A vanilla Vanilla
The orchid that produces the favorite flavor has low genetic diversity, may face risk from pathogens
Scientists have now tasted the genetic makeup of Vanilla, the orchid whose pods bestow flavor on ice cream, perfume and rum. Their findings? It’s pretty plain.
Genetic diversity in Vanilla planifolia is “Very, very, very low,” says Pascale Besse, who led the research, which will appear in the July American Journal of Botany. Besse and colleagues examined a stretch of genetic code in more than 300 vanilla plants from Réunion island, Madagascar, French Polynesia, Mexico, Central America and Brazil.
The findings are worrisome, the researchers say. The blandness of the plant’s DNA suggests that cultivated vanilla is a monoculture, lacking the genetic variation that would help in a face-off with pests or disease.