**1. Cultivation and Use of Coffea:**
– Coffea comprises over 120 species, with Arabica and Robusta being the most popular.
– Arabica is known for its sweet taste, while Robusta has higher caffeine content.
– Coffee plants thrive at high elevations in tropical regions, producing coffee cherries with two seeds (coffee beans) containing caffeine.
– Caffeine in coffee beans acts as a natural defense mechanism for the plant.
**2. Research on Coffea:**
– Ongoing discoveries of new Coffea species, with advancements like the 2014 publication of the coffee genome revealing caffeine production genes.
– DNA fingerprinting for genetic authentication of coffee plants, potentially enhancing production and traceability.
– Phylogenetic studies showing Coffea’s ancestral origins in Africa or Asia.
**3. Coffea Species Diversity:**
– Coffea encompasses various species like Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora, and newer finds such as Coffea charrieriana.
– Expansion of the Coffea genus to 124 species due to similarities with Psilanthus.
– Native distributions of Coffea species in tropical Asia and Australasia.
**4. Impact of Climate Change on Coffea:**
– Vulnerability of coffee species like Arabica and Robusta to shifting growing zones due to climate change.
– Potential decline in coffee production in key regions due to changing growing conditions.
– Necessity for adaptation strategies to mitigate climate change effects on coffee cultivation.
**5. Economic Significance of Coffea:**
– Coffee ranks among the world’s most valuable and traded commodity crops.
– Arabica and Robusta are major contributors to global coffee production.
– Reliance of several countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa on coffee exports.
– Influence of economic factors, market demands, and climate change on the global coffee market.