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Intraspecific drought tolerance in Ugandan Coffea canephora for accelerated breeding selection
Milton Ali1,2,3,4, Settumba B Mukasa1, Valerie Poncet4
1School of Agricultural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Plos One
|May 26, 2026
Summary
Uganda
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Physiology
- Climate Change Adaptation
Background:
- Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) is vital to Uganda's economy, supporting millions.
- Climate change-induced droughts threaten coffee productivity.
- Current breeding programs lack specific drought-tolerant varieties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate drought tolerance in Ugandan Robusta coffee genotypes.
- To identify physiological traits linked to drought adaptation.
- To accelerate the development of climate-smart coffee varieties.
Main Methods:
- Screenhouse drought assay on 165 C. canephora genotypes.
- Measurement of morphophysiological traits under drought stress.
- Analysis using linear mixed-effects models, K-means clustering, and Drought Factor Index (DFI).
Main Results:
- Drought significantly reduced water relations, gas exchange, and PSII efficiency across genotypes.
- 24 genotypes demonstrated higher DFI, stable PSII function, and better water potential under stress.
- Photosynthetic Performance Index (PI) and Fv/F₀ were robust predictors of drought tolerance.
Conclusions:
- Photosynthetic efficiency markers (PI, Fv/F₀) are key for selecting drought-tolerant coffee.
- Identified drought-tolerant genotypes and markers can advance climate-smart breeding in Uganda.
- This research provides a foundation for resilient coffee production in drought-prone regions.
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