Genetic Data for All: New Database from World Coffee Research
by Nathanael Curtis
The Arabica plant, where most coffee in the market comes from, has dozens of varieties. Just like apple varieties have different acidity, texture and sweetness, varietals of the Arabica plant have distinct flavor profiles, origins, and climate preferences. The problem is that it can be difficult for producers to identify these varietals. Most farmers depend on the physical traits of a coffee tree to determine what varietal they are dealing with. This method has mixed results at best, and misidentification can cause problems all the way down the supply chain. That is, until this month, when World Coffee Research released a public database that will take a massive leap towards solving this problem.
Why are varietals so important? Some varietals can make a huge difference in the price producers can get. In recent years, the Gesha varietal has become the superstar in the coffee world. It is well known for its clean body and light floral notes. In addition to this, it is a fare more difficult plant to cultivate, which only adds to its rarity and allure. In 2021, one Panama Gesha sold for $4100 a pound. However, a recent study of 88 “Gesha” samples found that only 39% had the genetic marker of the Gesha variety. Not a great success rate for such a profitable coffee.
Of course, misidentification isn’t only a problem for buyers who might pay a high price for a misidentified Gesha. Producers might select a varietal for its preferred altitude or resistance to leaf rust and then find an entire crop at risk. The problem is that access to genetic testing and genetic data about these varietals is for farmers to obtain.
World Coffee Research, a non-profit which specializes in coffee agricultural research, identified this problem, and has worked to find a solution. This month they unveiled a brand new database of 23 varietals in Latin America. For each varietal, they found a genetic fingerprint of 45 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) molecular markers. These markers represent small genetic variations which can be found across an entire plant’s DNA sequence.
They built this database by analyzing over 1400 samples. These 23 varietals are from five countries in Latin America. At this time, the database represents many of the most common varietals grown all over the world, as well as a few varietals specific to Latin America. However, World Coffee Research expects to add many more over time. This is a big first step to support producers in this way, and the work will only continue.
This new database is an important milestone for a number of reasons. The first is that SNPs can be analyzed quickly and with a high degree of accuracy. Plus, the testing process is much cheaper than other genetic testing methods. The second, and perhaps most significant part of this, is that World Coffee Research has released this entire database for free. The non-profit has waived all copyright and ownership of the database and made it available to anyone who wants it. In fact, you can download it for yourself right here.
Genetic diversity is part of what makes coffee so exciting. Though the lack of genetic testing and data are one of the ways in which producers are lacking the resources they need to succeed. Thanks to World Coffee Research’s exemplary work, the value of coffee in the supply chain is much stronger. This resource helps everyone from the producers all the way to the consumers drinking a fresh cup of coffee.
References
https://sprudge.com/world-coffee-research-releases-open-access-genetic-database-for-arabica-214392.html#:~:text=The%20C.%20arabica%20genetic%20fingerprinting,their%20crops%20using%20genetic%20testing.
https://dailycoffeenews.com/2023/08/21/world-coffee-research-launches-public-database-for-arabica-fingerprinting/
https://worldcoffeeresearch.org/resources/arabica-ldp-snp-marker-panel
https://sagebrushcoffee.com/blogs/education/gesha-the-most-exclusive-coffee-variety