Although there have been some limited studies of molecular
genetic diversity in wild coffee, there are
as of yet no comprehensive range-wide assessments to compare
with current forest cover in Ethiopia. Studies
that combine comprehensive genetic assessment with current
and future habitat niche modelling, and with economic ‘option value’ analysis , are required for all important tree commodity
crops that have extant wild and semi-wild stands, and similar
approaches should also be applied to other trees providing valuable
products. As well as estimating genetic diversity with (neutral)
molecular markers, greater geo-spatial referencing of
important functional diversity on forest maps would be useful; for example, by superimposing
data from phenotypic evaluations of wild accessions undertaken
in field trials and live gene banks.