CHAPTER 9: Coffee Rust Epidemics in Central America: Chronicle of a Resistance Breakdown Following the Great Epidemics of 2012 and 2013

Because coffee rust occurs in almost all countries where coffee is grown, it is often cited as the most important coffee disease. In 2012, a destructive series of coffee rust epidemics devastated Central America. The authors describe the Central American coffee rust crisis, including its impacts and plausible causes; detail the breeding strategy used to fight the disease; and highlight future challenges.