Brazilian IAC line from a Robusta x Bourbon Vermelho cross backcrossed to Mundo Novo, tall and rust resistant. A parent of Catucai.
Icatu comes from Brazil's IAC breeding program, which began in 1950 by crossing Coffea canephora (Robusta, with its chromosomes artificially doubled so the cross would be fertile) with Bourbon Vermelho. The offspring were backcrossed to Mundo Novo to keep the disease resistance while making the plants behave more like arabica in growth, productivity and quality.
The main cultivars, Icatu Vermelho and Icatu Amarelo, were released in 1992. Icatu is a tall, vigorous plant, unlike compact Caturra and Catuai, and its Robusta ancestry gave it the rust resistance Bourbon and Mundo Novo lacked. It is a parent of Catucai, a cross with Catuai. Ozone Coffee describes the cup as sweet and rounded with chocolate, caramel, nuts and dried fruit, moderate acidity and substantial body.
Field notes
- i
The Robusta parent of Icatu had its chromosomes doubled by hand so that the cross with Bourbon Vermelho could produce fertile offspring.
Family tree
Icatu is a backcross of Bourbon and Mundo Novo.
In the cup, according to guides
- BodyMoreOzone Coffee describes Icatu as sweet and rounded with substantial body.
Grown in
- Brazilorigin
Offspring
Sources · 1 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Icatu Coffee: Brazil's Disease-Resistant Hybrid · Ozone Coffee Roasters