via each other and through body and flavor exerted positive direct effects on overall coffee quality at genotypic level. Thus majority of quality traits could be used for indirect selection of genotypes for overall coffee quality.