SUMMARY OF PEST AND DISEASE

SITUATION OF COCOA IN GHANA.

[Possible Control Measures]

There are several pests and diseases that attack cocoa all over the world however the
situation of every country is peculiar since certain pests and diseases thrive in some regions
than others although some pests and diseases are common to many regions. This document
gives a summary of the pests and disease situation of cocoa (theobroma cacao) in Ghana
and the possible control measures against it’s devasting effect.
 SUMMARY OF PEST AND DISEASE SITUATION IN GHANA
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DELIVARABLES: SUMMARY OF PEST ANND DISEASE SITUATION IN GHANA.

FOCUS OF WORK

 DISEASE

 PEST
Student/Intern:

Samuel B. Adjei  CAUSES

 MODE OF
TRANSMISSION

 IDENTIFICATION

 PARTS AFFECTED

 POSSIBLE CONTROL
MEASURES

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Contents
WORK DETIAL; ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................3
COCOA DISEASES AND PESTS SITUATION IN GHANA ....................................................................... 3
Diseases................................................................................................................................................5
Black pod disease...............................................................................................................................5
Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus – CSSV ...................................................................................................7
PESTS ...................................................................................................................................................10
( Bathycoelia thalassina)- stink bug (Atee) .................................................................................... 12
Termite ................................................................................................................................................14
Mistletoes ...........................................................................................................................................16
Rodents and other vertebrate pests............................................................................................... 17
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................................19

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INTRODUCTION

The cocoa tree is susceptible to a number of diseases and pests that affect the yield of pods from the

trees. Many diseases and insect pests are known to attack the cocoa tree and the pods leading to

economic loss. Fungi and viruses cause most of these diseases. Five major diseases, namely witch’s

broom (WB), black pod (Phytophthora pod rot [PP]), moniliasis pod rot (MO), cocoa swollen shoot

virus disease (CSSVD) and vascular streak die back (VSD), affect the crop, causing about 40% yield

loss per year. More than 1,500 insect pests have been found to attack the cocoa plant in different cocoa-

growing regions of the world but a small number are of economic importance. These are the red borer,

tea mosquito bug, mealy bug, gray weevil, cockchafer beetle, rat, striped squirrel and a host of others

(Nair 2010). The economic importance of these diseases and pests are derived from their adverse

effects on per hectare yields and consequent losses to the industry’s aggregate cocoa output (Asante

1995).

COCOA DISEASES AND PESTS SITUATION IN GHANA

Disease and pest attack on any farm can be very devastating and frustrating to farmers and all industry

stakeholders of all crop farm. Cocoa, which contributes to the economic growth of Ghana, is no

exception to the effect of pest and disease. The government spends so much resource to combat this

unfortunate incidence annually since number of pest and disease and the effect are mostly on the rise as

they hit different location on different farms. Although there are several disease and pest of cocoa all

over the world as listed earlier, Cocoa is susceptible to attack by myriad insect pests and fungal diseases

with potential yield loss of 30 % (Dormon et al., 2007). Mirids are the important insect pests recognised

in West Africa. There are four species viz Sahlbergella singularis Haglund (Hemiptera: Miridae),

Distantiella theobroma (Distant) (Hemiptera: Miridae), Helopeltis bergrothi Reuter (Hemiptera:

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Miridae) and Bryocoropsis laticollis Schumacher (Hemiptera: Miridae). Of the four species, S.

singularis and D. theobroma are the ones of economic importance . Young cocoa is particularly

vulnerable to mirid attack and this can prolong the establishment period for several years (Padi et al.,

2001). Man’s source of tropical stimulants – 7 tea, coffea, cocoa, cola, guarana nut, mate tea – form a

botanically diverse group but each contains methyl purines (caffeine, theophylline, theobromine) and

each harbours bryocorines (Leston, 1970). Other damaging insect pests are the cocoa stem borer,

Eulophonotus myrmeleon (Felder) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerela

(Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), mealybugs, Planococcoides njalensis (Laing) (Hemiptera:

Pseudococcidae), and the stink bug, Bathycoelia thalassina (Her- rich – Schaeffer) (Hemiptera:

Pentatomidae), termites and defoliators (Anomalis leona and Earias biplaga) (Padi et al., 2001). Black

pod disease which is an important disease of cocoa is caused by a number of Phytophthora species

especially Phytophthora megakarya. Other fungal diseases include witches broom caused by Crinipellis

perniciosa, frosty pod caused by Moniliophthora roreri and vascular streak die-back caused by

Onchobasidium theobromae, Oomycetes. The cocoa swollen shoot virus disease is caused by several

strains of viruses and vectored by mealybugs. Mirid and fungal related dieback cause more than 20 %

yield loss (Adu-Acheampong, 2009).The main viral disease of cocoa is the swollen shoot disease caused

by the cocoa swollen shoot virus (CSSV) and transmitted by different species of mealybugs. Mistletoes

and rats and other vertebrate pests such as squirrels, woodpeckers, etc. also inflict damage on cocoa. The

cocoa industry in Ghana is however, afflicted by two major plant diseases and one major group of insect

pests. The diseases are Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) and the Black pod disease. The

major pests of cocoa are the mirids, Distantiella theobroma and Sahlbergella singularis. The economic

importance of these diseases and pests are derived from their adverse effects on per hectare yields and

consequent losses to the industry’s aggregate cocoa output (Asante 1995)

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The significant effect of these diseases and pests on the yield and growth of cocoa has become important

for all stakeholders to understand the cause, symptoms, mode of transmission, effects and the measures

to control the incidence of these pests and diseases. Summary notes on the various diseases and pests are

discussed below.

Diseases

Black pod disease

Phytothtora species

• IMPORTANCE

Black Pod is the most important fungal disease of cocoa worldwide and results in the browning,

blackening and rotting of cocoa pods and beans. Black Pod is caused by a fungus known as

Phytophthora sp (Vos et al ,2003).

• Pods are susceptible at all stages of development and and infection can also occur on any part of

the pod.

• The fungus may also grow into the cushion through the pod stalk and enter the trunk to cause

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Canker.

• There are six different species that attacks cocoa but two types are found in Ghana and these

are:

o P. palmivora – less destructive

o P. megakarya – very destructive

Note: The P. megakarya is usually found in the soils

• Symptoms

o Small brown spot on pod which grows darker and expands rapidly.

o Whitish spores (seeds) are produced on the brown surface.

o The whole surface of the pod may become black within 14 days.

• Mode of transmission

• Healthy pods in contact with infected pods.

• Rain drops hitting infected pods splash spores onto healthy pods.

• Drips of water from infected pods falling on healthy pods.

• Pods in direct contact with infected soil.

• Through the activities of pests and rodents.

• Through harvesting implements and contaminated hands.

• Through carrying of infected pods from one farm to another farm.

Control

• Cultural Control

– Reduction of shade trees.

– Regular weeding.

– Draining standing waters.

– Regular harvesting.

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– Remove chupons and reduce heavy canopy to admit light.

– Remove diseased pods from the farm to an open space and either

burn or bury them.

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus – CSSV

Importance

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus is a serious constraint cocoa production in West Africa ( ICCO,2013),

particularly in

Ghana. Severe strains of this virus can kill susceptible cocoa trees within 2-3 years. CSSV affects

Amelonado cocoa (widely considered to give the best quality cocoa beans) more seriously

than Upper Amazon cocoa.

It affects cocoa trees causing defoliation, yield reduction and death of the tree. Cocoa Swollen

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Shoot Virus Disease is an infectious disease which spreads to other cocoa farms if not controlled

early. It may destroy young cocoa farm within 18 to 24 months.

Causal Agent:

• The disease is caused by a virus.

