ADDIS ABABA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian researchers have announced the discovery of new medicine to prevent fungal disease that causes coffee plants to dry.

Researchers in Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, have discovered the medicine using another plant fungus, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported Wednesday.

"The medicine will substitute Trichoderma that Ethiopia imports to prevent fungal pathogens from spreading and infecting coffee and other plants," said Tesfaye Alemu, lead researcher and instructor at the university.

According to the researcher, the newly discovered medicine would help prevent other plant diseases as well, and it can be applied without the use of any chemical.

Alemu expressed his optimism that the discovery will help the East African country save foreign currency, and boost the quality and quantity of coffee production. He said the new medicine will be distributed shortly after a series of explanations are delivered to coffee growers on its application.

The new medicine is said to help mainly prevent coffee wilt disease (CWD), which blocks the movement of water up the plant and causes the stem and leaves to dry.

Information obtained from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority revealed that coffee berry disease (CBD), CWD and coffee leaf rust (CLR) are the three major fungal diseases of Arabica coffee, reducing coffee production and consumption in the country.

Ethiopia, known as the origin of Arabica coffee, is recognized worldwide for its rich coffee quality and flavor, which ranges from winy to fruity and chocolate, making the country's coffee varieties on demand across the globe.

The East African country exported 300,000 metric tons of coffee during the just-concluded Ethiopian 2021/22 fiscal year that ended on July 7, eventually generating 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in revenue, according to Ethiopia's Agriculture Ministry. Enditem

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