Cocoa swollen shoot virus disease situation in Ghana: A review of current trends

Abstract

The cocoa swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD) continues to spread in Ghana despite many years of the cutting-out of infected trees and their ‘contacts’. Records gathered by the cocoa swollen shoot virus disease control unit (CSSVDCU) indicate that between October 2006 and September 2010, 28,486,309 visibly infected and ‘contact’ cocoa trees were removed countrywide. Out of this number, 18,332,234 trees, representing 64.4%, were removed from Western North alone, while Western South accounted for 6.1% (for CSSVD control operations, the Western Region has been divided into North and South). The Central Region accounted for 8.8% while Ashanti Region recorded 6.6%. The Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions which recorded the lowest tree removals accounted for 1.7 and 2.3%, respectively. The records indicate that 10% of trees removed in Ghana during the period occurred in the Eastern Region. Over the same period, there was no swollen shoot infection at Goaso and Berekum Districts, while Sefwi Bekwai and Essam Districts had the highest number of infected trees discovered and removed. The current trend suggests that the Western North Region has become the new epi-centre of swollen shoot disease infection in Ghana. Key words: Cutting-out, cocoa swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD), outbreak, area of mass infection, epi-centre, backlog, infected trees, treatment.