About

 Projects
 Team
 Blog
 Donate
 Contact us

For Farmers
 Crops
 Pests & Diseases
 Topics
 Q&A
 Video Library

For Researchers
 Stress Map
 Locust Map

Register or
SIGN IN

Go Back

Cocoa (cacao)
Content Content

1. Description
2. Uses
3. Propagation
4. References
Diseases
- Oomycete
- Viral
- Fungal
Pests
- Insects
See questions about Cocoa (cacao)

Description
Cocoa, Theobroma cacao, is an evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae, grown for its
seeds (beans) which are used primarily in the manufacture of chocolate. The cocoa plant
is a branching tree with with simple, pointed (lanceolate) leaves which can measure up to
61 cm (24 in) long and 10 cm (4 in) wide. The tree produces clusters of pale yellow
flowers each with five petals and sepals. The cocoa pods (drupes) can be green-white,
yellow, purplish or red in color each of which contains 20–50 seeds, usually arranged in
five distinct rows. The cocoa tree can reach 4–20 m (13-66 ft) in height and can live for
up to 40 years although the commercial life of a cocoa tree is usually about 25 years.
Cocoa may also be referred to as cacao, koko or Kacao and originates from upper
Amazon region of South America.
Red cocoa pods
Red cocoa pods
Cocoa flower
Ripe cocoa pod
Cocoa pods
Cocoa tree and pods

Uses
Cocoa beans are primarily used in the production of chocolate, cocoa powder and cocoa
butter for consumption. Cocoa butter is also used in the cosmetic industry.
Dried and fermented cocoa beans

Cocoa beans in a cacao pod

Propagation
Basic requirements Cocoa trees are tropical plants and grow best in humid conditions at
temperatures between 18 and 32°C (65–90°F). It is typically grown in regions where
daytime humidity reaches up to 100% and night time humidity is between 70 and 80%.
The plants require a deep, fertile and well-draining soil with a pH of 5.0–7.5 for optimum
development. Cocoa is usually grown in tropical lowland areas is sensitive to drought. It
should typically not be grown in regions which experience less than 1 cm of rainfall for
periods in excess of 3 months. Seeds Cocoa seeds from healthy, ripe pods remain viable
for 3 weeks and are usually planted straight after harvest to produce new seedlings. Seeds
should be planted in a fiber basket or plastic nursery bag filled with clean soil and placed
in a shaded place protected from the sun to prevent scorching. Seedlings grow quickly
and are ready to be transplanted after 4–6 months. Vegetative propagation Cocoa can
also be vegetatively propagated via cuttings, marcotting and budding. Cuttings should
have 2–5 leaves and 1 or 2 buds. Leaves should be cut in half before placing the cutting
in a pot and covering with polyethylene to allow roots to develop. Marcotting, is achieved
by removing a strip of bark from a tree branch and covering the area with a layer of
sawdust before covering it with polyethylene. The covered area will develop roots and
can then be removed and planted. The final method, called budding, can be used to
rejuvenate older plantings and involves excising a bud and positioning it under a flap of
bark on another tree. The join is then sealed with raffia and waxed tape. Once the bud
begins to grow the tree above the new growth should be removed. Planting and
shading Seedlings are usually planted in the ground when they are 4–6 months old. The
young trees are delicate and require some protection from strong sunlight and wind
damage. Protection is usually provided by planting seedlings next to mother trees. This
shading also helps to prevent the trees from growing too tall, keeping them at a
manageable size for maintenance and harvest. Shade trees are usually other crops such as
banana, plantain coconut or rubber. Cocoa seedlings should be planted 3–4 m (10–13 ft)
apart and 3–6 m (10–20 ft) from the shade trees. The shading can be reduced once the
cocoa trees have formed a closed canopy but some should be retained to reduce water
stress and insect damage. General care and maintenance The cocoa nursery should be
kept weed free while the seedlings established but generally do not require weeding after
the trees have formed a closed canopy as the lack of light under the trees prevent any
further growth. Cocoa should be supplied with additional nutrients by fertilizing,
particularly when trees are grown on poor soils or without shade. Organic fertilizers are
generally preferable to inorganic ones as they do not deplete the soil organic content and
conserve soil structure. The amount of fertilizer required is dependent on many factors,
such as the age of the tree and the amount of shading but mature cocoa generally requires
at least 50–100 kg/ha of nitrogen, 25 kg/ha of phosphorus, 75 kg/ha of potassium and 15
kg/ha of magnesium each year.

