The World’s First Open-Access Coffee Genome Sequence

by

Editorial Policy

Published on

Last updated on

[W]ant to know what in the world the Coffea arabica genome looks like? Well, now you can take a look at the first ever publically available genome sequencing on the World Coffee Research website. The accomplishment is thanks to a partnership between illycaffé, Lavazza, Istituto di Genomica Applicata, IGA Technology Services, DNA Analytica, Universities of Trieste, Udine, Padova, and Verona, called The Coffea arabica Genome Sequencing Project. The collaboration began in 2015 under the leadership of professor Giorgio Graziosi of DNA Analytica Srl, with the goal to ensure the future of coffee agriculture, which is currently under threat from climate change.

“The sequencing of the coffee genome gives us the ability to ‘read’ the plant and precisely identify its origins as well as determine, for example, the genes that give it a certain resistance to diseases or infections,” says Lavazza vice chairman Giuseppe Lavazza. “This could result in a superior quality coffee end product based on objective criteria. Indeed, excellent quality is the ultimate goal our company has always pursued, and which is the focus of our ongoing research projects.”

The Genome Sequencing Project hopes that by making their findings available to the public, the impact of the research will be maximized in making sure coffee is sustainable for the generations to come.

Share This Article

Fresh Cup Staff

Join 7,000+ coffee pros and get top stories, deals, and other industry goodies in your inbox each week.

Other Articles You May Like

Can Liberica Change The Way We Grow Coffee?

Once cultivated in the 19th century to battle coffee leaf rust, liberica, a nearly forgotten coffee species—and its new subvariety, excelsa—may be the answer to the looming threat of climate change.
by Fionn Pooler | February 1, 2023

Good Genes: Genetic Diversity And The Future of Coffee

How the industry is looking to genetic resource conservation to help preserve coffee.
by Chris Ryan | January 12, 2023

New Names, Same Faces: Genetic Accuracy for Yemeni Coffee

In Yemen, coffee varieties are often referred to by colloquial names, which are often inaccurate and don’t reflect real varieties. But a new study is giving farmers more definitive names and greater access to…
by Valorie Clark | November 23, 2022

Contemporary Indonesian Specialty Coffee: A Chat with Three Coffee Processors

The world of Indonesian coffee has changed a lot over the past five years. Here are three coffee processors discussing the highlights and challenges of Indonesian coffee production.
by Mikey Rinaldo | November 11, 2022