Abstract:
DespiteEthiopia'srichgeneticdiversityandfavorableclimateforcoffeecultivation,theyieldandqualityofEthiopiancoffeearebelowexpectations,primarilyduetotherelianceontraditionalproductionandagronomicpracticesmethods.Hararghecoffeeimprovementbothforyieldandqualityisvitalforthesustainabilityofitsproductionandfetchespremium pricesinworldmarket,butlimitedinformationongeneticvariabilityandassociationofagronomicpracticesandbeanqualitytraitsofHararghecoffeecollections.Thisstudyaimed toidentifysuitableagronomicpracticestoenhancecoffeequalityattributesintheMelkaBeloDistrictandtoexaminetheimpactofthesepracticesoninherentcoffeequality.Theresearchinvolved Thirtyseven coffee collectionsevaluatedforqualityattributesfrom
xii
private’sfarmers’fieldsatMelkaBelodistrictin2023/24,andbeanqualitytraitsofcollectionsdeterminedincompleterandomizeddesignwiththreereplicationsatcoffeequalitylaboratoryofJimmaAgriculturalResearchCenter.Theanalysisofvariancerevealedthepresenceofsignificantdifferencesamongcoffeecollectionsforall37deferentagronomicpracticeandbeanqualitytraits.Significantvariationsinbothphysicalandcupcoffeequalitytraitswereobservedduetodifferentagronomicpractices(P≤0.05),withnotableinteractioneffectsbetweentreatments.Specificcoffeesamples(coded21from WayuBoko(85.00%),17and19fromTokumaJalala,(85.00%)and8from FiriKebso(84.00%)demonstratedsuperiorquality,particularlyinphysicalandcupqualityattributes.Thefindingsindicatedthatwell-managedagronomicpracticesresultedincoffeewithgoodbodyandattractiveflavor,whilemoderatemanagementyieldedintermediaryresults.Thequalityofcoffee decreased in a descending orderfrom bettertopooreragronomicmanagement,suggestingtheneedfortailoredpracticesunderspecificconditions.Thestudyconcludesthatsustainableproductionofhigh-qualitycoffeerequirescarefulmanagementofagronomic practices,suitablecoffeetypes,andsiteconditions.Italso recommends furtherresearchtoevaluateanddevelopappropriateagronomicpracticesfordifferentagro-ecologiesandcultivars,aswellastoexplorenichemarketopportunitiesforMalkaBeloandHararghecoffee
