Unlocking the Bean, New Science in Coffee Beans

Being one of the worlds most traded commodities and being one of the most widely known and consumed beverages in the world it is a wonder we all can’t grow coffee in our backyards. Coffee is widely grown in developing countries and their reliance on the plant is revealed in the sheer amount of the countries in evolved in the production. So when coffee rust and droughts devastate developing countries, new breakthroughs in coffee science yield an eager audience.

This latest publication in the Journal Science, reveals the steps taken to unlock much of the DNA sequence of one type of the coffee plant, Robusta. Authors painstakingly built on previous research to try and name and prove the DNA lineages within the mystery bean. Drawing comparisons from other plant species like the tomato, soy beans, cocoa, tea plus many more, scientists were able to identify enzymes which helped the production of caffeine.

So What, you Say?

These results pave the pathway for further research into the area and the end result is exciting. Whether its the improved flavour, lower cost and varieties of coffee that are the biggest wins for this new science discovery, it is certain that the results will help developing countries adapt to their changing environment.

By being able to cross existing varieties of coffee plants to be more pest and drought resistant, the production efficiencies and in turn the potential for more profit, the results can help build a more resilient country.

Source: Journal of Science http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6201/1181.full 6/9/14