Wild Coffee Species, Coffea dactylifera, Offers Hope for Climate-Resilient Breeding

Coffee, one of the world's most valuable agricultural commodities, supports millions of livelihoods but faces severe threats from climate change. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the coffee sector, diversifying cultivated varieties is paramount. Wild coffee species are a largely untapped reservoir of critical traits, including climate resilience, yet many remain underexplored. This study focused on Coffea dactylifera, a wild species endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to provide a comprehensive assessment of its phylogeny, climate niche, morphology, and sensory profile.

Researchers sampled wild C. dactylifera and used advanced genetic markers to construct a phylogenetic tree, placing it as a sister species to C. anthonyi within the "Coffea eugenioides-group." Climate niche modeling indicated its adaptation to high annual temperatures and low climate seasonality, typical of the Central African lowland forests where it coexists with C. canephora. Morphologically, C. dactylifera exhibits a more compact growth form and distinct leaf characteristics compared to its sympatric C. canephora relatives. Sensory evaluations using Fine Robusta Standards revealed an average score of 78.75 points, featuring descriptors like "brown sugar," an intense sweet aftertaste, and a syrupy mouthfeel.

These findings underscore the significant potential of C. dactylifera. As lead author Tas notes in the paper, "C. dactylifera may contribute to climate-resilient coffee breeding." Its genetic proximity to cultivated species, adaptation to high annual temperatures and low climate seasonality, compact growth form, and promising sensory profile highlight its relevance for conservation and potential use in breeding. This multidisciplinary assessment provides crucial data for the conservation of this species and supports the development of climate-resilient coffee varieties for the future.