Cocoa Crop Research Articles

First report of mealybug, Crisicoccus hirsutus (Newstead) on cocoa (Hemiptera, Peudococcidae) from India

During the survey, five species of mealybugs viz., Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti), Planococcus citri (Risso), Rastrococcus sp., Planococcus lilacinus Cockerell and Crisicoccus hirsutus Newstead) were found damaging cocoa crop. Among these, C. hirsutus, collected from cocoa plantation of Sagara taluk of Shivamogga District, Karnataka, is a new record from India.

Local methods for the control of Monalonion dissimulatun pest in cacao farms in Florencia- Caquetá

This study was carried out in the municipality of Florencia, department of Caquetá, in the village of El Venado, subdivision of San Julián. With the objective of knowing what are the local methods that producers implement to control the Monalonion dissimulatum pest in cocoa crops, through which they used different methodological strategies such as the development of interviews, where they relied on participant observation, which which allowed having a checklist through which they evidenced the processes, dates and frequencies that were carried out to mitigate the plague. Finally, they determined that the most used methods are cultural control and biological control, giving more credit to cultural control, since through it they obtained better results, such as a significant reduction of the sources of contamination due to the implementation of the technique of pruning, this being an important factor in the reproduction of the Monalonion, that is, they managed to attack the places of focus of contamination, more specifically, in places with greater shade or that present little solar radiation

Local methods for the control of Monalonion dissimulatun pest in cacao farms in Florencia- Caquetá

This study was carried out in the municipality of Florencia, department of Caquetá, in the village of El Venado, subdivision of San Julián. With the objective of knowing what are the local methods that producers implement to control the Monalonion dissimulatum pest in cocoa crops, through which they used different methodological strategies such as the development of interviews, where they relied on participant observation, which which allowed having a checklist through which they evidenced the processes, dates and frequencies that were carried out to mitigate the plague. Finally, they determined that the most used methods are cultural control and biological control, giving more credit to cultural control, since through it they obtained better results, such as a significant reduction of the sources of contamination due to the implementation of the technique of pruning, this being an important factor in the reproduction of the Monalonion, that is, they managed to attack the places of focus of contamination, more specifically, in places with greater shade or that present little solar radiation

Implementation of Long Short-Term Memory Network for Predicting The Cocoa Crop Yield

Forecasting models with high accuracy become more important during uncertain conditions, such as climate change, that could have a high effect. The forecast model's accuracy in predicting cocoa crop yield must be high to determine decision-making in management. Seven different potential predictor variables have been analyzed in this research to see the influence of cocoa crop yield. Using a scatter plot diagram, six of seven variables, relative humidity, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, evapotranspiration, rainfall, and soil moisture, are proven to influence cocoa crop yield. Then, those datasets are divided into training and validation sets using multiple linear regression analysis and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network. The output model of those methods is assessed using two metrics: coefficient of determination and Root Means Square Error (RMSE). From those model performance metrics, LSTM outperformed multiple linear regression analysis. LSTM has an R-square of 98% and an RMSE of 0.3 while multiple linear regression just reached 82% of the R-square and 2.57 of the RMSE. The LSTM model has been proven to be valid.

Análise sobre o uso da terra no município de Gandu, Baixo Sul Baiano: Interação da cultura cacaueira com o bioma de Mata Atlântica

The present research aims to analyze the land use in the municipality of Gandu, in the Southern Bahian Lowlands, and the interaction of the cocoa crop with the Atlantic Forest biome. As a methodology, theoretical and empirical surveys were carried out on phytophysiognomic diversity, land use and some species of the Atlantic Forest biome, as well as their agroecological relationship with cocoa crop. Interviews were made and questionnaires were applied on the relationship between cocoa production and the forest, field visits to cocoa farms, photographs of the forest (camera), cocoa cultivation in the municipality and also the identification of species with greater incidence in the landscape, use of the GIS (Geographic Information System) system as a geographic database for the analysis of geospatial data and generation of a map of location and land use. The results obtained reveal that most of the interviewees say that there has been degradation in the vegetation cover of the biome in recent decades, the vast majority say that the preservation of the forest is associated with the cultivation of cocoa, and that without it, the devastation of the forest was greater for the implementation of other crops such as cattle raising, bananas and subsistence crops at the time of the witches' broom. The fieldwork, together with the satellite images, shows that the forest is quite altered and this is associated with the use of the land: called capoeirinha, capoeira and capoeirão and more or less preserved fragments of the native ombrophilous forest in mountainous areas. It is concluded that the crop relationship is the most recurrent and oldest land use practice in the municipality of Gandu-Ba and that even with the changes in the dense ombrophilous forest, the cocoa crop contributes to the conservation of the Atlantic Forest biome through its Agroforestry System (AFS) that conserves part of the forest for exotic shading.

