Physico-chemical properties and sensory profile of Coffea canephora genotypes in high-altitudes.

In Brazil, Coffea canephora coffee is generally cultivated in hot climate regions and at altitudes below 400 - 450 m. There is little information on C. canephora cultivation at higher altitudes. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the physicochemical properties and to perform the sensorial analysis of 21 different Coffea canephora coffee genotypes, grown at 720 m altitude in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The field experiment was implemented in 2011 at the Incaper, Experimental Farm of Venda Nova using randomized block design, with four replications, eight plants per plot and spacing of 3.0 x 1.0 m. Thirteen clones of the clonal cultivar Vitória Incaper 8142 (V1 to V13) and eight clones of the clonal cultivar Robustão Capixaba Emcapa 8141 (R1, R2, R3, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10) were studied. Grain samples were obtained from the third harvest in 2016. The harvest was performed when more than 80% of the fruits were ripe (August) and the freshly harvested coffee was processed using the conventional terrace drying method (natural processing). After the coffee was dried and processed, the four replicates were of each treatment were combined for the physicochemical analyses. The physicochemical analyses were performed (total titratable acidity, pH at 25oC and 96oC), reducing, non-reducing and total sugars were determined, chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), trigonelline and caffeine levels were determined by HPLC using the external standard method. Chlorogenic acid contents were found in the range of 2.60 to 3.65%. Caffeine levels ranged from 2.06 to 2.89%. There was no statistical difference in the final scores of the sensory analysis of the C. canephora coffees and the average value was 77.44 points, the same score for high-quality/premium coffee. Cultivation of C. canephora at high altitudes can be promising to obtain higher quality coffees from C. canephora species.