Vector:

• The disease is spread by female mealy bug.

Symptoms

• Mosaic in the leaf.

• Swellings on chupons and fan branches.

• Mosaic on pods

• Round pods.

Alternate Host:

• Some identified forest trees have the virus and can infect cocoa in the field.

• These include:

♣ Cola chlamydantha -Kra-bise, Asenkrobia

♣ Sterculia trangacatha -Foto

♣ Adansonia digitata -Odadee

♣ Ceiba pentandra -Onyina

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♣ Combretodendron -Esa macroparpum

Symptoms

• Mosaic in the leaf.

• Swellings on chupons and fan branches.

• Mosaic on pods

• Round pods.

Mode of Transmission

• Cocoa swollen shoot virus (CSSV) can be transmitted during feeding by several different species

of mealybug that feed on the sap of cocoa plants.

• The infected young of both sexes and adult females can also spread the virus to adjacent healthy

trees by crawling across interlocking branches.

• Mealybugs can also infect trees further afield, as they can be transported by wind or by animals,

insects and humans.

Control

• Infected trees and contact trees are destroyed by cutting out below ground level.

• Trees cut are packed away from the farm.

• Re-inspection of outbreak farms is done monthly to further destroy trees showing symptoms.

• Outbreak is considered controlled if no symptoms are found after several inspections.

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PESTS

• A pest is any unwanted organism that causes a problem to agriculture.

• A pest can ideally be a plant or animal.

• An insect become a pest when it competes with other living things for other resources.

INSECT PESTS

• There are two major insect pests of pre-harvest cocoa, these are:

1. Capsid (Akate)

2. Bathycoelia thalassina (Atee)

• Minor pest are stem borers and termites

Capsid / Mirids

• Capsids are the number one insect pest on cocoa in Ghana. These insects use their needle-like

mouthpart to pierce the surface of cocoa stems, branches and pods; and suck the sap of the cocoa

tree. While sucking, they inject toxic spit into the plant. This causes the dying of internal cocoa

tissues (Ransford ,2016).

• Infestation on cocoa pods results in minor direct losses, if any. Beans from these pods are

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generally not affected but may be a little smaller than without infestation.

• The many little scars on the pods are an easy target for black pod, which often causes more

losses than the mirids itself.

• Attack on shoots and young branches reduces the canopy of a tree, there by making it

vulnerable to other pests and diseases.

• Young cherelles may also be destroyed.

Types

• There are two types found in Ghana and these are:

– Distantiella theobroma – black capsid

– Sahlbergella singularis – brown capsid.

• Minimum occurrence – February – July

• Maximum occurrence – August – January

• Six (6) capsids per 10 trees indicate high and damaging population level.

Alternate Host Plants

1. Kola tree species

2. citrus

3. silk

4. cotton tree.

Control

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• Cultural control

– Mirids are a problem in farms where shade is thin or non- existent.

– This happens when shade or neighbor trees are felled, when cocoa trees die due to other

reasons or when cocoa farms are rejuvenated.

– The following options are suggested to avoid gaps in the canopy and manage mirids.

– Maintain a complete canopy

– Remove chupons regularly

– Maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem.

– Rational pesticide use

• Chemical Method

– Spray with recommended insecticides such as Confidor, Atrazin, Actara.

– Recommended spraying equipments:

– Motorized Knapsack machine – for mature cocoa of over 2 years.

– Hand – operated sprayer (MATABI) – for young cocoa under 2 years.

( Bathycoelia thalassina)- stink bug (Atee)

• These are large green insects which feed on cocoa pods.

• They lay their eggs on leaves, trunks and branches. They pierce the pod husk with their mouth

parts and suck out the content of the beans( Badii,2016).

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• As a result young pods turn yellow and then black, large pods stop growing and becomes

yellow

Control

• Spray with recommended insecticides. Also hand pick any visible bugs.

• Good farm sanitation and management practice may help to reduce their occurrence.