Theobroma cacao L., land use conflict on the Ecuadorian coast

Cocoa cultivation is one of the sectors that most contributes to Ecuador’s GDP. The aim of this study is to determine the Land-Use Conflict (UC) for cocoa in 71 cities on the coast of Ecuador. Photointerpretation has been applied to locate the crop and geospatial modeling has been used to analyze Land Use Capacity (LUC) criteria, agroecological requirements and LUC at 1:5,000. Of the total study surface area, 4.65% is occupied by cocoa crops and of this value 66.03% is in adequate use (AU) and 33.97% in LUC, and the category of UC over lightly used is the most frequent with 17.25% of the total surface in LUC. In the coastal region, the province of Guayas has the lowest LUC in contrast to Los Rios; the predominant LUC for the crop is Class III 34.32%. The findings show that the LUC of cocoa has a low concordance with the national Agroecological Zoning (AZ), since this model considers the crop in natural conditions, the main limiting factor is the vegetative wet period and does not take into account whether the crop is present in the territory. The use of national AZ information to establish crops could limit their production, since it has been demonstrated that there are cultivated areas that are not in conflict and that are exploited by farmers. This study is replicable to other crops and scalable to any area.

Response Of the Cocoa Crop to The Application of Foliar Biostimulants for Fruit Set and Setting, City of Vinces

The present research work was carried out during the rainy season in the province of Los Ríos, Vinces canton in the Anchoveta area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the flowering of the CCN51 cocoa crop (Theobroma cacaco L.), in addition to evaluating the number of fruit set and fruit set with the use of the following foliar biostimulant: biostimulant based on humic acid, biostimulant a amino acid base and foliar fertilizer based on copper oxide. A DBCA experimental design (completely randomized block design) was used with seven treatments and three repetitions. The statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the number of flowers and fruit set and fruit set between the treatments in the studies. The treatment with the highest number of flowers was T7 with the use of Ferticacao edaphic fertilizer, while the treatment with the highest number of fruit set and fruit set was treatment T6 with the use of the amino acid-based biostimulant accompanied with the foliar fertilizer. copper oxide base.

A new species of Uscanoidea Girault (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae), an egg parasitoid of Monalonion dissimulatum Distant (Hemiptera, Miridae)

A new species of Uscanoidea Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), Uscanoidea ricoi Viggiani, Gamboa & Pérez-Benavides, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The species is a solitary egg parasitoid of Monalonion dissimulatum Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), the main insect pest on cocoa crops. An identification key for the described Uscanoidea species of the world is provided. The new species has a high potential for the biological control of the true bug M. dissimulatum in cocoa plantations in the Neotropical region.

Cocoa agroforestry in Brazil through a public-private partnership

Historically, Brazil was a significant cocoa producer, primarily in the Amazon region, but since the 1970s, cocoa production became increasingly replaced by extensive livestock farming. What production remained, was halted by a fungal epidemic, resulting in Brazil becoming a net importer of cocoa beans. Thanks to recent sustainable development programmes and the emergence of the bioeconomy, Brazil has since experienced renewed interest in cocoa cultivation, especially in cocoa agroforestry. Initiatives such as Mondelez's Sustainable Cocoa Production project aim to promote sustainable cocoa production, with a focus on environmental regulations and good agricultural practices. The project focuses on two regions, Bahia and Pará. In Bahia, efforts are directed towards rejuvenating cocoa crops in cabruca systems, a traditional agroforestry system where cocoa is cultivated beneath native tree canopies. Small-scale farmers received training and experimental plots demonstrated that proper management practices could control fungal disease and increase cocoa production significantly, generating increased income. In Pará, cocoa agroforestry systems are promoted as an alternative to cattle ranching, which destroyed forests to create, now degraded, pasturelands. While restoration efforts are challenging, agroforestry systems showed promising financial returns compared to cattle ranching. Local farmer organisations also benefitted from workshops and ongoing mentoring regarding their management and business capacities. A failure of the project was that in some instances, agroforestry systems were promoted more as a way to produce cocoa than as an opportunity to diversify, which must be the priority. New due diligence initiatives in Europe have also highlighted the importance of traceability and sustainability in cocoa production, posing new challenges for Brazil’s small-scale farmers. The cocoa agroforestry systems in Bahia and Pará have, nonetheless, shown potential for sustainable local development in Brazil. To ensure their success and sustainability in the long term, there must be continued support systems for farmers and value must be ascribed to the immense product diversity of cocoa agroforestry.

