Cheryl’s Trip Report – El Salvador & Nicaragua « Cafe

Read Cheryl's latest trip recap:

I had the opportunity to catch up with our producers in El Salvador and Nicaragua last week and witness firsthand the devastating effects of roya, a fungus that is also referred to as “leaf rust.” Roya manifests itself on the leaves of coffee trees as a brownish orange spot that disrupts photosynthesis and causes the leaves to drop. With no way to take in nutrients, coffee cherries cannot fully ripen. If the trees are able to produce fruit, the fruit will typically fall off before it has a chance to develop. As the leaves continue to drop, the tree eventually dies. The fungus spores are spread by wind, rain, insects and contact with clothing. At present, the only ways to combat roya are with copper based fungicides and by planting rust resistant varieties that tend to produce an inferior cup quality. Roya is a problem that producers need to be proactive about, because once...

Full article: http://www.cafegrumpy.com/2013/03/cheryls-trip-report-el-...