www.czu.cz ; www.raupp.info

Brazil has created the world's first DNA map of the coffee plant to cut
production costs and create beans that cater to the rich tastes of U.S. and
European consumers, the country's government said August 2004 by Andrew Hay.

After over two years of work, the world's biggest coffee grower is using
the DNA map to create the world's biggest genetic data base on the plant. It
contains information on the 200,000 DNA sequences, and 35,000 genes that
create different aromas and caffeine levels in the beloved tropical bean.

Brazil, known for mass-market "junk" coffee, hopes to use the data to raise
production of gourmet, organic and new caffeine-free beans within two years.
It also plans to cut coffee prices in Brazil, the world's second-largest
coffee consumer.

"We are going to create a super coffee that everyone can benefit from
eventually," Brazilian Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues told reporters
in Brasilia.

New genetically engineered plants could double coffee production per
hectare, experts said, allowing Brazil to cut production costs by 20
percent.

Brazil's focus on cutting the cost of production, and raising the quality of
beans comes after world growers have been plagued by low prices caused by
overproduction.

Six Brazilian public institutions will have initial access to the genome
database. They will apply findings to national coffee production.

In about five or six years the DNA database will be open to Brazil's private
sector, and possibly to foreign companies, on payment of royalties for
patented information, said Clayton Campanhola, head of Brazil's agricultural
research agency Embrapa.

"This is going to redirect our production toward quality," said Campanhola,
whose agency worked with Sao Paulo's research foundation (Fapesp) to carry
out the six million reais ($1.98 million) DNA mapping project.

Brazil hopes to create high quality coffee trees that are more resistant to
diseases and pests and can have a productive life of 30 years, instead of 15
years as is the case now.

While the project will create new varieties of coffee plants through cross
pollination and other measures, it will not create genetically modified
plants, said Jose Manuel Cabral, head of genetic resources at Embrapa.

Brazil is the last major agricultural exporter to ban the planting and sale
of GMO crops and foods.

New genetically resistant plants could double coffee production per hectare
from 15 sacks to 30 sacks, Embrapa said.

This would allow Brazil to cut production costs by 20 percent, and raise
national production to 60 million sacks, without expansion of its current
growing area, Embrapa said.

Researchers also see cost savings of between 50 and 100 percent on the 600
million reais a year Brazilian producers spend on 30,000 tons of chemical
herbicides and pesticides that cause serious pollution problems.

[www.reuters.com]

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