"Published Aug. 13 in the journal Frontiers in Genetics, the study offers insight into the genetic makeup of the species, providing potential pathways for breeders to develop commercially viable stenophylla cultivars that may have higher tolerance to heat while offering desirable characteristics in the cup. Building upon the pioneering work over the past seven years from researchers affiliated with UK's Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, the new study comes from the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) with past funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)."
"Using advanced genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the research team analyzed 143 plants collected from Sierra Leone's forest reserves and SLARI gene banks. They identified thousands of genetic markers linked to traits such as growth habit, fruit and seed shape, and structural resilience. According to SLARI, the findings underscore "significant" genetic diversity in stenophylla, which is crucial to coffee breeding. "For decades, ' C. Stenophylla' has been overlooked due to anthropogenic activities leading to the loss and reduction of natural habitats, and, most importantly,"
Research in Sierra Leone applied genome-wide association studies to 143 Coffea stenophylla plants from forest reserves and gene banks and identified thousands of genetic markers tied to growth habit, fruit and seed morphology, and structural resilience. The analysis reveals significant genetic diversity within stenophylla, offering traits useful for targeted breeding. Historical neglect and habitat loss, coupled with lower yields than Robusta, reduced wild populations, but breeding could improve productivity while preserving cup quality. Development of commercially viable stenophylla cultivars with greater heat tolerance could provide a climate-resilient option for coffee production.
Read at Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine
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