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Sample records for cacao trees

  1. First typology of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) systems in Colombian Amazonia, based on tree species richness, canopy structure and light availability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos; Ngo Bieng, Marie Ange; Melgarejo, Luz Marina; Di Rienzo, Julio A; Casanoves, Fernando

    2018-01-01

    We present a typology of cacao agroforest systems in Colombian Amazonia. These systems had yet to be described in the literature, especially their potential in terms of biodiversity conservation. The systems studied are located in a post-conflict area, and a deforestation front in Colombian Amazonia. Cacao cropping systems are of key importance in Colombia: cacao plays a prime role in post conflict resolution, as cacao is a legal crop to replace illegal crops; cacao agroforests are expected to be a sustainable practice, promoting forest-friendly land use. We worked in 50 x 2000 m2 agroforest plots, in Colombian Amazonia. A cluster analysis was used to build a typology based on 28 variables characterised in each plot, and related to diversity, composition, spatial structure and light availability for the cacao trees. We included variables related to light availability to evaluate the amount of transmitted radiation to the cacao trees in each type, and its suitability for cacao ecophysiological development. We identified 4 types of cacao agroforests based on differences concerning tree species diversity and the impact of canopy spatial structure on light availability for the cacao trees in the understorey. We found 127 tree species in the dataset, with some exclusive species in each type. We also found that 3 out of the 4 types identified displayed an erosion of tree species diversity. This reduction in shade tree species may have been linked to the desire to reduce shade, but we also found that all the types described were compatible with good ecophysiological development of the cacao trees. Cacao agroforest systems may actually be achieving biodiversity conservation goals in Colombian Amazonia. One challenging prospect will be to monitor and encourage the conservation of tree species diversity in cacao agroforest systems during the development of these cropping systems, as a form of forest-friendly management enhancing sustainable peace building in Colombia.

  2. First typology of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) systems in Colombian Amazonia, based on tree species richness, canopy structure and light availability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos; Melgarejo, Luz Marina; Di Rienzo, Julio A.; Casanoves, Fernando

    2018-01-01

    Aim and background We present a typology of cacao agroforest systems in Colombian Amazonia. These systems had yet to be described in the literature, especially their potential in terms of biodiversity conservation. The systems studied are located in a post-conflict area, and a deforestation front in Colombian Amazonia. Cacao cropping systems are of key importance in Colombia: cacao plays a prime role in post conflict resolution, as cacao is a legal crop to replace illegal crops; cacao agroforests are expected to be a sustainable practice, promoting forest-friendly land use. Material and methods We worked in 50 x 2000 m2 agroforest plots, in Colombian Amazonia. A cluster analysis was used to build a typology based on 28 variables characterised in each plot, and related to diversity, composition, spatial structure and light availability for the cacao trees. We included variables related to light availability to evaluate the amount of transmitted radiation to the cacao trees in each type, and its suitability for cacao ecophysiological development. Main results We identified 4 types of cacao agroforests based on differences concerning tree species diversity and the impact of canopy spatial structure on light availability for the cacao trees in the understorey. We found 127 tree species in the dataset, with some exclusive species in each type. We also found that 3 out of the 4 types identified displayed an erosion of tree species diversity. This reduction in shade tree species may have been linked to the desire to reduce shade, but we also found that all the types described were compatible with good ecophysiological development of the cacao trees. Main conclusions and prospects Cacao agroforest systems may actually be achieving biodiversity conservation goals in Colombian Amazonia. One challenging prospect will be to monitor and encourage the conservation of tree species diversity in cacao agroforest systems during the development of these cropping systems, as a form of

  3. First typology of cacao (Theobroma cacao L. systems in Colombian Amazonia, based on tree species richness, canopy structure and light availability.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos Suárez Salazar

    Full Text Available We present a typology of cacao agroforest systems in Colombian Amazonia. These systems had yet to be described in the literature, especially their potential in terms of biodiversity conservation. The systems studied are located in a post-conflict area, and a deforestation front in Colombian Amazonia. Cacao cropping systems are of key importance in Colombia: cacao plays a prime role in post conflict resolution, as cacao is a legal crop to replace illegal crops; cacao agroforests are expected to be a sustainable practice, promoting forest-friendly land use.We worked in 50 x 2000 m2 agroforest plots, in Colombian Amazonia. A cluster analysis was used to build a typology based on 28 variables characterised in each plot, and related to diversity, composition, spatial structure and light availability for the cacao trees. We included variables related to light availability to evaluate the amount of transmitted radiation to the cacao trees in each type, and its suitability for cacao ecophysiological development.We identified 4 types of cacao agroforests based on differences concerning tree species diversity and the impact of canopy spatial structure on light availability for the cacao trees in the understorey. We found 127 tree species in the dataset, with some exclusive species in each type. We also found that 3 out of the 4 types identified displayed an erosion of tree species diversity. This reduction in shade tree species may have been linked to the desire to reduce shade, but we also found that all the types described were compatible with good ecophysiological development of the cacao trees.Cacao agroforest systems may actually be achieving biodiversity conservation goals in Colombian Amazonia. One challenging prospect will be to monitor and encourage the conservation of tree species diversity in cacao agroforest systems during the development of these cropping systems, as a form of forest-friendly management enhancing sustainable peace building in

  4. Shade tree diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in Theobroma cacao agroforestry systems: implications for REDD+ implementation in a West African cacao landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawoe, Evans; Asante, Winston; Acheampong, Emmanuel; Bosu, Paul

    2016-12-01

    The promotion of cacao agroforestry is one of the ways of diversifying farmer income and creating incentives through their inclusion in REDD+ interventions. We estimated the aboveground carbon stocks in cacao and shade trees, determined the floristic diversity of shade trees and explored the possibility of implementing REDD+ interventions in cacao landscapes. Using replicated multi-site transect approach, data were collected from nine 1-ha plots established on 5 km long transects in ten cacao growing districts in Ghana West Africa. Biomass of cacao and shade trees was determined using allometric equations. One thousand four hundred and one (1401) shade trees comprising 109 species from 33 families were recorded. Total number of species ranged from 34 to 49. Newbouldia laevis (Bignoniacea) was the most frequently occurring specie and constituted 43.2 % of all shade trees. The most predominant families were Sterculiaceae and Moraceae (10 species each), followed by Meliaceae and Mimosaceae (8 species each) and Caesalpiniacaea (6 species). Shannon diversity indices (H', H max and J') and species richness were low compared to other similar studies. Shade tree densities ranged from 16.2 ± 3.0 to 22.8 ± 1.7 stems ha -1 and differed significantly between sites. Carbon stocks of shade trees differed between sites but were similar in cacao trees. The average C stock in cacao trees was 7.45 ± 0.41 Mg C ha -1 compared with 8.32 ± 1.15 Mg C ha -1 in the shade trees. Cacao landscapes in Ghana have the potential of contributing to forest carbon stocks enhancement by increasing the stocking density of shade trees to recommended levels.

  5. Tree spacing impacts the individual incidence of Moniliophthora roreri disease in cacao agroforests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngo Bieng, Marie Ange; Alem, Laudine; Curtet, Chloé; Tixier, Philippe

    2017-11-01

    Using conventional pesticides in crop protection has raised serious environmental concerns and there is therefore a need for integrated pest management (IPM) methods. In this paper, we found that the spacing of trees can impact disease, which could result in a reduction in pesticide applications and may act as a potential IPM method. We studied Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) in 20 cacao agroforests in Costa Rica (Upala region). Using a generalized linear mixed model, we analyzed the impact of the neighborhood composition and distance from a studied cacao individual on its individual FPR incidence. We found that the number of cacao tree neighbors in a radius of 3.7 m and the number of fruit trees in a radius of 4.3 m had a significant negative influence on the incidence of FPR on individual cacao trees. Moreover, cacao tree neighbors had the most significant local influence compared to the neighborhood of other taller categories such as fruit or forest trees. The mechanisms involved are related to the barrier effect, due to the effectiveness of the cacao tree's architecture as an efficient barrier against FPR spore dispersal. This paper provides new insights into optimization of the spatial environment around each host as an original IPM method. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Cacao Cultivation under Diverse Shade Tree Cover Allows High Carbon Storage and Sequestration without Yield Losses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou Rajab, Yasmin; Leuschner, Christoph; Barus, Henry; Tjoa, Aiyen; Hertel, Dietrich

    2016-01-01

    One of the main drivers of tropical forest loss is their conversion to oil palm, soy or cacao plantations with low biodiversity and greatly reduced carbon storage. Southeast Asian cacao plantations are often established under shade tree cover, but are later converted to non-shaded monocultures to avoid resource competition. We compared three co-occurring cacao cultivation systems (3 replicate stands each) with different shade intensity (non-shaded monoculture, cacao with the legume Gliricidia sepium shade trees, and cacao with several shade tree species) in Sulawesi (Indonesia) with respect to above- and belowground biomass and productivity, and cacao bean yield. Total biomass C stocks (above- and belowground) increased fivefold from the monoculture to the multi-shade tree system (from 11 to 57 Mg ha-1), total net primary production rose twofold (from 9 to 18 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). This increase was associated with a 6fold increase in aboveground biomass, but only a 3.5fold increase in root biomass, indicating a clear shift in C allocation to aboveground tree organs with increasing shade for both cacao and shade trees. Despite a canopy cover increase from 50 to 93%, cacao bean yield remained invariant across the systems (variation: 1.1-1.2 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). The monocultures had a twice as rapid leaf turnover suggesting that shading reduces the exposure of cacao to atmospheric drought, probably resulting in greater leaf longevity. Thus, contrary to general belief, cacao bean yield does not necessarily decrease under shading which seems to reduce physical stress. If planned properly, cacao plantations under a shade tree cover allow combining high yield with benefits for carbon sequestration and storage, production system stability under stress, and higher levels of animal and plant diversity.

  7. Unique haplotypes of cacao trees as revealed by trnH-psbA chloroplast DNA

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    Nidia Gutiérrez-López

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Cacao trees have been cultivated in Mesoamerica for at least 4,000 years. In this study, we analyzed sequence variation in the chloroplast DNA trnH-psbA intergenic spacer from 28 cacao trees from different farms in the Soconusco region in southern Mexico. Genetic relationships were established by two analysis approaches based on geographic origin (five populations and genetic origin (based on a previous study. We identified six polymorphic sites, including five insertion/deletion (indels types and one transversion. The overall nucleotide diversity was low for both approaches (geographic = 0.0032 and genetic = 0.0038. Conversely, we obtained moderate to high haplotype diversity (0.66 and 0.80 with 10 and 12 haplotypes, respectively. The common haplotype (H1 for both networks included cacao trees from all geographic locations (geographic approach and four genetic groups (genetic approach. This common haplotype (ancient derived a set of intermediate haplotypes and singletons interconnected by one or two mutational steps, which suggested directional selection and event purification from the expansion of narrow populations. Cacao trees from Soconusco region were grouped into one cluster without any evidence of subclustering based on AMOVA (FST = 0 and SAMOVA (FST = 0.04393 results. One population (Mazatán showed a high haplotype frequency; thus, this population could be considered an important reservoir of genetic material. The indels located in the trnH-psbA intergenic spacer of cacao trees could be useful as markers for the development of DNA barcoding.

  8. Shade tree spatial structure and pod production explain frosty pod rot intensity in cacao agroforests, Costa Rica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gidoin, Cynthia; Avelino, Jacques; Deheuvels, Olivier; Cilas, Christian; Bieng, Marie Ange Ngo

    2014-03-01

    Vegetation composition and plant spatial structure affect disease intensity through resource and microclimatic variation effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the independent effect and relative importance of host composition and plant spatial structure variables in explaining disease intensity at the plot scale. For that purpose, frosty pod rot intensity, a disease caused by Moniliophthora roreri on cacao pods, was monitored in 36 cacao agroforests in Costa Rica in order to assess the vegetation composition and spatial structure variables conducive to the disease. Hierarchical partitioning was used to identify the most causal factors. Firstly, pod production, cacao tree density and shade tree spatial structure had significant independent effects on disease intensity. In our case study, the amount of susceptible tissue was the most relevant host composition variable for explaining disease intensity by resource dilution. Indeed, cacao tree density probably affected disease intensity more by the creation of self-shading rather than by host dilution. Lastly, only regularly distributed forest trees, and not aggregated or randomly distributed forest trees, reduced disease intensity in comparison to plots with a low forest tree density. A regular spatial structure is probably crucial to the creation of moderate and uniform shade as recommended for frosty pod rot management. As pod production is an important service expected from these agroforests, shade tree spatial structure may be a lever for integrated management of frosty pod rot in cacao agroforests.

