Beverage
Starmaya
C tier
Starmaya is an F1 hybrid Coffea arabica notable as one of the first hybrids that can be produced at scale from seed using a male-sterile parent, reducing reliance on costly clonal propagation. It was developed in CIRAD and ECOM programmes to deliver strong agronomic performance, coffee leaf rust resistance, and good cup quality for commercial specialty production. Farms value Starmaya for uniform plants, high yield potential, and cups that can show sweetness and balanced acidity when grown at appropriate elevation. Like other F1s, successive farm-saved generations are not recommended if hybrid performance is to be preserved.
Also known as: Starmaya, Starmaya F1 plantings, Starmaya hybrid
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
CIRAD hybrid arabica research explored male sterility as a path to seed-propagated F1s.
Male-sterile arabica material enabled more practical hybrid seed production systems.
Starmaya parental combinations were trialled for yield, rust resistance, and cup quality.
Starmaya was presented and commercialised as a seed-propagated F1 hybrid for producers.
Central American and partner nurseries began wider distribution of Starmaya seedlings and seed.
Starmaya featured in climate-resilient and renovation portfolios alongside other CIRAD hybrids.