California produces 99% of the nation’s pistachios, generating nearly $3 billion in economic value in the state. But pistachios have been slightly understudied in part because of the lack of a high-quality map of their DNA. University of California, Davis, researchers have now generated the most comprehensive genome sequence of the pistachio, allowing plant breeders to create better — perhaps more nutritious — varieties. They’ve also detailed how pistachio nuts develop, which will help farmers manage their crop more sustainably.
New Phytologist published the study today.
Scientists have sequenced the DNA of pistachios before, but co-corresponding author J. Grey Monroe, an assistant professor with the Department of Plant Sciences, said this new genetic map is vastly more detailed and accurate.
“The improvement in accuracy of the new reference genome is like going from a hand-drawn map of a landscape to a satellite image from Google Earth,” he said.
Monroe and the research team sequenced the genome of the Kerman cultivar, the most common pistachio variety grown in California.
Climate change challenges pistachio yields
Pistachio trees are resilient to drought and salinity, but they require cold winters to flower properly. As climate change brings warmer winters, growers need new pistachio varieties that can thrive in higher temperatures. Warm winters, combined with the dissipation of fogs that cool California’s Central Valley, have caused significant losses for pistachio growers.
Pistachios just beginning to develop. Researchers have detailed how pistachio nuts develop, which could allow farmers to manage their crops more sustainably. (Bárbara Blanco-Ulate / UC Davis)
Given that establishing a pistachio tree requires a commitment of up to 50 years, researchers said California growers are understandably concerned about the impacts of climate change on their crops.
A nutty development
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