  9. Gene flow and genetic diversity in cultivated and wild cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chumacero de Schawe, Claudia; Durka, Walter; Tscharntke, Teja; Hensen, Isabell; Kessler, Michael

    2013-11-01

    The role of pollen flow within and between cultivated and wild tropical crop species is little known. To study the pollen flow of cacao, we estimated the degree of self-pollination and pollen dispersal distances as well as gene flow between wild and cultivated cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). We studied pollen flow and genetic diversity of cultivated and wild cacao populations by genotyping 143 wild and 86 cultivated mature plants and 374 seedlings raised from 19 wild and 25 cultivated trees at nine microsatellite loci. A principal component analysis distinguished wild and cultivated cacao trees, supporting the notion that Bolivia harbors truly wild cacao populations. Cultivated cacao had a higher level of genetic diversity than wild cacao, presumably reflecting the varied origin of cultivated plants. Both cacao types had high outcrossing rates, but the paternity analysis revealed 7-14% self-pollination in wild and cultivated cacao. Despite the tiny size of the pollinators, pollen was transported distances up to 3 km; wild cacao showed longer distances (mean = 922 m) than cultivated cacao (826 m). Our data revealed that 16-20% of pollination events occurred between cultivated and wild populations. We found evidence of self-pollination in both wild and cultivated cacao. Pollination distances are larger than those typically reported in tropical understory tree species. The relatively high pollen exchange from cultivated to wild cacao compromises genetic identity of wild populations, calling for the protection of extensive natural forest tracts to protect wild cacao in Bolivia.

  10. Theobroma cacao

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Although, several paralogous genes encoding different isozymes of Sus have been identified and characterized in multiple plant genomes, to date detailed information about the Sus genes is lacking for cacao. This study reports the identification of six novel Sus genes from economically important cacao tree. Analyses of the ...

  11. Association mapping for #Phytophthora# pod rot resistance in a cacao (#Theobroma cacao# L.) population grown in farmers' field

    OpenAIRE

    Efombagn, Mousseni Ives Bruno; Sounigo, Olivier; Courtois, Brigitte; Fouet, Olivier; Jeanneau, Mélanie; Lemainque, Arnaud; Pavek, Sylvana; Lanaud, Claire

    2016-01-01

    Phytophthora pod rot (PPR) caused by the specie Phytophthora megakarya is an important disease of cacao tree. Association mapping identified markers linked to PPR resistance in a cacao population of 260 trees planted under high disease pressure in a single plantation in a farmer's field. These cacao trees were derived from both selfing and full-sib progenies. The resistance traits were assessed through field observations of the natural pod attacks of the disease on the trunk (PRTnk) or the ca...

  12. Tree spatial structure, host composition and resource availability influence mirid density or black pod prevalence in cacao agroforests in Cameroon.

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    Gidoin, Cynthia; Babin, Régis; Bagny Beilhe, Leïla; Cilas, Christian; ten Hoopen, Gerben Martijn; Bieng, Marie Ange Ngo

    2014-01-01

    Combining crop plants with other plant species in agro-ecosystems is one way to enhance ecological pest and disease regulation mechanisms. Resource availability and microclimatic variation mechanisms affect processes related to pest and pathogen life cycles. These mechanisms are supported both by empirical research and by epidemiological models, yet their relative importance in a real complex agro-ecosystem is still not known. Our aim was thus to assess the independent effects and the relative importance of different variables related to resource availability and microclimatic variation that explain pest and disease occurrence at the plot scale in real complex agro-ecosystems. The study was conducted in cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforests in Cameroon, where cocoa production is mainly impacted by the mirid bug, Sahlbergella singularis, and black pod disease, caused by Phytophthora megakarya. Vegetation composition and spatial structure, resource availability and pest and disease occurrence were characterized in 20 real agroforest plots. Hierarchical partitioning was used to identify the causal variables that explain mirid density and black pod prevalence. The results of this study show that cacao agroforests can be differentiated on the basis of vegetation composition and spatial structure. This original approach revealed that mirid density decreased when a minimum number of randomly distributed forest trees were present compared with the aggregated distribution of forest trees, or when forest tree density was low. Moreover, a decrease in mirid density was also related to decreased availability of sensitive tissue, independently of the effect of forest tree structure. Contrary to expectations, black pod prevalence decreased with increasing cacao tree abundance. By revealing the effects of vegetation composition and spatial structure on mirids and black pod, this study opens new perspectives for the joint agro-ecological management of cacao pests and diseases at the

  13. Dinitrogen fixation by legume shade trees and direct transfer of fixed N to associated cacao in a tropical agroforestry system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nygren, Pekka; Leblanc, Humberto A

    2015-02-01

    Natural abundance of (15)N (δ (15)N) was determined in bulk soil, rhizospheric soil and vegetation in an organically managed cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) plantation with Inga edulis Mart. legume trees (inga) as the principal shade for studying the nitrogen (N) cycle in the system. Cacao without contact with legumes in an adjacent plantation was used as the reference for N2 fixation and direct N transfer calculations. Bulk and rhizospheric soils contained 72 and 20%, respectively, of whole- system N. No vegetation effect on δ (15)N in rhizospheric soil was detected, probably due to the high native soil N pool. Fine roots of the cacaos associated with inga contained ∼35% of N fixed from the atmosphere (Nf) out of the total N. Leaves of all species had significantly higher δ (15)N than fine roots. Twenty percent of system Nf was found in cacao suggesting direct N transfer from inga via a common mycelial network of mycorrhizal fungi or recycling of N-rich root exudates of inga. Inga had accumulated 98 kg [Nf] ha(-1) during the 14-year history of the plantation. The conservative estimate of current N2 fixation rate was 41 kg [Nf] ha(-1) year(-1) based on inga biomass only and 50 kg [Nf] ha(-1) year(-1) based on inga and associated trees. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trognitz, Bodo; Cros, Emile; Assemat, Sophie; Davrieux, Fabrice; Forestier-Chiron, Nelly; Ayestas, Eusebio; Kuant, Aldo; Scheldeman, Xavier; Hermann, Michael

    2013-01-01

    The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes) representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG), grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated for two successive harvest periods. Cocoa samples were fermented using a technique mimicking recommended on-farm practices. The sensory cocoa quality was assessed by experienced tasters, and seven major chemical taste compounds were quantified by near infrared spectrometry (NIRS). The association of the nine, partially admixed, genotype spectra with the analytical and sensory quality parameters was tested. The individual parameters were analyzed as a function of the factors GG and harvest (including the date of fermentation), individual trees within a single GG were used as replications. In fermented cocoa, significant GG-specific differences were observed for methylxanthines, theobromine-to-caffeine (T/C) ratio, total fat, procyanidin B5 and epicatechin, as well as the sensory attributes global score, astringency, and dry fruit aroma, but differences related to harvest were also apparent. The potential cocoa yield was also highly determined by the individual GG, although there was significant tree-to-tree variation within every single GG. Non-fermented samples showed large harvest-to-harvest variation of their chemical composition, while differences between GG were insignificant. These results suggest that selection by the genetic background, represented here by groups of partially admixed genotype spectra, would be a useful strategy toward enhancing quality and yield of cocoa in Nicaragua. Selection by the GG within the local, genetically segregating populations of seed-propagated cacao, followed by clonal propagation of best-performing individuals of the selected GG could be a viable alternative to traditional propagation of cacao by seed from open pollination. Fast and

  15. Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bodo Trognitz

    Full Text Available The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG, grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated for two successive harvest periods. Cocoa samples were fermented using a technique mimicking recommended on-farm practices. The sensory cocoa quality was assessed by experienced tasters, and seven major chemical taste compounds were quantified by near infrared spectrometry (NIRS. The association of the nine, partially admixed, genotype spectra with the analytical and sensory quality parameters was tested. The individual parameters were analyzed as a function of the factors GG and harvest (including the date of fermentation, individual trees within a single GG were used as replications. In fermented cocoa, significant GG-specific differences were observed for methylxanthines, theobromine-to-caffeine (T/C ratio, total fat, procyanidin B5 and epicatechin, as well as the sensory attributes global score, astringency, and dry fruit aroma, but differences related to harvest were also apparent. The potential cocoa yield was also highly determined by the individual GG, although there was significant tree-to-tree variation within every single GG. Non-fermented samples showed large harvest-to-harvest variation of their chemical composition, while differences between GG were insignificant. These results suggest that selection by the genetic background, represented here by groups of partially admixed genotype spectra, would be a useful strategy toward enhancing quality and yield of cocoa in Nicaragua. Selection by the GG within the local, genetically segregating populations of seed-propagated cacao, followed by clonal propagation of best-performing individuals of the selected GG could be a viable alternative to traditional propagation of cacao by seed from open

  16. Diversity of Cacao Trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: Associations between Genotype Spectra, Product Quality and Yield Potential

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trognitz, Bodo; Cros, Emile; Assemat, Sophie; Davrieux, Fabrice; Forestier-Chiron, Nelly; Ayestas, Eusebio; Kuant, Aldo; Scheldeman, Xavier; Hermann, Michael

    2013-01-01

    The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes) representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG), grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated for two successive harvest periods. Cocoa samples were fermented using a technique mimicking recommended on-farm practices. The sensory cocoa quality was assessed by experienced tasters, and seven major chemical taste compounds were quantified by near infrared spectrometry (NIRS). The association of the nine, partially admixed, genotype spectra with the analytical and sensory quality parameters was tested. The individual parameters were analyzed as a function of the factors GG and harvest (including the date of fermentation), individual trees within a single GG were used as replications. In fermented cocoa, significant GG-specific differences were observed for methylxanthines, theobromine-to-caffeine (T/C) ratio, total fat, procyanidin B5 and epicatechin, as well as the sensory attributes global score, astringency, and dry fruit aroma, but differences related to harvest were also apparent. The potential cocoa yield was also highly determined by the individual GG, although there was significant tree-to-tree variation within every single GG. Non-fermented samples showed large harvest-to-harvest variation of their chemical composition, while differences between GG were insignificant. These results suggest that selection by the genetic background, represented here by groups of partially admixed genotype spectra, would be a useful strategy toward enhancing quality and yield of cocoa in Nicaragua. Selection by the GG within the local, genetically segregating populations of seed-propagated cacao, followed by clonal propagation of best-performing individuals of the selected GG could be a viable alternative to traditional propagation of cacao by seed from open pollination. Fast and

  17. Genetic identification of Theobroma cacao L. trees with high Criollo ancestry in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-Ovando, J A; Molina-Freaner, F; Nuñez-Farfán, J; Ovando-Medina, I; Salvador-Figueroa, M

    2014-12-12

    Criollo-type cacao trees are an important pool of genes with potential to be used in cacao breeding and selection programs. For that reason, we assessed the diversity and population structure of Criollo-type trees (108 cultivars with Criollo phenotypic characteristics and 10 Criollo references) using 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Cultivars were selected from 7 demes in the Soconusco region of southern Mexico. SSRs amplified 74 alleles with an average of 3.6 alleles per population. The overall populations showed an average observed heterozygosity of 0.28, indicating heterozygote deficiency (average fixation index F = 0.50). However, moderate allelic diversity was found within populations (Shannon index for all populations I = 0.97). Bayesian method analysis determined 2 genetic clusters (K = 2) within individuals. In concordance, an assignment test grouped 37 multilocus genotypes (including 10 references) into a first cluster (Criollo), 54 into a second (presumably Amelonado), and 27 admixed individuals unassigned at the 90% threshold likely corresponding to the Trinitario genotype. This classification was supported by the principal coordinate analysis and analysis of molecular variance, which showed 12% of variation among populations (FST = 0.123, P cocoa.

