Beverage
Catuai
C tier
Catuai is a compact Coffea arabica hybrid created by crossing Mundo Novo with Caturra, bred for high yield, short stature, and suitability for intensive management. Red and yellow cherry forms exist; commercially it is one of the most planted cultivars across Brazil and much of Latin America. Cup quality is variable but can be excellent at elevation with careful processing, ranging from chocolate and nut to citrus and caramel. The plant is productive under fertilisation yet remains susceptible to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease, so it is often compared with more resistant hybrid lines in disease-prone zones.
Also known as: Catuai Vermelho, Catuai Amarelo, Catuai, Catuai, Catuai
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Brazilian researchers at IAC crossed Mundo Novo and Caturra to combine yield with compact growth.
Catuai cultivars were released after multi-year selection, including red (Vermelho) and yellow (Amarelo) lines.
Catuai became a dominant commercial arabica across Brazilian producing states.
Adoption expanded through Central America for high-density planting systems.
Specialty producers isolated high-scoring Catuai lots while larger estates used it as a volume workhorse.