In addition to the main station, a sub station at Chettalli in Kodagu, Karnataka and four regional Coffee Research Stations at Chundale (Kerala), Thandigudi (Tamil Nadu), Raghavendra Nagar (Andhra Pradesh), and Diphu (Assam) endeavor to evolve location specific technologies based on the requirement of different agro-climatic conditions. In addition to these, CCRI has one well equipped Tissue Culture and Biotechnology Division at Mysore, Quality Division and Analytical Laboratory at Bangalore and Regional Quality Evaluation centres at Chikmagalur and North-eastern region.
Other facilities
At the Institute a massive coffee gene bank is available. Exotic materials from different coffee growing countries including Ethiopia are established in the germplasm blocks. Indigenous plant breeding. There are about 300 collections of Arabica, 73 types of Robusta and 17 different species of coffea planted in compact blocks. Farm facilities with different station-bred coffee selections and world collection of exotic and indigenous coffee varieties are available for research work.
A unique collection of scientific and development oriented literature is housed in the institute library. The library also has a good collection of documents on coffee and related species. The total collection of books is around 14,000 including bound volumes of journals, text books and abstracts. The library subscribes 35 international and 41 national journals currently. A good collection of documents on other crops like cocoa, field crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, rubber, tea, spices and coconut is maintained. The library has computerized cataloguing facility providing details regarding the available books for reference.
Mandate
CCRI’s mandate is to:
*Breed coffee plants resistant/tolerant to coffee leaf rust, pests of coffee and drought with improved quality and productivity through conventional and biotechnological approach and supply quality improved plant materials to growers.
*Develop appropriate sustainable production, protection & processing technologies for coffee through basic and applied research.
*Collect, preserve and characterize coffee germplasm for breeding improved varieties.
*Conduct location specific research to suit different agro-climatic coffee zones.
*Disseminate technical information to growers through scientists and extension network.
*Impact training on scientific coffee cultivation to growers and others and conduct workshops and demonstrations.
*Give routine and timely advisory to growers based on changing biotic and abiotic factors.
Salient research achievements
*Related 13 improved elite Arabica varieties (both tall and semi-dwarf) for commercial cultivation. Released three high yielding Robusta varieties.
*Quality seeds and planting materials are being produced.
*Coffee descriptors prepared for important varieties.
*Standardise micropropogation techniques have been developed.
*Developed efficient agro-techniques for soil, plant, shade and weed management.
*Prepared soil fertility maps for different coffee growing regions in India.
*Developed eco-friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Disease Management (IDM) interventions for estate adoption.
*Standardized on-farm and off-farm processing techniques and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for improving product quality.
*Evolved pollution abatement techniques to treat coffee effluent.
*Developed package of practices for growing organic coffee.