Gandu Rekke/Semi-Plagiotrophic Branches

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Gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branches: Propagation of coffee plants using side branches

Traditionally, coffee plants have always been propagated through seeds and saplings and then transferred to the plantations. A new method of propagation and cultivation has been invented wherein the side branches of a Robusta plant are used to propagate. This is a groundbreaking discovery that would enable the coffee growing community to overcome the challenges faced during recent times.

In the last few decades, coffee plantations are suffering from a shortage of manpower. If scarcity of labour is one end of the spectrum, then we have unskilled/incompetent labour on the other. Since coffee harvesting and bush management work is majorly performed by older female workers, reaching out to Robusta coffee plants is a challenge as they grow taller over time. With age, female laborers face physical limitations that prevent them from reaching coffee berries in the uppermost section of the plant.

Plants grown from seeds or suckers often grow too tall. To tackle this problem, we need shorter plants that can produce high-quality beans in large quantities. This can be achieved by propagating plants using Gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branches. Additionally, this method helps in spotting elephants easily, thereby reducing human-elephant conflicts to a certain degree.

Selection of gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branches (gormandizers)

There are three to four types of Gandurekkes/Semi-Plagiotropic branches. However, all are not suitable to be grown in this method. The side branch that grows at an angle of 45 degrees or that grows semi-vertically which has similar characteristics to the regular biomass is selected for propagation. Also, the characteristics of the Gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branches are as important as the characteristics of the plant selected for propagation. A Gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branch should not only have the characteristics of a plant but also have other characteristics like bold size fruits, good cluster size, thickness, uniform ripening, compact bush and disease resistance.

Characteristics and advantages of Gandurekke/Semi-Plagiotropic branches coffee:

Plants don't grow beyond 10ft in height.
Doesn't have the main stem.
Doesn't produce suckers at all.
Harvesting and pruning are easier.
The cost of cultivation is less.
Early and higher yield.

Semi-Gandurekke/Semi-Orthotropic plants.

This is also another type of plant propagation and method of cultivation. A vertically growing branch that comes from the top canopy is selected for plant propagation. These branches are neither suckers nor Gandurekkes/Semi-Plagiotropic. The appearance of the plant also differs from regular, sucker propagated and Gandurekke/Semi-Orthotropic plants. this method is best suited to be grown as a multiple stem system. The branches bend downwards as it grows taller and thereby providing space for upcoming suckers.

Uniform sized fruits of Gandurekke/Semi-plagiotropic plants. all the plants bear the same type of fruits since the plants are vegetatively propagated.