Soil Quality Index in Cocoa Crops

The main objective of this research is to develop a methodology to calculate a soil quality index in cocoa crops (Theobroma cacao L.), based on chemical properties such as pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and percentage of base saturation, essential for the availability of nutrients in each cocoa tree. The problematic situation that causes this research is related to low yields per hectare, in small and medium-sized cocoa farms in the department of Huila – Colombia. A chemical quality index is proposed, which facilitates the analysis of the health behavior of the cultivated soil and nutrition of the cocoa plants, as a result of its interrelation with the physical and biological aspects. The proposed methodology is based on principal components analysis, to obtain weights and variable standardization equations, which evaluate 248 soil samples. The data indicate that in the cocoa producing land lots there are high pH values, cation exchange capacity and base saturation, but low levels of organic matter. It is concluded that in general the soils used showed moderate or low quality (52.42% and 11.29%, respectively), the rest showed high quality (36.29%). A soil intervention can improve its quality, however, the characteristic of the crop and the low levels of organic matter, requires recovering the properties and improving the health of the soil, if possible, through the implementation of regenerative agriculture, the object of future studies and research.

Pod Production Dynamics and Pod Size Distribution of Theobroma cacao L. Clone CCN 51 in Full Sunlight

Cacao fruit production dynamics vary from one location to another and are conditioned by the number of pods produced per tree. During cocoa pod development, the strength of the carbon sink varies depending on the demand exerted by the pods, which is proportional to the size. The relationship between cocoa pod production dynamics and size distribution is still poorly understood. Dissecting this relationship is an important step toward further improving cocoa crop management. In this study, the annual yield dynamics and quantity of cocoa pods produced by popular, highly productive, and widespread clone CCN 51 were investigated, based on six size classes observed during its fructification. Growth parameters were determined as weekly increments of pod length and diameter, whereas daily increments were estimated using the logistic Richards model. The fruiting cycle was characterized by the coexistence of fruits of various sizes where the number of pods belonging to each size class changes throughout the fruiting season. Fruit production varied following a seasonal pattern, reaching a maximum of 36 pods/tree, in trees cultivated in full sunlight, of which approximately 55% matured and were harvested. The peak carbon sink demand occurs when the tree pods have the highest numbers of pods. During this period, 65% of the pods had lengths between 5 and 15 cm, which corresponds to the period of the highest pod growth rate. The average length values of the harvested pods were generally below 23 cm and rarely exceeded 7 pods/tree. The Richard model proved to describe accurately the pod growth rates for CCN 51. This represents a promising tool to determine pod growth in other cultivars of relevance for the cocoa industry, which is essential to improve cocoa crop management.

Enhancing Cocoa Crop Resilience in Ghana: The Application of Convolutional Neural Networks for Early Detection of Disease and Pest Infestations

This study explores the revolutionary integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), in combating cocoa disease and pest infestations in Ghana. As a significant stride towards sustainable agriculture and food security, the research explores AI's transformative impact on cocoa farming, a critical sector in Ghana's economy and the global chocolate supply. The use of CNNs has emerged as a potent tool for accurate disease and pest detection, offering a new era of efficiency and precision in agricultural practices. The research was strategically focused on the practical applications of AI and CNNs in identifying and managing cocoa plant diseases and pests in Ghana, avoiding overly technical dissections of AI mechanisms. It aimed to illuminate the tangible, on-the-ground impacts of this technology and the transformative advancements it brings to the agricultural sector, particularly in cocoa farming. The effort involved gathering up-to-date information on AI nuances, CNN specifics and applications, and the dynamics of cocoa disease and pest detection. The study's results highlight the profound potential of AI to augment productivity in the Ghanaian cocoa industry. CNNs have proven to be a powerful tool in analyzing and interpreting agricultural data, providing unprecedented insights into crop health and development. Furthermore, the capability of AI to enhance disease and pest detection has been recognized as critical in maintaining crop health and ensuring the sustainability of cocoa farming in the face of evolving challenges. The study underscores the potential of AI in safeguarding food security and highlights its role as a powerful ally in addressing agricultural challenges through technological innovation.

