Genetic Control of Fruit-to-Bean Ratio and Mass-Based Metrics for Processing Efficiency in Coffea canephora

The expanding use of Conilon and Conilon × Robusta hybrids in Brazilian coffee cultivation contrasts with the scarcity of information on the genetic variability underlying their physical yield attributes. This study quantified genetic variability and estimated genetic parameters for fresh fruit mass and volume, fruit-to-bean ratio, and bean and husk proportions in 48 Coffea canephora genotypes, compared the discriminatory power of gravimetric and volumetric metrics in classifying processing efficiency, and identified genotypes combining high bean proportion and genetic divergence for use in breeding programs. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The fruit mass required to produce a 60 kg bag of processed coffee (FMM/bag) ranged from 205.29 to 251.46 kg bag−1, representing an 18% difference between the most and least efficient groups identified by the Scott-Knott test. High heritability was found for bean proportion (90.74%) and FMM/bag (84.58%), confirming strong genetic control over fruit-to-bean yield. Mass-based metrics showed greater discriminatory power than volumetric ones, forming four distinct groups versus two. Conilon genotypes tended toward greater yield efficiency. The observed variation indicates exploitable genetic variability for selective gains, with direct implications for crossing strategies and post-harvest processing optimization in C. canephora.