Effects of reduced rainfall on coffee quality and volatile composition

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Climate Change Research
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Terroir significantly influences the value of crops like coffee, wine, and tea.
• Climate change necessitates understanding precipitation impacts on crop quality and biochemical compounds.
• Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivars were studied under reduced precipitation (14% lower soil moisture).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of reduced precipitation on coffee sensory quality and volatile profiles.
• To investigate cultivar-specific responses to altered climate conditions.
• To identify biochemical markers associated with climate-induced sensory changes.

Main Methods:

• Field experiment with rainout shelters to reduce precipitation.
• Sensory quality assessment of coffee cultivars.
• Volatile compound profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
• Hierarchical clustering analysis of volatile compounds and sensory attributes.

Main Results:

• Reduced precipitation led to increased yield but decreased sensory quality.
• Acidity was consistently negatively impacted across all coffee cultivars.
• Thirty-one volatile compounds were identified, with variable responses to reduced precipitation.
• Nonlinear combinations of secondary metabolites influenced sensory attributes.

Conclusions:

• Climate change, specifically altered precipitation, affects coffee sensory quality and yield.
• Cultivar selection and management practices are crucial for mitigating negative impacts.
• Economic forecasts for coffee agroecosystems should consider sensory quality beyond yield.