Nestlé scientists are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to map the genomic structure of arabica coffee plants. The goal is to identify genetic traits that can make these plants more resistant to diseases and drought, especially in the face of climate change.
Arabica coffee accounts for 60% of the world's coffee production. Despite its popularity, arabica plants are vulnerable to rising temperatures and diseases compared to other coffee varieties.
Nestlé's initiative aims to breed new arabica coffee varieties resilient to disease and drought. This effort is in response to climate change warnings predicting increased droughts and reduced arable land suitable for coffee cultivation.
Nestlé scientists collaborated with global research institutes to develop a genomic database for arabica coffee plants. They utilized AI tools and sequencing technologies to map the genetic blueprint of modern arabica plants, aiming to identify desirable traits for future crops.
The research revealed that modern arabica coffee plants originated between 350,000 to 610,000 years ago as a hybrid of coffea canephora and coffea eugenioides species. Scientists also identified a genomic trait that confers resistance to coffee leaf rust disease (hemileia vastatrix), a significant threat to coffee production in Latin America during the mid-2010s.
The genomic data, including disease resistance traits, has been made publicly available. Nestlé is collaborating with farmers to develop improved arabica varieties using this data. In 2022, over six million improved plantlets were distributed to farmers.
Jeroen Dijkman, head of Nestlé's Institute of Agricultural Sciences, compared the new genomic reference to a high-quality map of a city. He explained that this reference will aid in identifying key genetic markers responsible for specific traits in adult arabica plants, assisting plant scientists in breeding improved coffee varieties.
The research was conducted in collaboration with the French National Institute for Sustainable Development and involved academic institutions from the U.S., Brazil, Singapore, Uganda, and Finland.
Nestlé's innovative use of AI to map the genomic structure of arabica coffee plants represents a significant step towards developing more resilient and disease-resistant coffee varieties. This research, conducted in collaboration with global partners, aims to address the challenges posed by climate change and ensure the sustainability of arabica coffee production for future generations.