Enhancing Cocoa Crop Resilience in Ghana: The Application of Convolutional Neural Networks for Early Detection of Disease and Pest Infestations

Enhancing Cocoa Crop Resilience in Ghana: The Application of Convolutional Neural Networks for Early Detection of Disease and Pest Infestations

Ownership and governance of tree resources on cocoa farms: A case study in Brong-Ahafo and Western Regions of Ghana

Cocoa is important for the economy and rural development of Ghana. However, small-scale cocoa production is the leading agricultural product driver of deforestation in Ghana. Uncertain tree tenure disincentivizes farmers to retain and nurture trees on their farms. There is therefore the call for structures that promote tree retention and management within cocoa farming. We examined tenure barriers and governance for tree resources on cocoa farms. Data was collected from 200 cocoa farmers from two regions using multistage sampling technique. Information was gathered on tree ownership and fate of tree resources on cocoa farms, tree felling permit acquisition and associated challenges and illegal logging and compensation payments on cocoa farms. Results suggest 62.2% of farmers own trees on their farms. However, these farmers may or may not have ownership rights over the trees depending on the ownership of their farmlands. More than half of the farmers indicated they require felling permits to harvest trees on their farms, indicative of the awareness of established tree harvesting procedures. Seventy percent of the farmers have never experienced illegal logging on their farms. There is however the need to educate the remaining 30% on their rights and build their compensation negotiation powers for destructions to their cocoa crops. This study has highlighted ownership and governance issues with cocoa farming and it is important for the sustainability of on-farm tree resources and Ghana’s forest at large.

Development of an IoT Tool for Optimizing Humidity Control in Cocoa Cultivation

The following document presents the development of a humidity sensor for cocoa crops using IoT and Arduino. Its purpose is to showcase the various applications that new technologies can offer, particularly in the cocoa industry. It involves designing a humidity sensor node to measure changes in humidity and temperature using the electronic design tool Proteus. The measurement module is programmed in Arduino IDE and connected to the cloud via IoT, incorporating Node-RED as a means to remotely visualize real-time results. This is achieved through a presentation dashboard as the final output of the measurement process, collecting data on climate changes received by the transducer and comparing them with data obtained from the web over a specified period. This process verifies the sensor's efficiency and data accuracy, setting a precedent for future research in applied electronics, IoT, and telecommunications.

Identification of a Novel Polerovirus in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Germplasm and Development of Molecular Methods for Use in Diagnostics.

The cocoa crop (Theobroma cacao L.) is known to be a host for several badnaviruses, some of which cause severe disease, while others are asymptomatic. Recently, the first preliminary evidence has been published concerning the occurrence of a polerovirus in cacao. We report here the first near-complete genome sequence of cacao polerovirus (CaPV) by combining bioinformatic searches of cacao transcript databases, with cloning from the infected germplasm. The reported novel genome has all the genome features known for poleroviruses from other species. Pairwise identity analyses of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and coat protein indicates < 60% similarity of CaPV with any reported poleroviruses; hence, we propose that the polerovirus isolate reported in this study is a novel polerovirus. The genome sequence information was also used to develop a multiplex RT-PCR assay, which was applied to screen a selected range of germplasms and to identify several infected clones. Although there is no evidence that this virus causes any severe disease, this new information, together with a robust diagnostic assay, are of strategic importance in developing protocols for the safe international transfer of cacao germplasms.

Valorization of ripe banana peels and cocoa pod husk hydrochars as green sustainable “low loss” dielectric materials

The banana and cocoa crops are relevant worldwide and tons of their residues do not enter the industrial value chain. With this in mind, it is imperative to find alternative uses for these residues that could lead to novel and sustainable applications in diverse fields, such as consumer electronics. Lignocellulosic residues can be hydrothermally carbonized to produce a solid fraction called hydrochar. In this work, the dielectric characteristics of ripe banana peels and cocoa pod husks hydrochars are explored. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) treatments were carried out at two temperatures (150 °C and 210 °C) and three HTC times (2 h, 4 h, and 6 h). The materials were characterized electrically using a Semiconductor Analyzer under frequency swepts of 1 KHz to 1 MHz. Cocoa pod husk hydrochars (CHH) showed less variability in relative permittivity values compared to ripe banana peel hydrochars (BPH). The relative permittivity values of CHH ranged between 9.83 and 10.29 (150 °C) and 8.25–9.39 (210 °C), while for BPH, these values ranged between 6.89 and 14.14 (150 °C) and 6.39–8.77 (210 °C). In addition, the loss tangent values of CHH varied from 0.034 to 0.041 (150 °C) and from 0.036 to 0.038 (210 °C), while in BPH, these values varied from 0.056 to 0.091 (150 °C) and from 0.046 to 0.051 (210 °C). In both cases, HTC produced highly stable materials with low loss tangent values, making them good candidates for insulation and possessing good dielectric properties that can be further processed for downstream applications in the electronics industry.

