Fresh Coffee from Florida? Scientists are Brewing up the Possibility
Coffee plants growing in Florida? Yes. Researchers at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra planted these adjacent to citrus. Climate change could make this caffeinated crop one to consider for growers in the Sunshine State.
Photo by Juan Giuliani
Despite coffee being one of the most traded, consumed, and enjoyed commodities worldwide, there aren’t many places on the planet that provide optimal growing conditions. Most of the locations are equatorial in nature. A changing climate though could expand the growing zone for coffee northward.
There is a number of growers in the hills of Santa Barbara, CA, giving coffee a go. And they are reporting success so far. Can the subtropical savannas of Florida be the next hot spot for Arabica beans?
University of Florida scientists are already growing coffee plants at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU) in Citra. This research project — funded by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture — is part of a collaboration between UF/IFAS and the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
“We believe there is the potential for coffee as a novel crop in Florida,” says Diane Rowland, Chair of the Agronomy Department and UF/IFAS’ research lead on the project. “At present, the world knows very little about coffee plant roots, their architectures, and their function under climate change conditions.”
Given that, the research team will be focusing much of their work below-ground. To understand how coffee grows in the field, the researchers are using minirhizotrons, clear plastic tubes with tiny cameras inside. The devices are placed underground alongside plants to record images of their roots.
Minirhizotrons collect so much information that it would take a very long time for someone to sift through it all, according to Rowland. This is where technology can lend a hand. Alina Zare and Sanjeev Koppal in UF’s College of Engineering will apply artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, along with computer vision-based hyperspectral imaging systems, to capture data. This will improve and speed up the whole process.
As part of the study, Zare says the researchers will use the HiPerGator 3.0 supercomputer to test the algorithms they develop for analyzing data from the minirhizotrons.
The minirhizotrons will collect data from the Arabica coffee (the most commonly grown variety and the most valuable one on the market) plants growing at PSREU. These are strategically planted alongside existing citrus trees.
“Coffee is very sensitive to the cold, so our thought was to try to grow it with another tree that could shelter it,” Rowland says. “In addition, the citrus grove has freeze protection systems installed, so that could also protect the coffee.”
UF/IFAS scientists will explore the possibilities using artificial intelligence tools to study the roots of Arabica plants growing on site.
Photo by Photo by Juan Giuliani
While coffee and citrus might sound more like a breakfast time combo, researchers see the in-field synergy of the two crops could be economically advantageous one day.
“As we thought more about it, we could also explore the combination of citrus and coffee as a possible cropping system in Florida — perhaps a future option the citrus growers might consider,” adds Chris Wilson, Assistant Professor of agroecology and member of the coffee research team. “This is a ways off — different questions and logistics would have to be worked out — but definitely worth exploring.”
In addition to investigating how their coffee plants’ roots perform, the research team also is naturally curious about how their Florida-grown coffee tastes. They are planning on roasting and brewing a test batch soon.
Stay tuned and thirsty, friends.
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