References
CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2008). Theobroma cacao datasheet. Available at:
http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/53662. [Accessed 13 November 14]. Paid
subscription required. Jürgen Pohlan, H. A. & Pérez, V. D. (2010). In Verheye, W. H.
(ed) Soils, Plant Growth and Crop Production. Eolss Publishers Company Limited.
Chapter available at: http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c10/e1-05a-43-00.pdf.
[Accessed 13 November 14] Free to access Crane, J. H., Balerdi, C. F. & Joyner, G.
Cocoa (Chocolate Bean) Growing in the Florida Home Garden. University of Florida
IFAS Extension. Available at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS30700.pdf.
[Accessed 13 November 14]. Free to access.
Common Pests and Diseases

Diseases
Category : Oomycete
Black pod (Phytophthora pod rot) Phytophthora palmivora
Phytophthora megakarya
Phytophthora capsici

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa
Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Symptoms of black pod of cocoa
Symptoms of black pod of cocoa

Pods of Theobroma cacao in central Costa Rica display symptoms of the fungal disease black pod. This
disease causes pods to rot on the cacao tree during the last stages of ripening.

Symptoms
Translucent spots on pod surface which develop into a small, dark hard spots; entire pod
becomes black and necrotic with 14 days of initial symptoms; white to yellow downy
growth on black areas; internal tissues become dry and shriveled resulting in mummified
pods
Cause
Oomycete
Comments
Disease occurs in all cocoa growing areas; P. megakarya is most destructive in Central
and West Africa whereas P. capsici is most common in Central and South America
Management
Protective sprays of copper containing fungicides in combination with systemic
fungicides are often recommended to control the disease; cocoa plants should be well
spaced to allow good air circulation through the plantation; mummified pods should be
removed and destroyed to reduce spread
Category : Viral
Cocoa swollen shoot Cocoa swollen shoot virus (CSSV)
Symptoms of swollen shoot of cocoa

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) showing swollen shoot diseased stem.

Symptoms of swollen shoot of cocoa
Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus symptoms

Symptoms
Swelling of leaves and shoots; red leaf veins, notably in young leaves; chlorotic patches
next to leaf veins; chlorotic spots or flecks on leaves mottled, smooth pods with reduced
beans; mottled coloration on pods; stems may develop swellings at nodes or internodes
and shoot tips; progressive defoliation may occur ultimately leading to the death of the
tree.
Cause
Virus
Comments
Only occurs in West Africa. Major problem in Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivorie and Nigeria;
transmitted by mealybugs. The Swollen Shoot Virus is not native to cocoa but jumped
into the cocoa from trees that grew in the rain forests of W. Africa (e.g. Cola
chlamydanta, Ceiba pentandra, Adansonia digitata, Cola gigantean and Sterculia
tragacantha). The virus is a badnavirus within the family Caulimoviridae.
Management
Infected trees and those surrounding them should be removed and destroyed (up to 5 m
from infected tree if less than 10 trees are infected and up to a distance of 15 m if greater
than 100 trees are infected) to prevent further spread; a gap should be placed between
cocoa plantations of at least 10 m (33 ft) and it may be possible to isolate cocoa
plantations using a non-host crop such as oil palm growing between plantations.

Category : Fungal
Frosty pod (Monilia pod rot, Watery pod rot) Moniliophthora roreri

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Comparison of external and internal fruit symptoms (Phytophthora on left, Moniliophthora on right)
Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa
Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod rot, external fruit symptoms & sporulation

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Frosty pod symptoms on cocoa

Symptoms
Spots on surface of immature pods; spots turning brown and rapidly enlarging to cover
entire pod surface; disease affects only actively growing pods.
Cause
Fungus
Comments
Causes serious losses in South-Western parts of South America; spores are dry and
powdery and are spread easily by water movement, wind or movement of pods; disease
spread is highest during periods of high rainfall.
Management
Planting cocoa varieties that produce pods during the dry season allows the pod to avoid
the disease; pods showing symptoms of disease should be removed to prevent spread;
application of copper containing fungicides will help reduce disease incidence.

Witches' broom Moniliophthora perniciosa

Pathogenic fungi that cause witches' broom on cacao tree limbs and trunks also attack pods, destroying
the valuable beans inside.
A branch of a cacao tree in western Ecuador killed by witches’ broom disease. Protruding from some leaf
midveins are whitish fungal structures that send thousands of spores onto other trees.

