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The Impact of Diseases on Cacao Production: A Global Overview

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Cacao Diseases

Abstract

Cacao (Theobroma cacao), one of the most important tropical crops, is responsible for a multibillion-dollar confectionary trade. It originated in the neotropics, but most production now occurs outside its native range. Diseases are significant constraints in commercial production and reduce yields by a conservative total of 20 %, or a projected 1.3 million tons of beans in 2012. As it was moved outside the neotropics, cacao was released from its two primary American enemies, Moniliophthora roreri (cause of frosty pod) and M. perniciosa (witches’ broom). The diseases they cause would devastate production in West Africa and Asia if they were reunited with their cacao host. Diverse pathogens impact production in other areas. Newly encountered pathogens in West Africa (Cacao swollen shoot virus and Phytophthora megakarya) and Asia [Ceratobasidium (aka Oncobasidium) theobromae] are serious problems in those areas, as are other fungi and stramenopiles with wider geographic distributions. The ranges of the major pathogens and the impacts and losses that result from the diseases they cause are considered below. The potential impacts of the geographically restricted problems are assessed to evaluate the vulnerability of this crop. In a worst-case scenario, global production would be impossible in the presence of all of the major pathogens.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Emmanuelle Muller for information on the distribution of Cacao swollen shoot virus; David Guest, Phillip Keane, and Peter McMahon on the distribution of Ceratobasidium theobromae; Harry Evans, Wilberth Phillips-Mora, and Carmen Suarez-Capello on the distributions of Moniliophthora perniciosa and M. roreri; and Andrews Akofri on the distribution of Phytophthora megakarya.

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  1. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, IFAS, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL, USA

    Randy Ploetz

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  1. Randy Ploetz
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Correspondence to Randy Ploetz .

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  1. USDA/ARS, Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA

    Bryan A. Bailey

  2. USDA/ARS, Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA

    Lyndel W. Meinhardt

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Ploetz, R. (2016). The Impact of Diseases on Cacao Production: A Global Overview. In: Bailey, B., Meinhardt, L. (eds) Cacao Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24789-2_2

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