Photo courtesy USDA/ARS
18i3_News
Nematode infested arabica, left, and infested liberica
Scientists have for the first time mapped the DNA of coffee-specific nematodes, a parasitic worm that feeds on plant roots.
Targeting coffee-specific nematodes are difficult as the infestation of individual plants is hard to spot. Developing treatments for plant-specific pests, which vary by region, will reduce millions of dollars in annual losses.
“The sad fact is that wherever we take samples, we find plant-parasitic nematodes, which are hugely damaging to coffee crops,” writes Peter Urwin, professor of plant nematology at the University of Leeds. Working with Nestle agronomists, “we found widespread evidence of these parasites by country and looking at soil samples I can now tell the difference between nematodes native to Vietnam and Brazil or Indonesia.”
It is hoped the research will assist farmers in taking appropriate mitigating actions, said Urwin. The research was first published in the journal Phytopathology.