Spores released from the fan-shaped basidiocarp of this inch-wide Crinipellis perniciosa mushroom can
infect cacao trees and drastically reduce yields of the beans from which cocoa and chocolate products
are made.

Symptoms
Characteristic proliferation of shoots and brooms from bud; production of branches
which do not produce fruit; distorted pods with green patches which give an appearance
of uneven ripening.
Cause
Fungus
Comments
One of the most devastating cocoa diseases in South America; disease is widespread
throughout South America, the Caribbean and Panama; spread of disease greatly
influenced by humidity with emergence favored by high temperature and high humidity
(>80%).
Management
Good sanitation is the most effective method of controlling the disease; material known
to be infected should be removed and destroyed; removal of infected material can be
difficult as there may be no visible symptoms; new fungicides and resistant cocoa
varieties are being developed to help control the disease.

Pests
Category : Insects
Cocoa mealybugs Planococcus spp.
Pseudococus spp.

Cocoa mealybugs being tended by ants

Symptoms
Flattened oval to round disc-like insect covered in waxy substance on tree branches;
insects attract ants which may also be present; insect colony may also be associated with
growth of sooty mold due to fungal colonization of sugary honeydew excreted by the
insect; symptoms of directinsect damage not well documented but trees may exhibit
symptoms of cocoa swollen shoot (see disease entry)
Cause
Insect
Comments
Insects have a wide host range; often tended by ants which farm them for their sugary
honeydew secretions; transmit Cocoa swollen shoot virus
Management
Mealybugs can potentially be controlled by natural enemies such as lady beetles but are
commonly controlled using chemicals; chemical pesticides may also decrease
populations of natural enemies leading to mealybug outbreaks

Cocoa mirid Distantiella theobroma

Sahlbergella singularis
Helopeltis spp.
Monalonion spp.

Cocoa mirid and damage to pod

Cocoa mirid feeding on cocoa pod

Helopeltis sp. (cocoa mirid)

Comparison between healthy pods and ones attacked by cocoa mirid.

The picture shows pods attacked by Helopeltis pest.

Symptoms
First symptoms appear as tiny puncture wounds on young stems and pods; these
punctures quickly turn necrotic, creating black patches which may develop into cankers;
discolored bark; terminal leaves and branches dying back; trees unproductive; adult
insect is a slender red or brown insect with long legs and antennae; adults are typically
between 7 and 10 mm long.
Cause
Insect
Comments
Adult females lay their eggs in the bark of the tree and can lay between 30 and 40 eggs.
Management
In African countries, the insect is usually controlled by chemical eradication programs
consisting of two sprays conducted one month apart to target different stages of the
insects development; mirids have been shown to be attracted to trees positioned in direct
sunlight and providing shade cover in the form of forest to cocoa trees can be used as part
of an integrated control method; do not interplant with other hosts such as cashew, tea,
sweet potato, guava, cotton or mango - the trees used must be non-hosts; some species of
ant, e.g black ants, can be used as a biological control agent.

Cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella

Symptoms
Holes in cocoa pod husk caused by insect larvae entering and exiting the pod; uneven and
premature ripening of pods; seeds sticking together inside pod due to insect eating
surrounding tissue; harvested cocoa beans clump together and can be very difficult to
remove from the pod; adult insect is a small brown moth; larvae are cream in color and
approximately 1 cm (0.4 in) long; larvae change color to green when they emerge from
the pod to pupate.
Cause
Insect
Comments
Female moth lives for approximately 5-7 days and can lay 100-200 eggs; eggs are laid on
the surface of cocoa pods; larvae develop for 14-18 days before pupating.
Management
Sleeving pods in plastic bags while they mature prevents the insect from reaching the
pods, sleeves should be applied when pods are 8-10 cm (3-4 in) long; borer populations
can be held in check by black ants and weaver ants; chemical control is often
economically unfeasible due to the high price of pesticides compared with the low price
of cocoa but, where available, small amounts of contact pyrethroid or carbamate applied
to underside of cocoa leaves can keep borers below an economically damaging level.
About
 Projects
 Team
 Blog
 Donate
 Contact us
For Farmers
 Crops
 Pests & Diseases
 Topics
 Q&A
 Video Library
For Researchers
 Stress Map
 Locust Map
Support out project by
donating or participating
Donate
 Terms