Robusta Coffee Varieties (KR1–KR10) and Their Yields
Choosing the right Robusta clone is one of the highest-leverage decisions a coffee farmer makes — it affects yield, disease resistance and cup quality for the 60+ year life of the tree. Uganda's National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) has released a series of Kituza Robusta (KR) clones since 2009 that are now the recommended standard, replacing the older Elite and "6 old clones" material that is more disease-susceptible. Here's the full picture, drawn from the Robusta Coffee Handbook.
Why It Matters
The older varieties — Elite (first recommended in 1995) and the "6 old clones" (1s/2, 1s/3, 1s/6, 223/32, 257/53, 258s/24) — are all susceptible to Coffee Wilt Disease (CWD), a disease that can kill a mature tree outright. The KR clones released from 2009 onward are bred for resistance to CWD and tolerance to Red Blister Disease (RBD), on top of higher yields and good cup quality — which is why Kakone Coffee recommends a blend of four to six KR clones for any new planting, for both yield and disease resilience.
Table 1: Recommended Robusta Coffee Varieties
| Variety | Year Released | Yield (kg/ha/yr) | Major Attributes | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite | 1995 | 2,000 | Susceptible to rust, red blister & CWD | Being phased out |
| 6 old clones (1s/2, 1s/3, 1s/6, 223/32, 257/53, 258s/24) | — | 2,500 | Susceptible to leaf rust, red blister & CWD | Susceptible to CWD |
| KR1 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 1) | 2009 | 2,200 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR2 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 2) | 2009 | 2,600 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR3 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 3) | 2009 | 4,900 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR4 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 4) | 2009 | 2,300 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR5 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 5) | 2009 | 2,900 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR6 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 6) | 2009 | 2,600 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR7 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 7) | 2009 | 3,000 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended |
| KR8 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 8) | 2017 | 3,100 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended; NaCORI still building plant stock |
| KR9 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 9) | 2017 | 3,900 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended; NaCORI still building plant stock |
| KR10 (NARO-Kituza Robusta 10) | 2017 | 4,800 | Resistant to leaf rust & CWD, tolerant to RBD, big beans, good cup quality | Recommended; NaCORI still building plant stock |
CWD = Coffee Wilt Disease · RBD = Red Blister Disease. Yields are per hectare per year under recommended management; actual on-farm yields vary with husbandry, rainfall and soil.
Which lines yield more? Of the ten KR clones, KR3 (4,900 kg/ha/yr) and KR10 (4,800 kg/ha/yr) are the two highest-yielding — both well above the 2,200–3,900 kg/ha/yr range of the other KR lines, and roughly double the older Elite (2,000 kg/ha/yr) and 6 old clones (2,500 kg/ha/yr) material. NaCORI still recommends mixing at least 5–6 different KR lines on one farm rather than planting KR3 or KR10 alone — Robusta cross-pollinates between clones, and the mix improves fruit set, yield and disease resilience even though a handful of lines out-yield the rest individually.
The Source Table
For reference, here is the yield table exactly as published in the Robusta Coffee Handbook:
What Kakone Coffee Plants
Our nursery propagates certified CWD-r / KR clonal seedlings from accredited mother gardens, and we recommend new farmers plant a blend of four to six KR lines — this meets NaCORI and UCDA's minimum standard for good cross-pollination on a farm, which in turn improves fruit set and yield.
Booking seedlings for the next planting season? A 40% deposit reserves your KR clone mix, at least 3 months ahead of delivery. See our nursery services or contact us to book.