  18. Agroforestry systems of timber species and cacao: survival and growth during the early stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilmer Espinoza

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available In recent times, increased emphasis has been placed on diversifying the types of trees to shade cacao (Theobromacacao L. and to achieve additional services. Agroforestry systems that include profitable and native timber trees are a viable alternative but it is necessary to understand the growth characteristics of these species under different environmental conditions. Thus, timber tree species selection should be based on plant responses to biotic and abiotic factors. The aims of this study were (1 to evaluate growth rates and leaf area indices of the four commercial timber species: Cordia thaisiana, Cedrela odorata, Swietenia macrophylla and Tabebuia rosea in conjunction with incidence of insect attacks and (2 to compare growth rates of four Venezuelan Criollo cacao cultivars planted under the shade of these four timber species during the first 36 months after establishment. Parameters monitored in timber trees were: survival rates, growth rates expressed as height and diameter at breast height and leaf area index. In the four Cacao cultivars: height and basal diameter. C. thaisiana and C. odorata had the fastest growth and the highest survival rates. Growth rates of timber trees will depend on their susceptibility to insect attacks as well as to total leaf area. All cacao cultivars showed higher growth rates under the shade of C. odorata. Growth rates of timber trees and cacao cultivars suggest that combinations of cacao and timber trees are a feasible agroforestry strategy in Venezuela.

  19. Dissimilarity of Ant Communities Increases with Precipitation, but not Reduced Land-Use Intensity, in Indonesian Cacao Agroforestry

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    Damayanti Buchori

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Land-use degradation and climate change are well-known drivers of biodiversity loss, but little information is available about their potential interaction. Here, we focus on the effects of land-use and precipitation on ant diversity in cacao agroforestry. In Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, we selected 16 cacao agroforestry plots with a shaded vs. unshaded plot in each of eight villages differing in precipitation (1032–2051 mm annual rainfall. On each plot, 10 cacao trees with similar size and age (7–10 years were selected for hand collection of ants on each cacao tree and the soil surface. In total, we found 80 ant species belonging to five subfamilies. Land-use intensification (removal of shade trees and precipitation had no effect on species richness of ants per cacao tree (alpha diversity and, in an additive partitioning approach, within-plot beta diversity. However, higher precipitation (but not shade significantly increased ant species dissimilarity across cacao trees within a plot, with ant species showing contrasting responses to precipitation. Reduced precipitation causing drought stress appeared to contribute to convergence of ant community structure, presumably via reduced heterogeneity in cacao tree growth. In conclusion, reduced precipitation greatly influenced ant community dissimilarity and appeared to be more important for ant community structure than land-use intensification.

  20. Soil microbial communities under cacao agroforestry and cover crop systems in Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao) trees are grown in tropical regions worldwide for chocolate production. We studied the effects of agroforestry management systems and cover cropping on soil microbial communities under cacao in two different replicated field experiments in Peru. Two agroforestry systems, Imp...

  1. Verification of genetic identity of introduced cacao germplasm in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In the present study, high-throughput genotyping with SNP markers was used to fingerprint 160 cacao trees in the germplasm collection at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). ... Keywords: Cacao, conservation, chocolate, DNA fingerprint, molecular marker, tropical plant, off-type, true-to-type, West Africa.

  2. Gene structure, phylogeny and expression profile of the sucrose synthase gene family in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Fupeng; Hao, Chaoyun; Yan, Lin; Wu, Baoduo; Qin, Xiaowei; Lai, Jianxiong; Song, Yinghui

    2015-09-01

    In higher plants, sucrose synthase (Sus, EC 2.4.1.13) is widely considered as a key enzyme involved in sucrose metabolism. Although, several paralogous genes encoding different isozymes of Sus have been identified and characterized in multiple plant genomes, to date detailed information about the Sus genes is lacking for cacao. This study reports the identification of six novel Sus genes from economically important cacao tree. Analyses of the gene structure and phylogeny of the Sus genes demonstrated evolutionary conservation in the Sus family across cacao and other plant species. The expression of cacao Sus genes was investigated via real-time PCR in various tissues, different developmental phases of leaf, flower bud and pod. The Sus genes exhibited distinct but partially redundant expression profiles in cacao, with TcSus1, TcSus5 and TcSus6, being the predominant genes in the bark with phloem, TcSus2 predominantly expressing in the seed during the stereotype stage. TcSus3 and TcSus4 were significantly detected more in the pod husk and seed coat along the pod development, and showed development dependent expression profiles in the cacao pod. These results provide new insights into the evolution, and basic information that will assist in elucidating the functions of cacao Sus gene family.

  3. Management of Chinese Rose Beetle (Adoretus sinicus) Adults Feeding on Cacao (Theobroma cacao) Using Insecticides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spafford, Helen; Ching, Alexander; Manley, Megan; Hardin, Chelsea; Bittenbender, Harry

    2016-01-01

    The Chinese rose beetle (Adoretus sinicus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)) is an introduced, widely-established pest in Hawai’i. The adult beetles feed on the leaves of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), which can lead to defoliation and even death of young trees. We evaluated the impact of five commercially available products with different active ingredients (imidacloprid, azadirachtin, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill., kaolin clay, and pyrethrin) and the presence or absence of weed mat cover in reducing adult beetle feeding on sapling cacao in the field. The use of weed mat cover reduced feeding damage compared to the untreated control, as did foliar application of imidacloprid, azadirachtin, and B. bassiana. In the laboratory, field-collected adult beetles were presented cacao leaf samples dipped in one of the five products and compared to a control. Beetles exposed to pyrethrin died rapidly. Among the other treatments, only exposure to imidacloprid significantly reduced survival relative to the control. Beetles fed very little on leaf samples with azadirachtin but their longevity was not significantly reduced. Imidacloprid, azadirachtin, and weed mat application had the most promise for reducing adult Chinese rose beetle feeding damage in young cacao and deserve further investigation for successful management of this significant pest. PMID:27348004

  4. Mutation breeding against black pod (Phytophthora pod rot) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Opeke, L.K.

    1977-01-01

    Black pod rot disease, caused by Phytophthora palmivora, is an important disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Nigeria and other cacao producing countries of West Africa and Latin America. A naturally occurring source of genetic resistance to the disease has not been found. This paper completes the report, the first part of which was published in Induced Mutations in Vegetatively Propagated Plants, IAEA, Vienna (1973). The survivors of the irradiated seedlings reported on in this publication were transplanted to the field along with their controls. When the Phytophthora pod disease season began in 1973, all experimental plants along with the controls were sprayed with active and freshly prepared dense sporangial suspension of P. palmivora. Observations on Phytophthora infection were recorded at two-weekly intervals for three months. Results were pooled for each set of experimental plants, after having confirmed that no marked difference appeared among individual plants of each group. Contrary to the observations recorded at the nursery stage, all experimental plants that showed no infection indicated disease infection levels normally characteristic of the F 3 Amazon cultivar of Cacao in Nigeria. Although the nursery and the field data are difficult to reconcile and interpret, it is suggested that probably temporary disease tolerance/resistance, which some irradiated plants showed at the nursery (seedling) stage, was lost as the plants matured, thus suggesting different resistance factor systems for juvenile and mature cacao trees. (author)

  5. CACAO TO COCOA TO CHOCOLATE: HEALTHY FOOD?

    OpenAIRE

    ROYA KELISHADI

    2010-01-01

    ABSTRACT Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans - the fruit of the cacao tree or Theobroma cacao (the latin term: food of the gods). Recent published articles demonstrate that the quality and quantity of the antioxidants in cocoa and chocolate are very high and their flavonoids are believed to reduce the number of free radicals in the body that contribute to medical problems, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer and also to offer some anti-aging health benefits. Cocoa can lower the leukot...

  6. COMPARATIVE GENOME ANALYSES OF MONILIOPHTHORA PERNICIOSA AND MONILIOPHTHORA RORERI: TWO CLOSELY RELATED PHYTOPATHOGENIC BASIDIOMYCETES THAT CAUSE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT DISEASES OF THEOBROMA CACAO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theobroma cacao (cacao), the source of chocolate, is a tropical understory tree. Fungal diseases such as Witches’ Broom Disease (WBD) and Frosty Pod Rot Disease (FPRD) of cacao have devastated cacao production in much of the Western Hemisphere and are threats to the main cacao producing regions in A...

  7. Cacao Crop Management Zones Determination Based on Soil Properties and Crop Yield

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perla Silva Matos de Carvalho

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The use of management zones has ensured yield success for numerous agricultural crops. In spite of this potential, studies applying precision agricultural techniques to cacao plantations are scarce or almost nonexistent. The aim of the present study was to delineate management zones for cacao crop, create maps combining soil physical properties and cacao tree yield, and identify what combinations best fit within the soil chemical properties. The study was conducted in 2014 on a cacao plantation in a Nitossolo Háplico Eutrófico (Rhodic Paleudult in Bahia, Brazil. Soil samples were collected in a regular sampling grid with 120 sampling points in the 0.00-0.20 m soil layer, and pH(H2O, P, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, H+Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, SB, V, TOC, effective CEC, CEC at pH 7.0, coarse sand, fine sand, clay, and silt were determined. Yield was measured in all the 120 points every month and stratified into annual, harvest, and early-harvest cacao yields. Data were subjected to geostatistical analysis, followed by ordinary kriging interpolation. The management zones were defined through a Fuzzy K-Means algorithm for combinations between soil physical properties and cacao tree yield. Concordance analysis was carried out between the delineated zones and soil chemical properties using Kappa coefficients. The zones that best classified the soil chemical properties were defined from the early-harvest cacao yield map associated with the clay or sand fractions. Silt content proved to be an inadequate variable for defining management zones for cacao production. The delineated management zones described the spatial variability of the soil chemical properties, and are therefore important for site-specific management in the cacao crop.

  8. Genetic Structure and Molecular Diversity of Cacao Plants Established as Local Varieties for More than Two Centuries: The Genetic History of Cacao Plantations in Bahia, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Elisa S L; Cerqueira-Silva, Carlos Bernard M; Mori, Gustavo M; Ahnert, Dário; Mello, Durval L N; Pires, José Luis; Corrêa, Ronan X; de Souza, Anete P

    2015-01-01

    Bahia is the most important cacao-producing state in Brazil, which is currently the sixth-largest country worldwide to produce cacao seeds. In the eighteenth century, the Comum, Pará and Maranhão varieties of cacao were introduced into southern Bahia, and their descendants, which are called 'Bahian cacao' or local Bahian varieties, have been cultivated for over 200 years. Comum plants have been used to start plantations in African countries and extended as far as countries in South Asia and Oceania. In Brazil, two sets of clones selected from Bahian varieties and their mutants, the Agronomic Institute of East (SIAL) and Bahian Cacao Institute (SIC) series, represent the diversity of Bahian cacao in germplasm banks. Because the genetic diversity of Bahian varieties, which is essential for breeding programs, remains unknown, the objective of this work was to assess the genetic structure and diversity of local Bahian varieties collected from farms and germplasm banks. To this end, 30 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to genotype 279 cacao plants from germplasm and local farms. The results facilitated the identification of 219 cacao plants of Bahian origin, and 51 of these were SIAL or SIC clones. Bahian cacao showed low genetic diversity. It could be verified that SIC and SIAL clones do not represent the true diversity of Bahian cacao, with the greatest amount of diversity found in cacao trees on the farms. Thus, a core collection to aid in prioritizing the plants to be sampled for Bahian cacao diversity is suggested. These results provide information that can be used to conserve Bahian cacao plants and applied in breeding programs to obtain more productive Bahian cacao with superior quality and tolerance to major diseases in tropical cacao plantations worldwide.

  9. Cacao genetic resources research at the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    The current USDA ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station’s (TARS) cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) collection in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, consists of 262 clonally propagated accessions. Each accession is represented by six individual trees grafted onto a common ‘Amelonado’ seedling rootstock and planted ...

