Abstract

Arabica coffee is an economic crop whose bean quality is influenced by environmental factors, especially growing in areas with different light and shade levels. This research aimed to investigate the quality of Arabica coffee beans grown in highland areas, Letor Subdistrict, Mae Ramat District, Tak Province, under three different environmental conditions: (1) open area, (2) shaded area, and (3) area between open and shaded area. Coffee cherries from each area were collected, peeled, dried at 50 °C for 5 days, and roasted at 240 °C for 10 minutes. The size of the coffee beans before and after roasting was measured, and the aroma was tested using an electronic nose. The results showed that coffee beans grown in open and shaded areas were larger in both width and length after roasting than those grown in open and shaded areas. In addition, aroma analysis of roasted coffee beans showed differences between planting areas, with coffee beans from open and shaded areas having different aroma components than those grown in open and shaded areas. The results of this study suggest that growing coffee in open and shaded areas may be a suitable approach for developing high-quality coffee, both in terms of bean size and aroma components, which are important information for selecting coffee planting areas or shade tree management to produce good quality coffee.