A large international study has just deciphered the coffee genome, the robusta. Scientists see an opportunity to produce more varieties and make them more resistant to pests.
Mocha, cappuccino, espresso, short, long… coffee exists in various forms around the world. Each country has reclaimed it to make it a unique genre. But if this drink is so popular, it is because its aromas and components are very rich. This drink with multiple virtues is even composed of a genetic set, of 126 different species. Scientists have deciphered one of its genomes for the first time. Their work is published in the journal Science.
More varieties
Philippe Lashermes, research director at the French Institute for Research for Development (IRD), has proceeded, with other colleagues abroad, to the genetic decryption of robusta, also known under the name of Coffea anaphora. genome, which has over 25,000 different genes, was chosen for its average size and because it contains homozygotes, two identical sets from 11 pairs of chromosomes.
One of the objectives of this study is to determine why our taste buds are so sensitive to the aromas of coffee.
“By analyzing the genome of the coffee tree and the genes specific to the bean, we were able to determine what makes coffee special. This sequencing will make it possible to make better use of the great genetic diversity of the coffee tree and thus to develop varieties that better correspond to consumer demands, ”explains Philippe Lashermes.
Fight against parasites
The quality of the coffee beans can thus be improved. These new varieties will also be able to resist pests responsible for diseases of coffee trees. This is the case with orange rust caused by a fungus. This parasite is devastating plantations in Central America, a region where an orange rust epidemic has been raging since 2012.
According to the researchers, the sequencing of the coffee genome will also allow a better knowledge of the precise functions of the genes specific to coffee trees and to better understand the functioning of the plant.
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