  10. Use of Trichoderma fungi in spray solutions to reduce Moniliophthora roreri infection of Theobroma cacao fruits in Northeastern Costa Rica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seng, John; Herrera, Geovanny; Vaughan, Christopher S; McCoy, Michael B

    2014-09-01

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is an important cash crop in tropical climates such as that of Latin America. Over the past several decades, the infection of cultivated cacao by Moniliophthllora roreri, known commonly as "monilia", has significantly hindered cacao production in Latin America. Studies have proposed the use of Trichoderma sp. fungi in biocontrol treatments to prevent and reduce monilia infection, yet tests of Trichoderma-containing spray treatments on cacao agroforests have produced mixed results. Researchers and agricultural workers have suggested that addition of soil, fly ash, or other carbon sources to a Trichoderma spray may improve its efficacy in fighting monilia. To test these suggestions, we designed a series of spray mixtures including Thichoderma cultures, soil, and all necessary controls. We applied the spray mixtures to 80 cacao trees (20 trees for each of four resistant-selected clones to monilia) at the FINMAC organic cacao plantation in Pueblo Nuevo de Guacimo, Limón Province, in northeastern Costa Rica in March-April 2013. Five treatments were applied (control, water, water plus sterilized soil, water plus Trichoderma, and water plus sterilized soil plus Trichoderma). Each treatment was applied to four trees of each clone. We monitored the incidence of monilia infection under each spray treatment over the course of 35d. We found that spraying entire cacao trees two times with a mixture containing Trichoderma and sterilized soil significantly reduced the incidence of monilia infection by 11% (p ≤ 0.05) in only 35d, as compared to the control. This reduction in loss of cacao pods translates into an increase of plantation mean productivity of 1,500 kg dried beans/ha by 198 kg/ha up to 1,698 kg/ha or by a total increase over the whole 110 ha plantation by 21,780 kg. We propose that using such an antifungal spray over the whole course of a crop cycle (120 days) would decrease infection incidence even more. Application of this fungal control

  11. Carbon and water fluxes above a cacao plantation in Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falk, U.; Ibrom, A.

    2003-04-01

    The investigation of interactions between biosphere and atmosphere of the major land use types of the tropical rain forest margin area in South East Asia and quantification of the impact that land use change from undisturbed primary rain forest to pasture has on these interactions is task of subprogramme B1 within the DFG-funded project STORMA (Stability of Rain Forest Margins). In order to fulfill the projects tasks the different major land use types have to be investigated and each ecosystem characterized one by one and compared to a reference site in an undisturbed primary rain forest, to see the changes in the atmosphere-biospheric interactions, i. e. in water and carbon household, with land use change and thus the impact on regional climate. One of the major land use types in the valleys around the Lore Lindu National Park on Sulawesi are Cacao plantations, Theobroma cacao. A site in the Palolo valley near the village Nopu was chosen as research site since the area there is covered with small Cacao fields which form to one big area of Cacao and matches the requirements of the applied research approach. Since Cacao trees need to be shaded especially when younger, shadow trees had been planted and trees of the former forest had been left standing to serve as wind breaks and sun shades. The plantations in Nopu, Palolo valley, consist not only of fields of cultivated Cacao, but also serve as environment and home to the farmers and their families. The whole area of Cacao plantation is interspersed with wooden farm houses, which are also sources of carbon dioxide due to cooking or small power plants etc. and thus have to be taken into account when looking at the carbon household of this specific ecosystem. An estimation of the components of the carbon and water household and the contribution of the humans living within this environment to the carbon household of Cacao plantations of this ecosystem is subject of this presentation. From December 2001 until April 2002

  12. Heavy metal accumulation in leaves and beans of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in major cacao growing regions in Peru.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arévalo-Gardini, Enrique; Arévalo-Hernández, Cesar O; Baligar, Virupax C; He, Zhenli L

    2017-12-15

    Peru is one of the leading exporters of organic cacao beans in the world. However, the accumulation of heavy metals in cacao beans represents a problem for cocoa bean export and chocolate quality. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and accumulation of heavy metals in cacao leaves and cocoa beans in three major cacao growing regions of Peru. The study was conducted in cacao plantations of 10 to 15years old in three regions of Peru: North (Regions of Tumbes, Piura, Cajamarca, and Amazonas); Center (Regions of Huánuco and San Martin) and South (Junin and Cuzco). Samples of leaf and cacao beans were collected from 70 cacao plantations, and the nature of cacao clone or genotype sampled was recorded. The concentrations of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in leaves and beans were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Overall, concentrations of heavy metals were below the critical limits; however, the presence of high levels of Cd in cacao grown in Amazonas, Piura, and Tumbes regions is of primary concern. Plantations of cacao with different cacao clones show differences in Cd accumulation both in leaves and cocoa beans. Therefore, it is promising to screen low Cd accumulator cacao genotypes for safe production of cacao on lightly to moderately Cd contaminated soils. Also, synergism between Zn and Cd present both in plant and soil suggests that Zn has a direct effect on Cd accumulation in cacao. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Use of Trichoderma fungi in spray solutions to reduce Moniliophthora roreri infection of Theobroma cacao fruits in Northeastern Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Seng

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao is an important cash crop in tropical climates such as that of Latin America. Over the past several decades, the infection of cultivated cacao by Moniliophthora roreri, known commonly as “monilia”, has significantly hindered cacao production in Latin America. Studies have proposed the use of Trichoderma sp. Fungi in biocontrol treatments to prevent and reduce monilia infection, yet tests of Trichoderma-containing spray treatments on cacao agroforests have produced mixed results. Researchers and agricultural workers have suggested that addition of soil, fly ash, or other carbon sources to a Trichoderma spray may improve its efficacy in fighting monilia. To test these suggestions, we designed a series of spray mixtures including Trichoderma cultures, soil, and all necessary controls. We applied the spray mixtures to 80 cacao trees (20 trees for each of four resistant-selected clones to monilia at the FINMAC organic cacao plantation in Pueblo Nuevo de Guacimo, Limón Province, in northeastern Costa Rica in March-April 2013. Five treatments were applied (control, water, water plus sterilized soil, water plus Trichoderma, and water plus sterilized soil plus Trichoderma. Each treatment was applied to four trees of each clone. We monitored the incidence of moniliainfection under each spray treatment over the course of 35d. We found that spraying entire cacao trees two times with a mixture containing Trichoderma and sterilized soil significantly reduced the incidence of monilia infection by 11% (p<0.05 in only 35d, ascompared to the control. This reduction in loss of cacao pods translates into an increase of plantation mean productivity of 1 500kg dried beans/ha by 198kg/ha up to 1 698kg/ha or by a total increase over the whole 110ha plantation by 21 780kg. We propose that using such an antifungal spray over the whole course of a crop cycle (120 days would decrease infection incidence even more. Application of this fungal

  14. Making a chocolate chip: development and evaluation of a 6K SNP array for Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theobroma cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate production, is one of the world's most important tree fruit crops, with ~4,000,000 metric tons produced across 50 countries. To move towards gene discovery and marker-assisted breeding in cacao, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification pr...

  15. Genetic Population Structure of Cacao Plantings within a Young Production Area in Nicaragua

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trognitz, Bodo; Scheldeman, Xavier; Hansel-Hohl, Karin; Kuant, Aldo; Grebe, Hans; Hermann, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Significant cocoa production in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, began in 1961. Since the 1980s, its economic importance to rural smallholders increased, and the region now contributes more than 50% of national cocoa bean production. This research aimed to assist local farmers to develop production of high-value cocoa based on optimal use of cacao biodiversity. Using microsatellite markers, the allelic composition and genetic structure of cacao was assessed from 44 representative plantings and two unmanaged trees. The population at Waslala consists of only three putative founder genotype spectra (lineages). Two (B and R) were introduced during the past 50 years and occur in >95% of all trees sampled, indicating high rates of outcrossing. Based on intermediate allelic diversity, there was large farm-to-farm multilocus genotypic variation. GIS analysis revealed unequal distribution of the genotype spectra, with R being frequent within a 2 km corridor along roads, and B at more remote sites with lower precipitation. The third lineage, Y, was detected in the two forest trees. For explaining the spatial stratification of the genotype spectra, both human intervention and a combination of management and selection driven by environmental conditions, appear responsible. Genotypes of individual trees were highly diverse across plantings, thus enabling selection for farm-specific qualities. On-farm populations can currently be most clearly recognized by the degree of the contribution of the three genotype spectra. Of two possible strategies for future development of cacao in Waslala, i.e. introducing more unrelated germplasm, or working with existing on-site diversity, the latter seems most appropriate. Superior genotypes could be selected by their specific composite genotype spectra as soon as associations with desired quality traits are established, and clonally multiplied. The two Y trees from the forest share a single multilocus genotype, possibly representing the

  16. Entomofauna Associated with Agroforestry Systems of Timber Species and Cacao in the Southern Region of the Maracaibo Lake Basin (Mérida, Venezuela).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazón, Marina; Sánchez-Angarita, Daniel; Díaz, Francisco A; Gutiérrez, Néstor; Jaimez, Ramón

    2018-04-20

    Agroforestry systems are environment-friendly production systems which help to preserve biodiversity while providing people with a way of earning a living. Cacao is a historically important crop in Venezuela that traditionally has been produced in agroforestry systems. However, few studies have evaluated how different trees used in those systems affect the dynamics and abundance of insects. The present study evaluated the entomofauna assemblages associated with different combinations of four timber-yielding trees and four Criollo cacao cultivars established in a lowland tropical ecosystem in Venezuela. A randomized block design with two replicates was used, each block having 16 plots which included all 16 possible combinations of four native timber trees ( Cordia thaisiana , Cedrela odorata , Swietenia macrophylla , and Tabebuia rosea ) and four Criollo cacao cultivars (Porcelana, Guasare, Lobatera and Criollo Merideño). Insects were collected with yellow pan traps and sorted to order. Coleoptera and parasitoid Hymenoptera were determined to the family level. In total, 49,538 individuals of seven orders were collected, with Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera being the most abundant, although only Lepidoptera and Coleoptera abundances were significantly influenced by the timber tree species. Twenty-three families of parasitoid Hymenoptera and 26 of Coleoptera were found. Significant differences in insects’ assemblages were found both in parasitoid Hymenoptera and Coleoptera families associated to every shade tree, with the families Eulophidae and Lycidae being indicators for Cordia , and Chalcididae for Swietenia . The entomofauna relationship with the cacao cultivar was barely significant, although Scydmaenidae and Scarabaeidae were indicators for Lobatera and Merideño, respectively. No significant effects were found for interaction with cacao cultivars and native trees. We concluded that the particular insect assemblages found in Cedrela odorata and Cordia

  17. Entomofauna Associated with Agroforestry Systems of Timber Species and Cacao in the Southern Region of the Maracaibo Lake Basin (Mérida, Venezuela

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Mazón

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Agroforestry systems are environment-friendly production systems which help to preserve biodiversity while providing people with a way of earning a living. Cacao is a historically important crop in Venezuela that traditionally has been produced in agroforestry systems. However, few studies have evaluated how different trees used in those systems affect the dynamics and abundance of insects. The present study evaluated the entomofauna assemblages associated with different combinations of four timber-yielding trees and four Criollo cacao cultivars established in a lowland tropical ecosystem in Venezuela. A randomized block design with two replicates was used, each block having 16 plots which included all 16 possible combinations of four native timber trees (Cordia thaisiana, Cedrela odorata, Swietenia macrophylla, and Tabebuia rosea and four Criollo cacao cultivars (Porcelana, Guasare, Lobatera and Criollo Merideño. Insects were collected with yellow pan traps and sorted to order. Coleoptera and parasitoid Hymenoptera were determined to the family level. In total, 49,538 individuals of seven orders were collected, with Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera being the most abundant, although only Lepidoptera and Coleoptera abundances were significantly influenced by the timber tree species. Twenty-three families of parasitoid Hymenoptera and 26 of Coleoptera were found. Significant differences in insects’ assemblages were found both in parasitoid Hymenoptera and Coleoptera families associated to every shade tree, with the families Eulophidae and Lycidae being indicators for Cordia, and Chalcididae for Swietenia. The entomofauna relationship with the cacao cultivar was barely significant, although Scydmaenidae and Scarabaeidae were indicators for Lobatera and Merideño, respectively. No significant effects were found for interaction with cacao cultivars and native trees. We concluded that the particular insect assemblages found in Cedrela odorata

