In a groundbreaking study published last month, researchers shed new light on the early movements of the arabica coffee species that took place centuries ago, pinpointing genetic clusters and domestication routes in commercial coffee’s infancy. The new research — led by France-based Christophe Montagnon of RD2 Vision — involved the genetic fingerprinting of 555 different strains of arabica across Ethiopia, Yemen and elsewhere in the world. The researchers identified them as: Core Ethiopia 1, Core Ethiopia 2, Ethiopian Legacy, Typica-Bourbon, New-Yemen and Harrar. From the Ethiopian Legacy group in Yemen came two of the other core groups: Typica-Bourbon and New Yemen. The final core domesticated genetic group, dubbed by researchers as Harrar, was traced to the Eastern Ethiopian region of Hararghe after originating in either Yemen or Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News January 06, 2023 14:32 UTC