Non-volatile bioactive compounds and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP)-based genetic estimates in wild African coffee accessions: the case of Coffea racemosa and Coffea zanguebariae

Abstract

The sustainability of global coffee production might be threatened by climate change and associated disease outbreaks, prompting the interest in underutilized wild Coffea species as reservoirs of genetic and chemical diversity. This study aimed to characterize the non-volatile chemical profiles and estimate genetic values for caffeine, trigonelline, and chlorogenic acid (CGA) of beans from 24 Coffea racemosa and 21 C. zanguebariae wild accessions from distinct Mozambican regions. Fruits were collected at full maturity, dried under standard conditions to stabilize the material, and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Significant inter- and intra-specific variations were detected for all compounds. C. racemosa exhibited low mean caffeine content (7.3 mg g −1 DW) and high CGA levels (24.4 mg g −1 DW), showing potential for naturally low-caffeine beverages. In sharp contrast, C. zanguebariae presented higher caffeine content (21.9 mg g −1 DW) and intermediate CGA levels. A principal component analysis revealed three distinct chemical clusters per species, driven predominantly by caffeine and trigonelline. Additionally, in C. racemosa a Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) analysis showed a large range of values from − 2.00 to 1.94, pointing to genetic variability for CGAs, and considerable potential for selection, in contrast with C. zanguebariae that displayed narrower BLUP ranges for all compounds. These findings highlighted distinct biochemical profiles and genetic potentials of these underutilised wild Coffea species, emphasizing C. racemosa as a promising genetic resource for the development of differentiated, bioactive-rich coffee products and providing novel data for future breeding and conservation strategies.

Bibliographic Information