  18. Genome-wide analysis reveals divergent patterns of gene expression during zygotic and somatic embryo maturation of Theobroma cacao L., the chocolate tree.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maximova, Siela N; Florez, Sergio; Shen, Xiangling; Niemenak, Nicolas; Zhang, Yufan; Curtis, Wayne; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2014-07-16

    Theobroma cacao L. is a tropical fruit tree, the seeds of which are used to create chocolate. In vitro somatic embryogenesis (SE) of cacao is a propagation system useful for rapid mass-multiplication to accelerate breeding programs and to provide plants directly to farmers. Two major limitations of cacao SE remain: the efficiency of embryo production is highly genotype dependent and the lack of full cotyledon development results in low embryo to plant conversion rates. With the goal to better understand SE development and to improve the efficiency of SE conversion we examined gene expression differences between zygotic and somatic embryos using a whole genome microarray. The expression of 28,752 genes was determined at 4 developmental time points during zygotic embryogenesis (ZE) and 2 time points during cacao somatic embryogenesis (SE). Within the ZE time course, 10,288 differentially expressed genes were enriched for functions related to responses to abiotic and biotic stimulus, metabolic and cellular processes. A comparison ZE and SE expression profiles identified 10,175 differentially expressed genes. Many TF genes, putatively involved in ethylene metabolism and response, were more strongly expressed in SEs as compared to ZEs. Expression levels of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis and seed storage protein genes were also differentially expressed in the two types of embryos. Large numbers of genes were differentially regulated during various stages of both ZE and SE development in cacao. The relatively higher expression of ethylene and flavonoid related genes during SE suggests that the developing tissues may be experiencing high levels of stress during SE maturation caused by the in vitro environment. The expression of genes involved in the synthesis of auxin, polyunsaturated fatty acids and secondary metabolites was higher in SEs relative to ZEs despite lack of lipid and metabolite accumulation. These differences in gene

  19. Infection of non-host model plant species with the narrow-host-range Cacao swollen shoot virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friscina, Arianna; Chiappetta, Laura; Jacquemond, Mireille; Tepfer, Mark

    2017-02-01

    Cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV) is a major pathogen of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Africa, and long-standing efforts to limit its spread by the culling of infected trees have had very limited success. CSSV is a particularly difficult virus to study, as it has a very narrow host range, limited to several tropical tree species. Furthermore, the virus is not mechanically transmissible, and its insect vector can only be used with difficulty. Thus, the only efficient means to infect cacao plants that have been experimentally described so far are by particle bombardment or the agroinoculation of cacao plants with an infectious clone. We have genetically transformed three non-host species with an infectious form of the CSSV genome: two experimental hosts widely used in plant virology (Nicotiana tabacum and N. benthamiana) and the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. In transformed plants of all three species, the CSSV genome was able to replicate, and, in tobacco, CSSV particles could be observed by immunosorbent electron microscopy, demonstrating that the complete virus cycle could be completed in a non-host plant. These results will greatly facilitate the preliminary testing of CSSV control strategies using plants that are easy to raise and to transform genetically. © 2016 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  20. Co-occurrence of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Fusarium decemcellulare and Lasiodiplodia theobromae isolates in cushion galls disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castillo Daynet Sosa del

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Flowery cushion gall of cacao is a disease complex with six types. Fusarium decemcellulare have been isolated from both flowery and green point galls and recognized as the etiological agent of the disease. In the present work we: i identified by ITS-rDNA sequencing and/or taxonomy the cultivable fungal species or Operative Taxonomic Units (OTUs associated with the five symptoms of cushion galls in cacao from Venezuela, and ii determined the gall inducing capacity on cacao peeled seeds after 45 days of inoculation with suspensions of mycelia/ spores from distinct isolate types. The whole isolate collection rendered an abundance of 113 isolates with a richness of 39 OTUs (27 and eight identified at the species or genera levels, respectively, and in unidentified fungi. The dominant recovered species (≈36% were F. decemcellulare and Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Some isolates of F. decemcellulare, L. theobromae, F. equiseti, Fusarium spp., F. solani, F. incarnatum, Rhizocthonia solani and Penicillium sp. were pathogenic. Some other isolates of the first six mentioned taxa behave as non-pathogenic. Furthermore, pathogenic and non-pathogenic isolates can also co-occur within a single plant and gall type. Moreover, 2-5 species within a single gall symptom in a single tree were identified (not necessarily at the same point in the tree, indicating a broad diversity of co-occurring taxa.

  1. Genetic diversity and spatial structure in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) germplasm from Bolivia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important economic crop widely cultivated in the Bolivian Amazon. The germplasm group used by the Bolivian farmers was called “Cacao Nacional Boliviano” (CNB). Wild cacao populations are also found in the Beni River and in the valleys of Andes foot hills. Using DNA...

  2. 21 CFR 163.110 - Cacao nibs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cacao Products § 163.110 Cacao nibs. (a... is “cacao nibs”, “cocoa nibs”, or “cracked cocoa”. (1) When the cacao nibs, or the cacao beans from...

  3. A Larger Chocolate Chip—Development of a 15K Theobroma cacao L. SNP Array to Create High-Density Linkage Maps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald Livingstone

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. is an important cash crop in tropical regions around the world and has a rich agronomic history in South America. As a key component in the cosmetic and confectionary industries, millions of people worldwide use products made from cacao, ranging from shampoo to chocolate. An Illumina Infinity II array was created using 13,530 SNPs identified within a small diversity panel of cacao. Of these SNPs, 12,643 derive from variation within annotated cacao genes. The genotypes of 3,072 trees were obtained, including two mapping populations from Ecuador. High-density linkage maps for these two populations were generated and compared to the cacao genome assembly. Phenotypic data from these populations were combined with the linkage maps to identify the QTLs for yield and disease resistance.

  4. A Larger Chocolate Chip-Development of a 15K Theobroma cacao L. SNP Array to Create High-Density Linkage Maps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livingstone, Donald; Stack, Conrad; Mustiga, Guiliana M; Rodezno, Dayana C; Suarez, Carmen; Amores, Freddy; Feltus, Frank A; Mockaitis, Keithanne; Cornejo, Omar E; Motamayor, Juan C

    2017-01-01

    Cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) is an important cash crop in tropical regions around the world and has a rich agronomic history in South America. As a key component in the cosmetic and confectionary industries, millions of people worldwide use products made from cacao, ranging from shampoo to chocolate. An Illumina Infinity II array was created using 13,530 SNPs identified within a small diversity panel of cacao. Of these SNPs, 12,643 derive from variation within annotated cacao genes. The genotypes of 3,072 trees were obtained, including two mapping populations from Ecuador. High-density linkage maps for these two populations were generated and compared to the cacao genome assembly. Phenotypic data from these populations were combined with the linkage maps to identify the QTLs for yield and disease resistance.

  5. Making a chocolate chip: development and evaluation of a 6K SNP array for Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livingstone, Donald; Royaert, Stefan; Stack, Conrad; Mockaitis, Keithanne; May, Greg; Farmer, Andrew; Saski, Christopher; Schnell, Ray; Kuhn, David; Motamayor, Juan Carlos

    2015-08-01

    Theobroma cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate production, is one of the world's most important tree fruit crops, with ∼4,000,000 metric tons produced across 50 countries. To move towards gene discovery and marker-assisted breeding in cacao, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification project was undertaken using RNAseq data from 16 diverse cacao cultivars. RNA sequences were aligned to the assembled transcriptome of the cultivar Matina 1-6, and 330,000 SNPs within coding regions were identified. From these SNPs, a subset of 6,000 high-quality SNPs were selected for inclusion on an Illumina Infinium SNP array: the Cacao6kSNP array. Using Cacao6KSNP array data from over 1,000 cacao samples, we demonstrate that our custom array produces a saturated genetic map and can be used to distinguish among even closely related genotypes. Our study enhances and expands the genetic resources available to the cacao research community, and provides the genome-scale set of tools that are critical for advancing breeding with molecular markers in an agricultural species with high genetic diversity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

  6. Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum: two new species isolated from cacao in South America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuels, Gary J; Suarez, Carmen; Solis, Karina; Holmes, Keith A; Thomas, Sarah E; Ismaiel, Adnan; Evans, Harry C

    2006-04-01

    Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum spp. nov. are described. Trichoderma theobromicola was isolated as an endophyte from the trunk of a healthy cacao tree (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) in Amazonian Peru; it sporulates profusely on common mycological media. Trichoderma paucisporum is represented by two cultures that were obtained in Ecuador from cacao pods partially infected with frosty pod rot, Moniliophthora roreri; it sporulates sporadically and most cultures remain sterile on common media and autoclaved rice. It sporulates more reliably on synthetic low-nutrient agar (SNA) but produces few conidia. Trichoderma theobromicola was reintroduced into cacao seedlings through shoot inoculation and was recovered from stems but not from leaves, indicating that it is an endophytic species. Both produced a volatile/diffusable antibiotic that inhibited development of M. roreri in vitro and on-pod trials. Neither species demonstrated significant direct in vitro mycoparasitic activity against M. roreri.

  7. Biological control of Black Pod Disease and Seedling Blight of cacao caused by Phytophthora Species using Trichoderma from Aceh Sumatra

    Science.gov (United States)

    The cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao L., suffers large yield losses in Aceh Indonesia to the disease black pod rot, caused by Phytophthora spp. Despite having the largest area under cacao production in Sumatra, farmers in the Aceh region have low overall production because of losses to insect pests and b...

  8. Review of vegetative propagation of cacao ( Theobroma cacao L ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Parmi les facteurs physiologiques influençant la propagation de cacao par les boutures de cacao, les différences du clonage, la surface foliaire, l'âge physiologique, les traits anatomiques, les facteurs nutritionnels et biochimiques exercent la plus forte influence. Les clones d'Upper Amazon et de Trinitario prennent les ...

  9. Use of radio-active phosphorus in determining the efficiency of fertilizer utilization by cacao plantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahenkorah, Y.

    1975-01-01

    Both 32 P labelled phosphate solution and superphosphate were used in studying 1) in situ root distribution and activity of twenty year old Amelonado cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) during wet and dry seasons, and 2) the efficiency of fertilizer utilization by the cacao plantation. The 32 P content of the leaves was used to determine patterns of root activity. Uptake of 32 P was greatest during the wet season and root activity highest within the upper 3 cm soil layer in both wet and dry seasons. Highest 32 P activity was obtained at a distance of 120-160 cm, and lowest at 91 cm from the base of the tree. For maximum utilization of phosphate fertilizer by a plantation of twenty year old Amelonado cacao, planted at 240 cm x 240 cm spacing, the fertilizer should be broadcast during the wet season. Under low soil moisture conditions, the placement of 32 P labelled superphosphate provides information on the relative availability of fertilizer or soil phosphorus and does not necessarily reflect the activity of the root profile. Active roots of cacao tend to be more extensive and are capable of exploring a much larger area than hitherto expected

  10. Presence of heavy metals in organic cacao (theobroma cacao l.) crop

    OpenAIRE

    HuamanI-Yupanqui, Hugo Alfredo; Huauya-Rojas, Miguel Ángel; Mansilla-Minaya, Luis Germán; Florida-Rofner, Nelino; Neira-Trujillo, Gilmer Milton

    2013-01-01

    La presencia de metales pesados en el cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) es actualmente un grave problema para agricultores y cooperativas de las regiones Huánuco y Ucayali, Perú. En el presente trabajo se evaluaron los contenidos de cadmio y plomo en suelos y hojas del cacao en estas regiones. Para el efecto se recolectaron y analizaron en laboratorio muestras tomadas en 22 parcelas con cultivos orgánicos de esta especie, 17 en la región Huánuco y cinco en la región Ucayali. Se realizaron...

  11. Review of vegetative propagation of cacao ( Theobroma cacao L ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cet article fait une révision de facteurs environnementaux favorables et les diffecultés techniques qui ont limité l'utilisation extensive de propagation végétative pour la multiplication de cacao. Inclus dans les facteurs extérieurs importante influençcant l'enracinement de boutures de cacao saont: la lumière, la température, ...

