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Coffee Arabica Sln 9 and Sln 12 (CCRI selections) Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

Coffee Arabica Sln 9 and Sln 12 (CCRI selections)

Selection 9 (Sln 9) and Selection 12 (Sln 12) are arabica coffee varieties bred by the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), Balehonnur to combine the cup quality of the older Selection 795 with the leaf-rust resistance of the Hibrido de Timor (HdT) introgression. Both are tall, vigorous arabicas (in contrast to the dwarf Catimor releases Cauvery and Chandragiri) and were developed specifically for estates that wanted a traditional Indian arabica plant frame with modern rust tolerance and a clean specialty cup.

Key characteristics

  • Pedigree: Sln 9 — S.795 × Hibrido de Timor derivative; Sln 12 — sibling Sln 9 line selected for elite cup
  • Released by: CCRI, Balehonnur
  • Plant: tall, vigorous, similar habit to S.795
  • Yield: 1,000-1,400 kg clean coffee/ha
  • Leaf rust: moderate-to-high resistance from the HdT contribution
  • Bean: bold A-grade; cup quality on par with S.795 and superior to most Catimor-group selections (Sln 12 in particular is positioned as a specialty-cup arabica)

Cultivation

Both varieties are grown at the traditional arabica spacing of 2.1 m × 2.1 m (around 2,200 plants/ha) under a two-tier silver oak + dadap shade canopy (Coffee Shade Cultivation Silver Oak). The single-stem capped pruning system common in Karnataka is used. Backing showers in April-May and adequate pre-monsoon moisture are critical to flowering; on larger estates sprinkler irrigation is deployed when rainfall is irregular. Sln 9 and Sln 12 respond similarly to standard arabica N-P-K schedules (approximately 200:100:200 kg/ha in four splits for established bearing blocks).

Pests and diseases

Sln 9 and Sln 12 inherit HdT-derived leaf rust (Coffee Leaf Rust Hemileia Vastatrix) resistance, though some breakdown to newer rust races has been reported in long-standing Sln 9 blocks. Both selections, like all arabicas, are highly susceptible to white stem borer (Coffee White Stem Borer Xylotrechus) and coffee berry borer (Coffee Berry Borer Hypothenemus); the tall-frame habit makes WSB management — bark-swabbing, sanitation and shade maintenance — particularly important.

Processing and adoption

Sln 12 in particular is positioned by CCRI as a specialty-cup arabica and is processed by the wet (washed) method for the European premium market. Cup notes are described as clean, balanced, with chocolate and citrus character. Adoption is concentrated in Chikmagalur and Coorg estates that historically grew Coffee Arabica S 795 Selection and that prefer a tall arabica plant frame to the dwarf Catimor selections Coffee Arabica Cauvery Catimor and Coffee Arabica Chandragiri.

See also: Coffee Arabica S 795 Selection, Coffee Arabica Cauvery Catimor, Coffee Arabica Chandragiri, Coffee Leaf Rust Hemileia Vastatrix, Coffee Shade Cultivation Silver Oak.

Sources

  1. Sln 9 / Sln 12 Variety Profiles - CCRI Balehonnur. Central Coffee Research Institute.
  2. Coffee Board Arabica Selections. Coffee Board of India.