“Hotbed” of avocado diversity found in Nicaragua could help protect global crops

Nicaragua: Scientists have identified a “hotbed” of avocado diversity in Nicaragua’s rainforests that may help protect commercial crops from disease.

Researchers from Texas A&M University analyzed DNA from 47 native avocado landraces in Nicaragua, Honduras and southern Mexico. The study, published in Plants People Planet, found Nicaragua’s lowland avocados are genetically linked to South American varieties, tracing back to a migration of the fruit northward about 5,000 years ago.

Unlike grocery store Hass avocados, which are all genetically identical, these local varieties are highly diverse and adapted to warmer, wetter climates. Farmers said they had not seen root rot, the main disease hitting commercial avocados.“We could potentially tap into this genetic diversity to conserve commercial avocado plants that are vulnerable to disease,” said study leader Kevin Wann.

With 11 million metric tons grown worldwide in 2024, most from a single variety, researchers say preserving these native avocados could boost supply chain resilience and sustainable farming.