Stem Borer

• This is a moth. Losses from this insect are usually low but a high number can seriously affect

yield and tree health( Boateng ,2011).

• Stem borer has been said to spread as a pest in cases of heavy pesticide abuse on trees, which

kills off the natural predators of this pests.

• However from the late 1990s onwards, stem borers have become more noticeable, even on

farms where no pesticides are used.

• A further problem is that stem borer entrance holes also serve as entry points for diseases such

as Canker.

Symptoms

• Presence of sticky sap on cocoa tree bark.

• Attacked branches loose their leaves, dry out and die off.

• Presence of silk threads on branches.

Prevention and control

• Select and use only borer-free seedlings and young plants for planting

• Alternative host plants of the Anacardiaceae (mango, cashew, etc.) family should be removed

from the farm and surrounding fields, since they act as harbouring sites for borers.

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• If planting cocoa consider using none hosts for fruit and shade trees

• Uproot and completely destroy damaged trees which serve as diapausing sites

• Use pesticides rationally to keep insect pests in check and to preserve natural enemies of stem

borer.

• Plant a barrier crop that is not attractive to stem borers such as sweet potato, cocoyam, leucaena

sp.

• Practice spot application of pesticides.

NOTE: Chemical pesticides are not recommended by COCOBOD for management of this

insect pest although some chemicals have proved effective

Termite

• Termites may live either in the canopy or in the underground.

• They attack seedlings or young trees at the base and without control, trees may wilt and die.

• This type of damage can also happen to suckers of full-grown trees. In full-grown trees, some

types of termites attack injured and dead wood. Other types chew into the roots and tunnel up

into the branch (S.David,2005).

• Termites can attack living cocoa wood. They chew the wood, which causes openings for

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diseases such as Canker.

Symptoms

• Presence of mud tents on the trunk.

• Attack results in severe and sudden wilt of branches.

Control

• Keep trees undamaged to make them less attractive to termite attack.

• Try spot application of botanical such as neem rather than chemical pesticides (as chemical

pesticide may kill the natural enemies of termites).

Plant Pest or Parasite

• Parasite, organism that lives in or on a second organism, called a host, usually causing it some

harm.

• A parasite is generally smaller than the host and of a different species.

• Parasites are dependent on the host for some or all of their nourishment.

• Plant parasites which affect cocoa that can be found in Ghana is called mistletoes.

• Another plant pest or parasite is called witches broom which is not found in Ghana.

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Mistletoes

• Mistletoe belongs to the family Loranthaceae.

• Mistletoes are plant parasites that live on other plants to obtain food and water.

• Mistletoes can infest many plants including cocoa, and if unchecked can cause serious

problems in cocoa farms( Vos,2016).

• Infestation by Mistletoe results in death of a branch from the point of attack, with heavy

infestations leading to the death of many branches(S,David,2005).

Types

• There are species of mistletoes in Ghana.

• One species (Tapinanthus bangwensis) is recognised by its red flowers and berries, it flowers

twice a year in Ghana and can live for up to 18 years( Yeboah,2014).

• Another, is also caused by Phragmanthera incana causes about 20% infestation and has yellow

flowers and blue fruit.

Alternative host

• Citrus tree

• Cola tree

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• Pear tree

Control

• Cultural control is so far the only method that is effective; chemicals are not effective, as it is

impossible to apply them safely and efficiently.

• Good maintenance of top shade to prevent germination of Mistletoe seeds is a useful long-term

measure, but manual pruning is still the best method for immediate results.

• Cutting-out/removal of Mistletoes is recommended every other year.

• The recommended time is when the Mistletoe is in flower as this makes it easier to spot them in

the cocoa canopy.

Rodents and other vertebrate pests

• More than 60 species of vertebrate reported as pest of cocoa worldwide (Thorold, 1975).. Some

of them become a serious pest and give an impact on cocoa yield (John and Debbie, 1993; Lee,

1982)..