CARACTERIZACIÓN DE SISTEMAS AGROFORESTALES CON CACAO (Theobroma cacao L) EN TRES MUNICIPIOS DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE BOYACÁ, COLOMBIA

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; In Colombia, most traditional cocoa crops are developed under agroforestry systems (SAF), associating shrubs and trees that provide shade for cocoa. They generate additional economic income and various ecosystem services. &lt;strong&gt;Objective:&lt;/strong&gt; To characterize agroforestry systems with cocoa in three municipalities in eastern Boyacá (Miraflores, Berbeo, and Páez) belonging to the province of Lengupá. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology:&lt;/strong&gt; A semi-structured interview was applied in 15 selected farms to learn about socioeconomic aspects, agronomic management of cocoa, and the use and management of trees. The botanical and structural composition and the Simpson (S), Shannon-Weaver (H´), and Jaccard (J) plant diversity indices were determined. &lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; Cocoa producers in that region develop smallholder production under agroforestry systems with irregular tree species distribution, which are used for wood, firewood, shade, and food. At the regional level, 189 forest individuals accompanying cocoa were found, grouped into 18 families, 17 genera, and 28 species. The municipality of Berbeo presented the highest abundance (73 individuals), followed by Miraflores (67) and finally, Páez (49). In Berbeo, the species with a high importance value index (IVI) were &lt;em&gt;Ceiba pentandra&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Cedrela odorata&lt;/em&gt; (35 and 33, respectively), in Miraflores &lt;em&gt;Trichant&lt;strong&gt;h&lt;/strong&gt;era gigantea &lt;/em&gt;and &lt;em&gt;Persea americana&lt;/em&gt; (44 and 42) and, in Páez &lt;em&gt;Cedrela odorata&lt;/em&gt; (104). &lt;strong&gt;Implications:&lt;/strong&gt; The selective felling of forests in SAF with cocoa, which intensifies the production of wood, has favored the loss of diversity; Therefore, the floristic composition studies serve as a basis to identify other potential forest species for the establishment of SAF to promote the diversification of the productive system and contribute to its resilience and sustainability. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/strong&gt; The agroforestry systems with cocoa in three municipalities in eastern Boyacá presented a differential composition and diversity, marked by a lower diversity in the municipality of Páez, where the species &lt;em&gt;C. odorata&lt;/em&gt; had greater representation, related to the affinity of farmers for timber species of commercial interest.&lt;/p&gt;

Perilaku Petani dalam Budidaya Tanaman Kakao (Subak-Abian Asagan di Kecamatan Selemadeg Timur Kabupaten Tabanan)

Farmers Behavior in Cultivating Subak-Abian Asagan Cocoa Crops (in Selemadeg Timur District, Tabanan Regency)&#x0D; Agriculture is a sector that plays an important role in building the national economy. Knowing the attitude of farmers in cacao cultivation in Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, East Selemadeg District. Knowing the skills of farmers in cacao cultivation in Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, East Selemadeg District. This research was conducted in Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, East Selemadeg District, Tabanan Regency. The location of this study was chosen by purposive sampling or intentionally, carried out from April to May 2021, the sample in this study was determined by the random sampling method, where the total population was 60 with a sample of 38 cocoa farmers. Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, Selemadeg Timur, Tabanan Regency already has knowledge that is classified as high category in terms of cacao cultivation. Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, Selemadeg Timur, Tabanan Regency already has an attitude that is classified as very good in terms of cacao cultivation. Based on the results of the research and the conclusions above, the following suggestions can be given: The knowledge of Subak Abian Asagan, East Gadungan Village, Tabanan Regency continues to be improved, especially regarding paying attention to soil texture in the cocoa cultivation process and ideal cocoa spacing, as well as disease management. rotten fruit that can inhibit the growth of cocoa plants. The attitude of members of Subak Abian Asagan, Gadungan Village, Selemadeg Timur, Tabanan Regency needs to be improved again with attitudes about differences.

Induction of systemic resistance in Theobroma cacao L. for the management of “witches’ broom” caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa

The pathogen Moliniophthora perniciosa can cause losses in the cocoa crop of more than 90% when integrated disease management is not carried out in the crop. In the present study, the effect of sucrose as a resistance inducer in cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao L.), was evaluated for the management of the “witches’ broom” disease caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa. The experiment was developed in the municipality of Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia (854 m.a.s.l.). The treatments corresponded to 0.9 M sucrose: injected (T1), foliar spray (T2) and without sucrose (T3). A completely randomized block design with three treatments was established. The results showed that the incidence and severity of the disease in the trees treated with sucrose were lower. The polyphenol oxidase enzyme presented its highest activity in T3, while peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in T2. It was observed that sucrose as an inducer, can alter metabolic pathways involved in the defense mechanisms of cocoa trees, reducing the incidence and severity, thus establishing an alternative for the management of “witches' broom” disease in producing countries.