An international team of researchers led by UNH has sequenced the shea
tree�??s genome, providing a valuable resource for the strategic
development of the species and contributing to its preservation.

The shea tree is a vital social and economic crop, and it is at risk.
The tree is best known for the popular product shea butter�??a
multimillion-dollar ingredient used in cosmetics, personal care
products, pharmaceuticals and chocolate. For hundreds of thousands of
African families living in the �??shea belt�?� it is also a crucial source
of nutrition and income. But despite increasing demand for shea butter,
the slow-growing shea tree is being threatened by other cash crops, and
its preservation most likely lies in its genetic improvement.

�??A shea tree can take 25 years or more to come into production so it can
be very costly for a farmer to wait that long and wonder if a tree is
worth keeping,�?� said Iago Hale, associate professor of specialty crop
improvement. �??With such a long growing period, traditional breeding
strategies simply aren�??t viable, which is one reason there aren�??t any
high-performing shea varieties. The shea genome will enable researchers
to gauge the potential of a seedling as soon as it germinates and
through genome-enabled tree selection, we can start moving the needle on
this difficult species.�?�


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