• Among them, mammalian pest in a rodent group such as rats and squirrels, are responsible for

severe attack.

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• The losses are differed greatly within countries and estimated from a few per cent (0.7 – 7.0 %)

in Ghana (Wharton, 1962; Glendinnings, 1962)

Control

1. Rat traps and nooses are popular, but of little value for lowering populations: a combination of

good practices is most likely to be successful. These must beimplemented over large areas as

rodents reproduce and spread quickly. Whole communities should work together, if possible.

2. Good farm management (weeding, light shade management, timely pruning, etc.) is important.

3. Barn owls are probably the most proven biological controls for rodents. When barn owl nest

boxes were established in cocoa plantations in Malaysia, rat damage was significantly reduced.

Recently a control product has been brought out based on the pathogen Sarcocystis

singaporensis.

4. When rodents attack more than 4 out of 100 cocoa pods, farmers may want to think about

chemical control. Rodents can be baited and killed with poisoned wax blocks (containing the

anti-coagulants:brodifacoum, bromadiolone or warfarin), tied high up on trees to help avoid

poisoning of children and farm animals. Baiting with anti-coagulant rodenticides is most likely to

work when farmers co-operate and treat as large an area as possible at the same time - best in the

low season when rodents are most hungry. Another problem is that rats adapt and learn quickly

not to eat the poison (bait shyness).

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Conclusion

The major insect group that causes economic damage to cocoa in Ghana are the mirids or capsids

(Heteroptera: Miridae), the http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/ 22 mealybugs (Homoptera:

Pseudococcidae), the pod feeder, Bathycoelia thalassina (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) (Owusu-

Manu, 1971; Padi, et al., in press) minor pest attaining major pest status, termites (Isoptera:

Termitidae). Rodents are also gradually becoming a pest of concern as they interfere with pods

that are ready for harvesting and destroy. The diseases, Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease

(CSSVD) and the Black pod diseases are the most prevalent in Ghana. A summary of the pest

and disease situation are discussed above .

The major methods used for the control of pests and diseases in Ghana are Chemical and cultural

because these seems to be very easy for most farmers to practice. The performance of cocoa

plantations is a major concern to all stakeholders hence the best practices must be extended to

farmers to enable them optimize yield of the cocoa crop.

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REFERENCE

Kokou. A. and E. L. Ngo-Samnick (2014), cocoa production and processing pp 18-20

Lee C.H. (1982). Rodent pest species and bait preferences in cocoa-coconut plantings. MARDI Res.
Bul. 10 (2). Pp 290 – 295.

Adjinah Obeng K., Opoku I. Y. ‐ The National Cocoa Diseases and Pests Control (CODAPEC):
Achievements and Challenges. A mimeograph.

Bos, M.M., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Tscharntke, T., 2007. Shade tree management affects
fruit abortion, insect pests and pathogens of cacao. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 120, 201–205

Ackonor, J. B and Nkansah A. (2001). Studies on natural enemies. Rep Cocoa Res Inst., Ghana
1996/97:73-74.

Ackonor, J. B. (1995). Guide to termite control in cocoa and coffee farms in Ghana. Farmers' Guide no.
8., Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Tafo.

Acquaah, B. (1999). Cocoa Development in West Africa (The Early Period with particular reference to
Ghana), Ghana Universities Press, Accra, Ghana.

Online resource material

http://www.cabi-commodities.org/Cocoa/Cocoa.htm (with useful resource centre)
http://www.dropdata.net (useful information on spray application techniques for cocoa: click on ‘cocoa’
under ‘tree crop issues’)
http://www.icco.org/ (pest and disease)
http://www.cocoa.com/
http://www.acri-cocoa.org/ACRI/projects.htm
http://www.candyusa.org/CocoaTree/talamanca.ht1m
https://www.plantwise.org
https://ghana.ipm-info.org/plant-diseases/

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