INCO : International Scientific Cooperation Projects. Development of a long term strategy based on genetic resistance and agroecological approaches against Coffee Wilt Disease in Africa : third annual report covering period 1/11/2003 to 31/10/2004

Coffee Wilt Disease due to Fusarium xylarioides is currently a major problem, especially for Canephora coffee in DRC, Uganda, Tanzania, and on C. Arabica in Ethiopia. This vascular disease leads to coffee tree death within 9 to 15 months, depending on susceptibility and agro-ecological conditions. Replanting is impossible, due to the soil being infested for several years. Genetic resistance seems to be the only solution for fighting the disease and is being investigated by the COWIDI INCO DEV Project. In year 3, emphasis was placed on the first global analyses of of the results obtained since the beginning of the project: 1- Evaluation of the genetic diversity of the pathogen with different technics; 2- Study of sexual cycle; 3- Analyse of host/ pathogen interaction; 4- Identifying coffee trees with resistance factors; 5- Establishing a breeding scheme. Part 1 :Genetic analyse of genetic diversity of Ugandan C. canephora; 6- Analysing disease distribution in the field (Résumé d'auteur