  12. Proximate Composition, Extraction, and Purification of Theobromine from Cacao Pod Husk (Theobroma Cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Van Tang Nguyen

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study were to determine the proximate composition of cacao pod husk as well as the optimal conditions for extraction and purification of theobromine from cacao pod husk. The results indicated that cacao pod husk had high contents of moisture and carbohydrate (87.06% and 11.03% by fresh weight, respectively, but low contents of crude protein, crude lipid, and ash (0.31%, 0.12%, and 1.48% by fresh weight, respectively. The optimal conditions for extraction of theobromine from cacao pod husk were of 70% ethanol, with an extraction time of 90 min, and 1 as the number of extractions. A concentration of 10% by volume of 10% lead acetate solution was the best selection for purification of the crude extracts containing theobromine from cacao pod husk. Under these optimal conditions, theobromine content obtained from cacao pod husk was 6.79 mg/100 g dry weight. The finding from this study is a valuable contribution for obtaining theobromine from an abundant, inexpensive, renewable, and sustainable source for potential application in the nutraceutical, medical, and pharmaceutical industries.

  13. Application of Genome Wide Association and Genomic Prediction for Improvement of Cacao Productivity and Resistance to Black and Frosty Pod Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Alberto Romero Navarro

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Chocolate is a highly valued and palatable confectionery product. Chocolate is primarily made from the processed seeds of the tree species Theobroma cacao. Cacao cultivation is highly relevant for small-holder farmers throughout the tropics, yet its productivity remains limited by low yields and widespread pathogens. A panel of 148 improved cacao clones was assembled based on productivity and disease resistance, and phenotypic single-tree replicated clonal evaluation was performed for 8 years. Using high-density markers, the diversity of clones was expressed relative to 10 known ancestral cacao populations, and significant effects of ancestry were observed in productivity and disease resistance. Genome-wide association (GWA was performed, and six markers were significantly associated with frosty pod disease resistance. In addition, genomic selection was performed, and consistent with the observed extensive linkage disequilibrium, high predictive ability was observed at low marker densities for all traits. Finally, quantitative trait locus mapping and differential expression analysis of two cultivars with contrasting disease phenotypes were performed to identify genes underlying frosty pod disease resistance, identifying a significant quantitative trait locus and 35 differentially expressed genes using two independent differential expression analyses. These results indicate that in breeding populations of heterozygous and recently admixed individuals, mapping approaches can be used for low complexity traits like pod color cacao, or in other species single gene disease resistance, however genomic selection for quantitative traits remains highly effective relative to mapping. Our results can help guide the breeding process for sustainable improved cacao productivity.

  14. Cacao breeding in Bahia, Brazil - strategies and results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uilson Vanderlei Lopes

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Cacao was introduced in Bahia in 1756, becoming later the largest producer state in the country. In order to supportthe planting of cacao in the region, a breeding program was established by CEPEC at the beginning of the 1970s. For a long time,the program consisted in testing new hybrids (full-sibs and releasing a mixture of the best ones to farmers. Lately, particularly afterthe witches´ broom arrival in the region, in 1989, recurrent breeding strategies were implemented, aiming mainly the developmentof clones. From 1993 to 2010, more than 500 progenies, accumulating 30 thousand trees, were developed by crossing many parentswith resistance to witches´ broom, high yield and other traits. In this period, more than 500 clones were put in trials and 39 clonesand 3 hybrids were released to farmers. In this paper the strategies and results achieved by the program are reviewed. Overall theprogram has good interface with pathology and genomic programs.

  15. In silico analysis of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) genes that involved in pathogen and disease responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agung, Muhammad Budi; Budiarsa, I. Made; Suwastika, I. Nengah

    2017-02-01

    Cocoa bean is one of the main commodities from Indonesia for the world, which still have problem regarding yield degradation due to pathogens and disease attack. Developing robust cacao plant that genetically resistant to pathogen and disease attack is an ideal solution in over taking on this problem. The aim of this study was to identify Theobroma cacao genes on database of cacao genome that homolog to response genes of pathogen and disease attack in other plant, through in silico analysis. Basic information survey and gene identification were performed in GenBank and The Arabidopsis Information Resource database. The In silico analysis contains protein BLAST, homology test of each gene's protein candidates, and identification of homologue gene in Cacao Genome Database using data source "Theobroma cacao cv. Matina 1-6 v1.1" genome. Identification found that Thecc1EG011959t1 (EDS1), Thecc1EG006803t1 (EDS5), Thecc1EG013842t1 (ICS1), and Thecc1EG015614t1 (BG_PPAP) gene of Cacao Genome Database were Theobroma cacao genes that homolog to plant's resistance genes which highly possible to have similar functions of each gene's homologue gene.

  16. Tree diversity and canopy cover in cocoa systems in Ghana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Asare, Richard; Ræbild, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) growing systems in Ghana and West Africa consist of diverse tree species and densities.This study was conducted to determine factors that influence tree species configurations and how tree characteristics affect canopy cover in cocoa farms. Eighty-six farmers...

  17. Association mapping of seed and disease resistance traits in Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motilal, Lambert A; Zhang, Dapeng; Mischke, Sue; Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Boccara, Michel; Fouet, Olivier; Lanaud, Claire; Umaharan, Pathmanathan

    2016-12-01

    Microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism markers that could be used in marker assisted breeding of cacao were identified for number of filled seeds, black pod resistance and witches' broom disease resistance. An association mapping approach was employed to identify markers for seed number and resistance to black pod and witches' broom disease (WBD) in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Ninety-five microsatellites (SSRs) and 775 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were assessed on 483 unique trees in the International Cocoa Genebank Trinidad (ICGT). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) and association mapping studies were conducted to identify markers to tag the phenotypic traits. Decay of LD occurred over an average 9.3 cM for chromosomes 1-9 and 2.5 cM for chromosome 10. Marker/trait associations were generally identified based on general linear models (GLMs) that incorporated principal components from molecular information on relatedness factor. Seven markers (mTcCIR 8, 66, 126, 212; TcSNP368, 697, 1370) on chromosomes 1 and 9 were identified for number of filled seeds (NSEED). A single marker was found for black pod resistance (mTcCIR280) on chromosome 3, whereas six markers on chromosomes 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 were detected for WBD (mTcCIR91, 183; TcSNP375, 720, 1230 and 1374). It is expected that this association mapping study in cacao would contribute to the knowledge of the genetic determinism of cocoa traits and that the markers identified herein would prove useful in marker assisted breeding of cacao.

  18. A genetically anchored physical framework for Theobroma cacao cv. Matina 1-6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saski, Christopher A; Feltus, Frank A; Staton, Margaret E; Blackmon, Barbara P; Ficklin, Stephen P; Kuhn, David N; Schnell, Raymond J; Shapiro, Howard; Motamayor, Juan Carlos

    2011-08-16

    The fermented dried seeds of Theobroma cacao (cacao tree) are the main ingredient in chocolate. World cocoa production was estimated to be 3 million tons in 2010 with an annual estimated average growth rate of 2.2%. The cacao bean production industry is currently under threat from a rise in fungal diseases including black pod, frosty pod, and witches' broom. In order to address these issues, genome-sequencing efforts have been initiated recently to facilitate identification of genetic markers and genes that could be utilized to accelerate the release of robust T. cacao cultivars. However, problems inherent with assembly and resolution of distal regions of complex eukaryotic genomes, such as gaps, chimeric joins, and unresolvable repeat-induced compressions, have been unavoidably encountered with the sequencing strategies selected. Here, we describe the construction of a BAC-based integrated genetic-physical map of the T. cacao cultivar Matina 1-6 which is designed to augment and enhance these sequencing efforts. Three BAC libraries, each comprised of 10× coverage, were constructed and fingerprinted. 230 genetic markers from a high-resolution genetic recombination map and 96 Arabidopsis-derived conserved ortholog set (COS) II markers were anchored using pooled overgo hybridization. A dense tile path consisting of 29,383 BACs was selected and end-sequenced. The physical map consists of 154 contigs and 4,268 singletons. Forty-nine contigs are genetically anchored and ordered to chromosomes for a total span of 307.2 Mbp. The unanchored contigs (105) span 67.4 Mbp and therefore the estimated genome size of T. cacao is 374.6 Mbp. A comparative analysis with A. thaliana, V. vinifera, and P. trichocarpa suggests that comparisons of the genome assemblies of these distantly related species could provide insights into genome structure, evolutionary history, conservation of functional sites, and improvements in physical map assembly. A comparison between the two T. cacao

  19. A genetically anchored physical framework for Theobroma cacao cv. Matina 1-6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuhn David N

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The fermented dried seeds of Theobroma cacao (cacao tree are the main ingredient in chocolate. World cocoa production was estimated to be 3 million tons in 2010 with an annual estimated average growth rate of 2.2%. The cacao bean production industry is currently under threat from a rise in fungal diseases including black pod, frosty pod, and witches' broom. In order to address these issues, genome-sequencing efforts have been initiated recently to facilitate identification of genetic markers and genes that could be utilized to accelerate the release of robust T. cacao cultivars. However, problems inherent with assembly and resolution of distal regions of complex eukaryotic genomes, such as gaps, chimeric joins, and unresolvable repeat-induced compressions, have been unavoidably encountered with the sequencing strategies selected. Results Here, we describe the construction of a BAC-based integrated genetic-physical map of the T. cacao cultivar Matina 1-6 which is designed to augment and enhance these sequencing efforts. Three BAC libraries, each comprised of 10× coverage, were constructed and fingerprinted. 230 genetic markers from a high-resolution genetic recombination map and 96 Arabidopsis-derived conserved ortholog set (COS II markers were anchored using pooled overgo hybridization. A dense tile path consisting of 29,383 BACs was selected and end-sequenced. The physical map consists of 154 contigs and 4,268 singletons. Forty-nine contigs are genetically anchored and ordered to chromosomes for a total span of 307.2 Mbp. The unanchored contigs (105 span 67.4 Mbp and therefore the estimated genome size of T. cacao is 374.6 Mbp. A comparative analysis with A. thaliana, V. vinifera, and P. trichocarpa suggests that comparisons of the genome assemblies of these distantly related species could provide insights into genome structure, evolutionary history, conservation of functional sites, and improvements in physical map

  20. Fungal and plant gene expression during the colonization of cacao seedlings by endophytic isolates of four Trichoderma species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, B A; Bae, H; Strem, M D; Roberts, D P; Thomas, S E; Crozier, J; Samuels, G J; Choi, Ik-Young; Holmes, K A

    2006-11-01

    Endophytic isolates of Trichoderma species are being considered as biocontrol agents for diseases of Theobroma cacao (cacao). Gene expression was studied during the interaction between cacao seedlings and four endophytic Trichoderma isolates, T. ovalisporum-DIS 70a, T. hamatum-DIS 219b, T. harzianum-DIS 219f, and Trichoderma sp.-DIS 172ai. Isolates DIS 70a, DIS 219b, and DIS 219f were mycoparasitic on the pathogen Moniliophthora roreri, and DIS 172ai produced metabolites that inhibited growth of M. roreri in culture. ESTs (116) responsive to endophytic colonization of cacao were identified using differential display and their expression analyzed using macroarrays. Nineteen cacao ESTs and 17 Trichoderma ESTs were chosen for real-time quantitative PCR analysis. Seven cacao ESTs were induced during colonization by the Trichoderma isolates. These included putative genes for ornithine decarboxylase (P1), GST-like proteins (P4), zinc finger protein (P13), wound-induced protein (P26), EF-calcium-binding protein (P29), carbohydrate oxidase (P59), and an unknown protein (U4). Two plant ESTs, extensin-like protein (P12) and major intrinsic protein (P31), were repressed due to colonization. The plant gene expression profile was dependent on the Trichoderma isolate colonizing the cacao seedling. The fungal ESTs induced in colonized cacao seedlings also varied with the Trichoderma isolate used. The most highly induced fungal ESTs were putative glucosyl hydrolase family 2 (F3), glucosyl hydrolase family 7 (F7), serine protease (F11), and alcohol oxidase (F19). The pattern of altered gene expression suggests a complex system of genetic cross talk occurs between the cacao tree and Trichoderma isolates during the establishment of the endophytic association.

