The Impact of Plant Diseases on World Chocolate Production

Abstract

Many factors contribute to a decline in production of cocoa beans worldwide. Plant diseases such as black pod, witches' broom, and frosty pod rot are major components of the decline in production. Plant pathologists and microbiologists must discover and devise means to reduce disease losses and to save chocolate for the enthusiastic consumers of the world. This review discusses the major disease of cacao and their effect on world production. Accepted for publication 14 June 2001. Published 9 July 2001.

Vascular Streak Dieback of cacao in Southeast Asia and Melanesia: in planta detection of the pathogen and a new taxonomy

“…As the source of chocolate, cacao is an economically important crop wherever it is grown. Although the disease that results in the greatest losses in cacao worldwide is Black Pod, caused by Phytophthora palmivora or other species of Phytophthora in different regions (Bowers et al 2001), each of the respective geographic areas of cacao production suffers from indigenous pathogens. In America the most important diseases are Witches' Broom and Frosty Pod Rot, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, respectively (Bowers et al 2001).…”

“…Although the disease that results in the greatest losses in cacao worldwide is Black Pod, caused by Phytophthora palmivora or other species of Phytophthora in different regions (Bowers et al 2001), each of the respective geographic areas of cacao production suffers from indigenous pathogens. In America the most important diseases are Witches' Broom and Frosty Pod Rot, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, respectively (Bowers et al 2001). In West and Central Africa Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus, which has been spread to cacao from local forest trees, has long been a destructive pathogen and the indigenous oomycete Phytophthora megakarya causes up to 100 % crop loss through pod rot (Bowers et al 2001;Tondje et al 2007).…”

“…In America the most important diseases are Witches' Broom and Frosty Pod Rot, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, respectively (Bowers et al 2001). In West and Central Africa Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus, which has been spread to cacao from local forest trees, has long been a destructive pathogen and the indigenous oomycete Phytophthora megakarya causes up to 100 % crop loss through pod rot (Bowers et al 2001;Tondje et al 2007). In Southeast Asia, where Indonesia is the world's 3rd largest producer of cacao (Shapiro et al 2008;ICCO 2010), the main constraints to cacao production are Black Pod and Stem Canker caused by P. palmivora, pod damage caused by the indigenous cocoa pod borer moth, Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen (Wardojo 1980;Lim 1992;Shapiro et al 2008), and Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD), caused by Oncobasidium theobromae (Talbot & Keane 1971;Keane & Prior 1991).…”

Inhibition de <i>Phytophthora palmivora</i>, agent de pourriture brune des cabosses de cacaoyer en Côte d’Ivoire, par <i>Trichoderma</i> sp.

“…A cela, il faut ajouter les exigences de la qualité du cacao (présence de résidus) et de la protection de l'environnement qui n'encourageraient pas les applications effrénées des fongicides (Bowers et al, 2001a) . L'évaluation de la résistance du cacaoyer aux Phytophthora sp à partir d'organes autres que les cabosses a réduit considérablement le temps de sélection et a accru l'amélioration génétique du cacaoyer, mais il faut reconnaître que les clones ou les hybrides sélectionnés ne présentent qu'une tolérance vis à vis du parasite plutôt qu'une résistance totale.…”

Endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents of Theobroma cacao pathogens

“…Herre). 700 million US dollars (Bowers et al, 2001). Traditional methods of chemically controlling these diseases can be expensive, ineffective, and have a negative impact on both environmental and human health.…”