Adaptability and stability of Coffea canephora genotypes cultivated at high altitude and subjected to low temperature during the winter

Climate change prospections indicate large fluctuations in terrestrial temperature, what may change the zoning of coffee cultivation. This is particularly true for Coffea canephora (conilon or robusta coffee) to which some suitable areas may become inappropriate. Thus, conilon cultivation at high altitudes may be an option to establish C. canephora, mitigating the possible effects of productive areas loss. In this context, the aim of this work was to evaluate the productivity, adaptability and stability of 28 C. canephora genotypes cultivated at 850 m above sea level, under climatic conditions where the minimum temperature is the limiting factor for the species. A random block design with four replicates x five plants per replicate was used. The genotype x environment interaction was investigated using stability and adaptability analyzes based on the mixed model of restricted maximum likelihood / best linear unbiased prediction (REML/BLUP). The genotypes presented heritability of high magnitude, indicating the precision of selection. Six genotypes (NV2, NV8, P1, 3V, Verdim TA and A1) were highlighted for productivity, adaptability and stability at high-altitude and low temperature.