  1. Transient Expression of CRISPR/Cas9 Machinery Targeting TcNPR3 Enhances Defense Response in Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fister, Andrew S; Landherr, Lena; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2018-01-01

    Theobroma cacao , the source of cocoa, suffers significant losses to a variety of pathogens resulting in reduced incomes for millions of farmers in developing countries. Development of disease resistant cacao varieties is an essential strategy to combat this threat, but is limited by sources of genetic resistance and the slow generation time of this tropical tree crop. In this study, we present the first application of genome editing technology in cacao, using Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation to introduce CRISPR/Cas9 components into cacao leaves and cotyledon cells. As a first proof of concept, we targeted the cacao Non-Expressor of Pathogenesis-Related 3 (TcNPR3) gene, a suppressor of the defense response. After demonstrating activity of designed single-guide RNAs (sgRNA) in vitro , we used Agrobacterium to introduce a CRISPR/Cas9 system into leaf tissue, and identified the presence of deletions in 27% of TcNPR3 copies in the treated tissues. The edited tissue exhibited an increased resistance to infection with the cacao pathogen Phytophthora tropicalis and elevated expression of downstream defense genes. Analysis of off-target mutagenesis in sequences similar to sgRNA target sites using high-throughput sequencing did not reveal mutations above background sequencing error rates. These results confirm the function of NPR3 as a repressor of the cacao immune system and demonstrate the application of CRISPR/Cas9 as a powerful functional genomics tool for cacao. Several stably transformed and genome edited somatic embryos were obtained via Agrobacterium -mediated transformation, and ongoing work will test the effectiveness of this approach at a whole plant level.

  2. Molecular characterization of an earliest cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) collection from Peruvian Amazon using microsatllite DNA markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is indigenous to the Amazon region of South America. The Peruvian Amazon harbors a large number of diverse cacao populations. Since the 1930s, several numbers of populations have been collected from the Peruvian Amazon and maintained as ex situ germplasm repositories in ...

  3. Variability and correlation of physical attributes of soils cultivated with cacao trees in two climate zones in southern Bahia, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a very important crop in southern Bahia, Brazil, which needs good climate and soil conditions and management for great productivity. In this region, the culture is developed in a large variety of soils, which indicates differentiated products. The aim of this study was to ...

  4. Theobroma cacao L. pathogenesis-related gene tandem array members show diverse expression dynamics in response to pathogen colonization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fister, Andrew S; Mejia, Luis C; Zhang, Yufan; Herre, Edward Allen; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2016-05-17

    The pathogenesis-related (PR) group of proteins are operationally defined as polypeptides that increase in concentration in plant tissues upon contact with a pathogen. To date, 17 classes of highly divergent proteins have been described that act through multiple mechanisms of pathogen resistance. Characterizing these families in cacao, an economically important tree crop, and comparing the families to those in other species, is an important step in understanding cacao's immune response. Using publically available resources, all members of the 17 recognized pathogenesis-related gene families in the genome of Theobroma cacao were identified and annotated resulting in a set of ~350 members in both published cacao genomes. Approximately 50 % of these genes are organized in tandem arrays scattered throughout the genome. This feature was observed in five additional plant taxa (three dicots and two monocots), suggesting that tandem duplication has played an important role in the evolution of the PR genes in higher plants. Expression profiling captured the dynamics and complexity of PR genes expression at basal levels and after induction by two cacao pathogens (the oomycete, Phytophthora palmivora, and the fungus, Colletotrichum theobromicola), identifying specific genes within families that are more responsive to pathogen challenge. Subsequent qRT-PCR validated the induction of several PR-1, PR-3, PR-4, and PR-10 family members, with greater than 1000 fold induction detected for specific genes. We describe candidate genes that are likely to be involved in cacao's defense against Phytophthora and Colletotrichum infection and could be potentially useful for marker-assisted selection for breeding of disease resistant cacao varieties. The data presented here, along with existing cacao-omics resources, will enable targeted functional genetic screening of defense genes likely to play critical functions in cacao's defense against its pathogens.

  5. Identification and mapping of conserved ortholog set(COS) II sequences of cacao and their conversion to SNP markers for marker-assisted selection in Theobroma cocoa and comparative genomics studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theobroma cacao is a tree cultivated in the tropics around the world for its seeds that are the source of both chocolate and cocoa butter. The cacao genome sequencing project initiated as a collaboration between USDA, Mars, Inc. and IBM has generated a great deal of transcriptome and genome sequenc...

  6. Heavy metal accumulations in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) leaves and cocoa beans grown at three main cacao growing regions of Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peru is one of the leading exporters of organic cocoa beans in the world. However, the accumulation of heavy metals in cacao beans represents a considerable quality problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and accumulation of heavy metals in cacao plants grown at three dif...

  7. Comparison of Canopy Openness in Different Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Production Systems in Alto Beni, Bolivia

    OpenAIRE

    Niether, Wiebke; Maldonado, Carla; Silva, Erika; Schneider, Monika; Gerold, Gerhard

    2013-01-01

    Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) grows naturally as an understory tree in tropical forests and produces well under shaded and non-shaded conditions. It is cultivated by small scale farmers in South America under various conditions, ranging from monocultures to different kinds of agroforestry systems. While in monocultures it is exposed to direct sunlight, one or various tree species shade the cocoa in agroforestry systems. Also organic cocoa cultivation is becoming more and more popular due to prem...

  8. Presencia de metales pesados en cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) orgánico

    OpenAIRE

    Huamaní-Yupanqui, Hugo Alfredo; Huauya-Rojas, Miguel ángel; Mansilla-Minaya, Luis Germán; Florida-Rofner, Nelino; Neira-Trujillo, Gilmer Milton

    2012-01-01

    La presencia de metales pesados en el cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) es actualmente un grave problema para agricultores y cooperativas de las regiones Huánuco y Ucayali, Perú. En el presente trabajo se evaluaron los contenidos de cadmio y plomo en suelos y hojas del cacao en estas regiones. Para el efecto se recolectaron y analizaron en laboratorio muestras tomadas en 22 parcelas con cultivos orgánicos de esta especie, 17 en la región Huánuco y cinco en la región Ucayali. Se realizaron...

  9. Cadmium bioaccumulation and gastric bioaccessibility in cacao: A field study in areas impacted by oil activities in Ecuador.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barraza, F; Schreck, E; Lévêque, T; Uzu, G; López, F; Ruales, J; Prunier, J; Marquet, A; Maurice, L

    2017-10-01

    Cacao from South America is especially used to produce premium quality chocolate. Although the European Food Safety Authority has not established a limit for cadmium (Cd) in chocolate raw material, recent studies demonstrate that Cd concentrations in cacao beans can reach levels higher than the legal limits for dark chocolate (0.8 mg kg -1 , effective January 1st, 2019). Despite the fact that the presence of Cd in agricultural soils is related to contamination by fertilizers, other potential sources must be considered in Ecuador. This field study was conducted to investigate Cd content in soils and cacao cultivated on Ecuadorian farms in areas impacted by oil activities. Soils, cacao leaves, and pod husks were collected from 31 farms in the northern Amazon and Pacific coastal regions exposed to oil production and refining and compared to two control areas. Human gastric bioaccessibility was determined in raw cacao beans and cacao liquor samples in order to assess potential health risks involved. Our results show that topsoils (0-20 cm) have higher Cd concentrations than deeper layers, exceeding the Ecuadorian legislation limit in 39% of the sampling sites. Cacao leaves accumulate more Cd than pod husks or beans but, nevertheless, 50% of the sampled beans have Cd contents above 0.8 mg kg -1 . Root-to-cacao transfer seems to be the main pathway of Cd uptake, which is not only regulated by physico-chemical soil properties but also agricultural practices. Additionally, natural Cd enrichment by volcanic inputs must not be neglected. Finally, Cd in cacao trees cannot be considered as a tracer of oil activities. Assuming that total Cd content and its bioaccessible fraction (up to 90%) in cacao beans and liquor is directly linked to those in chocolate, the health risk associated with Cd exposure varies from low to moderate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Changes in soil physical and chemical properties in long term improved natural and traditional agroforestry management systems of cacao genotypes in Peruvian Amazon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arévalo-Gardini, Enrique; Canto, Manuel; Alegre, Julio; Loli, Oscar; Julca, Alberto; Baligar, Virupax

    2015-01-01

    Growing cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in an agroforestry system generates a productive use of the land, preserves the best conditions for physical, chemical and biological properties of tropical soils, and plays an important role in improving cacao production and fertility of degraded tropical soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of two long term agroforestry systems of cacao management on soil physical and chemical properties in an area originally inhabited by 30 years old native secondary forest (SF). The two agroforestry systems adapted were: improved natural agroforestry system (INAS) where trees without economic value were selectively removed to provide 50% shade and improved traditional agroforestry system (ITAS) where all native trees were cut and burnt in the location. For evaluation of the changes of soil physical and chemical properties with time due to the imposed cacao management systems, plots of 10 cacao genotypes (ICS95, UF613, CCN51, ICT1112, ICT1026, ICT2162, ICT2171, ICT2142, H35, U30) and one plot with a spontaneous hybrid were selected. Soil samples were taken at 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm depths before the installation of the management systems (2004), and then followed at two years intervals. Bulk density, porosity, field capacity and wilting point varied significantly during the years of assessment in the different soil depths and under the systems assessed. Soil pH, CEC, exchangeable Mg and sum of the bases were higher in the INAS than the ITAS. In both systems, SOM, Ext. P, K and Fe, exch. K, Mg and Al+H decreased with years of cultivation; these changes were more evident in the 0-20 cm soil depth. Overall improvement of SOM and soil nutrient status was much higher in the ITAS than INAS. The levels of physical and chemical properties of soil under cacao genotypes showed a marked difference in both systems.

  11. Cadmium bioaccumulation and gastric bioaccessibility in cacao: A field study in areas impacted by oil activities in Ecuador

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barraza, F.; Schreck, E.; Lévêque, T.; Uzu, G.; López, F.; Ruales, J.; Prunier, J.; Marquet, A.; Maurice, L.

    2017-01-01

    Cacao from South America is especially used to produce premium quality chocolate. Although the European Food Safety Authority has not established a limit for cadmium (Cd) in chocolate raw material, recent studies demonstrate that Cd concentrations in cacao beans can reach levels higher than the legal limits for dark chocolate (0.8 mg kg −1 , effective January 1st, 2019). Despite the fact that the presence of Cd in agricultural soils is related to contamination by fertilizers, other potential sources must be considered in Ecuador. This field study was conducted to investigate Cd content in soils and cacao cultivated on Ecuadorian farms in areas impacted by oil activities. Soils, cacao leaves, and pod husks were collected from 31 farms in the northern Amazon and Pacific coastal regions exposed to oil production and refining and compared to two control areas. Human gastric bioaccessibility was determined in raw cacao beans and cacao liquor samples in order to assess potential health risks involved. Our results show that topsoils (0–20 cm) have higher Cd concentrations than deeper layers, exceeding the Ecuadorian legislation limit in 39% of the sampling sites. Cacao leaves accumulate more Cd than pod husks or beans but, nevertheless, 50% of the sampled beans have Cd contents above 0.8 mg kg −1 . Root-to-cacao transfer seems to be the main pathway of Cd uptake, which is not only regulated by physico-chemical soil properties but also agricultural practices. Additionally, natural Cd enrichment by volcanic inputs must not be neglected. Finally, Cd in cacao trees cannot be considered as a tracer of oil activities. Assuming that total Cd content and its bioaccessible fraction (up to 90%) in cacao beans and liquor is directly linked to those in chocolate, the health risk associated with Cd exposure varies from low to moderate. - Highlights: • Cd in cacao beans is enriched 4 times compared to soils contents. • Cd bioaccumulates in beans mainly through root

  12. Present spatial diversity patterns of Theobroma cacao L. in the neotropics reflect genetic differentiation in pleistocene refugia followed by human-influenced dispersal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Evert; van Zonneveld, Maarten; Loo, Judy; Hodgkin, Toby; Galluzzi, Gea; van Etten, Jacob

    2012-01-01

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is indigenous to the Amazon basin, but is generally believed to have been domesticated in Mesoamerica for the production of chocolate beverage. However, cacao's distribution of genetic diversity in South America is also likely to reflect pre-Columbian human influences that were superimposed on natural processes of genetic differentiation. Here we present the results of a spatial analysis of the intra-specific diversity of cacao in Latin America, drawing on a dataset of 939 cacao trees genotypically characterized by means of 96 SSR markers. To assess continental diversity patterns we performed grid-based calculations of allelic richness, Shannon diversity and Nei gene diversity, and distinguished different spatially coherent genetic groups by means of cluster analysis. The highest levels of genetic diversity were observed in the Upper Amazon areas from southern Peru to the Ecuadorian Amazon and the border areas between Colombia, Peru and Brazil. On the assumption that the last glaciation (22,000-13,000 BP) had the greatest pre-human impact on the current distribution and diversity of cacao, we modeled the species' Pleistocene niche suitability and overlaid this with present-day diversity maps. The results suggest that cacao was already widely distributed in the Western Amazon before the onset of glaciation. During glaciations, cacao populations were likely to have been restricted to several refugia where they probably underwent genetic differentiation, resulting in a number of genetic clusters which are representative for, or closest related to, the original wild cacao populations. The analyses also suggested that genetic differentiation and geographical distribution of a number of other clusters seem to have been significantly affected by processes of human management and accompanying genetic bottlenecks. We discuss the implications of these results for future germplasm collection and in situ, on farm and ex situ conservation of cacao.

