In Pisa, the DNA of teff, a nutritious and gluten-free cereal from Africa, is being studied
Although the bulk of what we find on our tables comes from large farms, there are still many small farms which supports around two billion people around the world. These rely on local crop varieties and less water and fertilizer use than large producers, but they are much more vulnerability to weather events and climate change in place. This is why innovative research approaches are needed that support the needs of farmers, improve the sustainability of specific crops and take into account traditional cultural practices and knowledge.
And it is precisely for these reasons that a group of researchers from the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa got involved by rebuilding the genetic map of teffa cereal originating from Ethiopia that could become part of the new foods of the future. Rich in micronutrients And gluten-freewas the protagonist of a study published in the journal eVita in early September 2022 which described the possible ones adaptation scenario future, in anticipation of a climate which is constantly evolving.
What is teff
The teff (Eragrosti tef) is a small-market domestic cereal, commonly grown in Ethiopia is in the Horn of Africa colomba is indigenous. It is one of the smallest cereals in the world, made up of seeds only a few millimeters large. Its name comes from the root “tff“what does it mean lost and it indicates the ease with which the tiny seeds tendons to disperse.
It is a little known cereal outside of Africa but still highly appreciated by international market being gluten free and suitable for celiac subjects. However, what interests us even more is that it plays a fundamental role in the culture and diets of the Ethiopian communities due to its nutritional value. It is grown by the second small Ethiopian rural farmers traditionwho claim to support its enormous gene diversity. Unfortunately, however, in a changing climate and in the absence of water resources, this diversity could disappear. That is why farmers, in collaboration with farmers, are looking for new ways to define and produce More productive teff varieties And weather resistant.
The genetic mapping of teff
The Italian and Ethiopian researchers led by Aemiro Bezabih Woldeyohannes collected e DNA sequenced from 366 varieties of teff (Eragrosti tef) to describe phylogenetic and ecological relationships and adaptation to the Ethiopian landscape.
Analyzes interdisciplinary – which took into account the climatic variation, the irregular distribution of the territory and the agronomic spatial preferences of 35 local farmers – made it possible to define 10 genetic clusters of teff, as well as the loci and genes related to some characteristics including phenology (the life cycle of plants), yield and local adaptation.
The study highlighted a region of Ethiopia – including the area around Lake Tana, the country’s largest body of water – where local teff varieties could be more vulnerability and having difficulty adapting to climate change.
This analysis also highlights the agricultural, economic and subsistence potential of this cereal, bringing out the most resistant, most sustainable and superior varieties that could be cultivate successfully in areas less prone to climate and environmental changes. Doing so, the authors state, provides a solid foundation for structure reproduction of teff in a changing climate and provides an excellent model for characterizing new and underutilized crops. It also emphasizes the importance of incorporating the traditional knowledge of small farmers with the genetic and climatological knowledge of our possession, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach that can improve food security, protect genetic diversity local e support small businesses equally local farms.