'Híbrido de Timor' coffee is probably derived from a natural cross between Coffea arabica and C. canephora. Selections carried out at the "Centro de Investigação das Ferrugens do Cafeeiro", Portugal, resulted in the isolation of tetraploid self-compatible coffee plants, like CIFC 832/1 and 832/2, with high resistance to coffee leaf rust and which hybridize easily with C. arabica cultivars. Selections of 'Híbrido de Timor' and F2-F4 populations derived from crosses between 'Híbrido de Timor' and other sources of resistance to coffee leaf rust and also from crosses among plants of these other sources of resistance, were planted in 1972, in Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil, on three field trials: Catuaí Vermelho, Catuaí Amarelo and Acaiá cultivars of C. arabica were used as control. No chemicals were used to control leaf rust. Yield of ripe berries was determined for individual coffee trees during eight consecutive years (1974-81). Except for the progenies C 1737, C 1738 and C 1699, all other 'Híbrido de Timor' progenies showed very low yields. Yields of descendents from crosses with short size Caturra Vermelho and Vila Sarchi cultivars of C. arabica, were also low, except for C 1669. Progenies derived from crosses of 'Hibrido de Timor' with cultivars carrying other known genes for resistance to coffee leaf rust, gave also poor yields, except for the progeny C 1698 (N39 x 'Híbrido de Timor') with moderate yield. Crosses of the S 795 cultivar with Mundo Novo were promising in relation to yield and leaf rust resistance. High yield variability was noted for almost all progenies with high coefficients of variation, indicating low plant adaptation. Despite the general low yielding capacity of 'Hibrido de Timor' and its derivatives, new hybrids are being synthesized in Campinas, aiming at the development of more adapted, high yielding and rust resistant progenies.
Híbrido de Timor coffee; coffee leaf rust; resistence to Hemileia vastatrix