The development of coffee varieties displaying durable resistance against H. vastatrix and C. kahawae is one of the major aims in coffee breeding programs worldwide. The characterization of H. vastatrix and C. kahawae pathotypes is essential for the screening of disease resistance on Coffea spp., as well as in epidemiological studies.

A perfect knowledge of the pathotypes is the only way to identify the coffee genes for rust or CBD resistance as well as to characterize molecular markers to pathogenicity.

Ongoing programmes​:

• World survey of physiologic rust races on Hemileia vastatrix
• Pathotype survey on Colletotrichum kahawae in coffee African regions