Dripping related to tree height
Coffee farmers in Costa Rica were found to be concerned by a
process termed ‘gotera’. This process is the name for the damage
caused by raindrops formed on the leaves of trees when the tree
crown intercepts. Costa Rican coffee farmers mentioned tree height
and crown type as the main factors related to this process. During the generalisation stage, farmers mentioned that droplets falling
from trees increased the incidence of American leaf spot disease
caused by the fungus M. citricolor, as well as soil erosion and loss
of coffee leaves and flowers. However, farmers could not explain
the relationship between droplets falling from trees and the increase
in the incidence of American leaf spot. A possible explanation
could be that falling rain droplets increase the dispersion of
M. citricolor spores (Avelino et al., 2007); however, many farmers
say that the fungus grows in the exact same place where the droplets
fall (e.g. no dispersion)