Abstract            Volume:14  Issue-8  Year-2026         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Understanding genetic variability among Gewata coffee accessions is essential for improving yield and guiding effective breeding programs. With the objective of determining the level of genetic variability and association among yield and yield related traits. A total of fifty five coffee accessions collected from Kafa zone Gewata district were characterized using morphological traits at Melko main center & Gera sub -center along with five standard checks. The experiment was conducted using an augmented design with four blocks of single row with six trees per plot during 2023/24 cropping season by superimposing on four years age of coffee trees planted since July 10, 2020. Data on 19 quantitative traits was recorded from three representative trees per plot. The combined analysis of variance revealed significant differences between locations and genotypes at probability levels of p<0. 05 and p<0. 01. High PCV and GCV values were recorded for traits such as yield, coffee berry disease, number of secondary branches, number of primary branches, canopy diameter, and leaf area. High heritability value were recorded for traits BL (89%), BW(78%), CD(73%), NPB(73%), FL(70%), LA(66%), LW(64%) and NMSN (64%). Higher estimates of heritability coupld with a substantial genetic advance as a percentage of the mean, were observed for bean length, bean width, canopy diameter, number of primary branches, leaf area, leaf width, and the number of main stem nodes. The highest (941. 38 kg/ha) and lowest (108. 23 kg/ha) mean bean yield was recorded from accession GW-42/19 and GW-23/19, respectively. Coffee yield had significant positive correlations with canopy diameter (rg = 0. 41), number of primary branches (rg = 0. 46), number of secondary branches (rg = 0. 67), stem girth (rg = 0. 47), length of the first primary branch (rg = 0. 72), number of main stem nodes (rg = 0. 63), and plant height (rg = 0. 38). In general the present study revealed significant variability in most of the traits of interest in Coffea arabica, offering potential for exploitation. However, it is recommended that a characterization approach utilizing advanced molecular techniques be employed.

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