Better understanding of plant’s genetic code could lead to enhanced varieties

A team of researchers at University of California, Davis released the first public genome sequence of arabica coffee, in 2017. The knowledge will help scientists to identify ways they can develop disease and pest resistant coffee plants by making tiny tweaks to coffee’s genetic code.

Improving coffee plants won’t just benefit its millions of consumers around the world — it will also help the hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers who depend on the crop for their livelihood. In this video, researchers at UC Davis share their journey to sequencing the largest commodity crop in the world.