There are over 100 species of coffee in the wild, with Arabica and Robusta being the two main species used for commercial coffee. Scientists can interbreed commercial coffee species with a total of 82 related species in order to enhance the genetic diversity and make them more adaptable to changes in their environment.
Climate change is impacting global coffee yields, as changing temperatures and rainfall patterns affect plants and make them more vulnerable to disease. The "coffee leaf rust" fungal disease has spread across the world , causing major damage in all commercial coffee growing countries. As an example, a coffee rust outbreak in Central America during the 2011-2012 harvest season affected 70% of farms, leading to over 1.7m lost jobs and US$3.2 billion in damage and lost income.
Wild coffee species offer a valuable genetic resource for the future of commercial coffee. However, a recent study has found that over 60% of them are threatened with extinction. Wild coffee species, as well as wild varieties of the commercial species, are all in decline because they only grow in limited geographic ranges and altitudes, there is competition for land use and also, coffee plants are overharvested for timber or firewood.
Coffee can't be preserved for longer periods in scientific collections, as its seeds don't store well. The future of coffee depends on the conservation of species where they grow and working with local communities.
Source: universal-sci.com