  13. Enhanced somatic embryogenesis in Theobroma cacao using the homologous BABY BOOM transcription factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florez, Sergio L; Erwin, Rachel L; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J; Curtis, Wayne R

    2015-05-16

    Theobroma cacao, the chocolate tree, is an important economic crop in East Africa, South East Asia, and South and Central America. Propagation of elite varieties has been achieved through somatic embryogenesis (SE) but low efficiencies and genotype dependence still presents a significant limitation for its propagation at commercial scales. Manipulation of transcription factors has been used to enhance the formation of SEs in several other plant species. This work describes the use of the transcription factor Baby Boom (BBM) to promote the transition of somatic cacao cells from the vegetative to embryonic state. An ortholog of the Arabidopsis thaliana BBM gene (AtBBM) was characterized in T. cacao (TcBBM). TcBBM expression was observed throughout embryo development and was expressed at higher levels during SE as compared to zygotic embryogenesis (ZE). TcBBM overexpression in A. thaliana and T. cacao led to phenotypes associated with SE that did not require exogenous hormones. While transient ectopic expression of TcBBM provided only moderate enhancements in embryogenic potential, constitutive overexpression dramatically increased SE proliferation but also appeared to inhibit subsequent development. Our work provides validation that TcBBM is an ortholog to AtBBM and has a specific role in both somatic and zygotic embryogenesis. Furthermore, our studies revealed that TcBBM transcript levels could serve as a biomarker for embryogenesis in cacao tissue. Results from transient expression of TcBBM provide confirmation that transcription factors can be used to enhance SE without compromising plant development and avoiding GMO plant production. This strategy could compliment a hormone-based method of reprogramming somatic cells and lead to more precise manipulation of SE at the regulatory level of transcription factors. The technology would benefit the propagation of elite varieties with low regeneration potential as well as the production of transgenic plants, which

  14. Theobroma cacao L.:

    OpenAIRE

    Kalvatchev, Zlatko; Garzaro, Domingo; Guerra Cedezo, Franklin

    2003-01-01

    1.- Artículos Cartay, Rafael. "Los productos típicos y su reglamentación. Una tentativa de aplicación de la denominación de origen al cacao venezolano" Kalvatchev, Zlatko; Garzaro, Domingo; Guerra Cedezo, Franklin. "Theobroma Cacao L.: Un nuevo enfoque para nutrición y salud" Anido, Daniel; Gutiérrez, Alejandro. "La demanda de las calorías en Venezuela 1970-1995: Algunas evidencias empíricas" Molina, Luisa Elena. "Notas sobre la situación de la producción primaria de arroz en Ven...

  15. Colombia a Source of Cacao Genetic Diversity As Revealed by the Population Structure Analysis of Germplasm Bank of Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime A. Osorio-Guarín

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Beans of the species Theobroma cacao L., also known as cacao, are the raw material to produce chocolate. Colombian cacao has been classified as a fine flavor cacao that represents the 5% of cacao world’s production. Colombian genetic resources from this species are conserved in ex situ and in-field germplasm banks, since T. cacao has recalcitrant seeds to desication and long-term storage. Currently, the collection of T. cacao of the Colombian Corporation of Agricultural Research (CORPOICA has approximately 700 germplasm accessions. We conducted a molecular analysis of Corpoica’s cacao collection and a morphological characterization of some accessions with the goal to study its genetic diversity and population structure and, to select interesting accessions for the cacao’s breeding program. Phenotypic evaluation was performed based on 18 morphological traits and 4 biochemical traits. PCA analysis of morphological traits explained 60.6% of the total variation in seven components and 100% of the total variation of biochemical traits in four components, grouping the collection in 4 clusters for both variables. We explored 565 accessions from Corpoica’s germplasm and 252 accessions from reference populations using 96 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP molecular markers. Molecular patterns of cacao Corpoica’s collection were obtained amplifying specific alleles in a Fluidigm platform that used integrated circuits of fluids. Corpoica’s collection showed highest genetic diversity [Expected Heterozygosity (HE = 0.314, Observed Heterozygosity (HO = 0.353] that is reduced when reference populations were included in the dataset (HE = 0.294, HO = 0.261. The collection was divided into four clusters based on population structure analysis. Cacao accessions from distinct groups showed some taxonomic concordance and reflected their geographic origins. For instance, accessions classified as Criollo were clearly differentiated in one group and we

  16. Moniliophthora roreri, causal agent of cacao frosty pod rot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Bryan A; Evans, Harry C; Phillips-Mora, Wilbert; Ali, Shahin S; Meinhardt, Lyndel W

    2017-12-01

    Taxonomy: Moniliophthora roreri (Cif.) H.C. Evans et al. ; Phylum Basidiomycota; Class Agaricomycetes; Order Agaricales; Family Marasmiaceae; Genus Moniliophthora. Biology: Moniliophthora roreri attacks Theobroma and Herrania species causing frosty pod rot. Theobroma cacao (cacao) is the host of major economic concern. Moniliophthora roreri is a hemibiotroph with a long biotrophic phase (45-90 days). Spore masses, of apparent asexual origin, are produced on the pod surface after initiation of the necrotrophic phase. Spores are spread by wind, rain and human activity. Symptoms of the biotrophic phase can include necrotic flecks and, in some cases, pod malformation, but pods otherwise remain asymptomatic. Relationship to Moniliophthora perniciosa: Moniliophthora roreri and Moniliophthora perniciosa, causal agent of witches' broom disease of cacao, are closely related. Their genomes are similar, including many of the genes they carry which are considered to be important in the disease process. Moniliophthora perniciosa, also a hemibiotroph, has a typical basidiomycete lifestyle and morphology, forming clamp connections and producing mushrooms. Basidiospores infect meristematic tissues including flower cushions, stem tips and pods. Moniliophthora roreri does not form clamp connections or mushrooms and infects pods only. Both pathogens are limited to the Western Hemisphere and are a threat to cacao production around the world. Agronomic importance: Disease losses caused by frosty pod rot can reach 90% and result in field abandonment. Moniliophthora roreri remains in the invasive phase in the Western Hemisphere, not having reached Brazil, some islands within the Caribbean and a few specific regions within otherwise invaded countries. The disease can be managed by a combination of cultural (for example, maintenance of tree height and removal of infected pods) and chemical methods. These methods benefit from regional application, but can be cost prohibitive. Breeding for

  17. Fungal and Oomycete Diseases of Tropical Tree Fruit Crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drenth, André; Guest, David I

    2016-08-04

    The tropics produce a range of fruit from tree crops that cannot be grown in colder climates. Bananas, mangos, several nuts, spices, coffee, and cacao are widely traded and much sought after around the world. However, the sustainable production of these tropical tree fruit crops faces significant challenges. Among these, losses due to pests and diseases play a large part in reducing yields, quality, and profitability. Using bananas and cacao as key examples, we outline some of the reasons fungal and oomycete diseases cause such significant losses to tropical tree crops. Cultivation of monocultures derived from limited genetic diversity, environmental conditions conducive for disease development, high levels of disease incidence and severity, a lack of disease resistance in planting materials, shortages of labor, and inadequate infrastructure and investment pose significant challenges, especially for smallholder producers. The expansion of travel and trade has given rise to emerging infectious plant diseases that add further insecurity and pressure. We conclude that holistic actions are needed on multiple fronts to address the growing problem of disease in tropical fruit tree crops.

  18. Comparison of polyphenol concentration and composition between genetically diverse cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) accessions selected for high yield and disease resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    There is abundant evidence that consumption of cacao and dark chocolate promotes human health and that the main cacao components contributing positive health effects are polyphenols. The polyphenols in cacao bean constitute 12–18% dry weight of the whole bean and are predominantly catechins (37% w/w...

  19. Presencia de metales pesados en cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. orgánico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo Alfredo Huamaní-Yupanqui

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available La presencia de metales pesados en el cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. es actualmente un grave problema para agricultores y cooperativas de las regiones Huánuco y Ucayali, Perú. En el presente trabajo se evaluaron los contenidos de cadmio y plomo en suelos y hojas del cacao en estas regiones. Para el efecto se recolectaron y analizaron en laboratorio muestras tomadas en 22 parcelas con cultivos orgánicos de esta especie, 17 en la región Huánuco y cinco en la región Ucayali. Se realizaron análisis de correlación de Pearson entre los contenidos de plomo y cadmio disponibles en el suelo con variables foliares (P, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd, Pb y del suelo (arena, arcilla y K. En los suelos, sólo en el caso de potasio se presentan deficiencias; mientras que en el tejido foliar se presentaron deficiencias de N, P, K, Mg y Zn. Los valores promedio de cadmio y plomo disponible en los suelos fueron 0.53 y 3.02 ppm y en las hojas de cacao de 0.21 y 0.58 ppm respectivamente.

  20. Vascular Streak Dieback of cacao in Southeast Asia and Melanesia: in planta detection of the pathogen and a new taxonomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuels, Gary J; Ismaiel, Adnan; Rosmana, Ade; Junaid, Muhammad; Guest, David; McMahon, Peter; Keane, Philip; Purwantara, Agus; Lambert, Smilja; Rodriguez-Carres, Marianela; Cubeta, Marc A

    2012-01-01

    Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Southeast Asia and Melanesia is caused by a basidiomycete (Ceratobasidiales) fungus Oncobasidium theobromae (syn. =Thanatephorus theobromae). The most characteristic symptoms of the disease are green-spotted leaf chlorosis or, commonly since about 2004, necrotic blotches, followed by senescence of leaves beginning on the second or third flush behind the shoot apex, and blackening of infected xylem in the vascular traces at the leaf scars resulting from the abscission of infected leaves. Eventually the shoot apex is killed and infected branches die. In susceptible cacao the fungus may grow through the xylem down into the main stem and kill a mature cacao tree. Infections in the stem of young plants prior to the formation of the first 3-4 lateral branches usually kill the plant. Basidiospores released from corticioid basidiomata developed on leaf scars or along cracks in the main vein of infected leaves infect young leaves. The pathogen commonly infects cacao but there are rare reports from avocado. As both crops are introduced to the region, the pathogen is suspected to occur asymptomatically in native vegetation. The pathogen is readily isolated but cultures cannot be maintained. In this study, DNA was extracted from pure cultures of O. theobromae obtained from infected cacao plants sampled from Indonesia. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), consisting of ITS1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA and ITS2, and a portion of nuclear large subunit (LSU) were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences placed O. theobromae sister to Ceratobasidium anastomosis groups AG-A, AG-Bo, and AG-K with high posterior probability. Therefore the new combination Ceratobasidium theobromae is proposed. A PCR-based protocol was developed to detect and identify C. theobromae in plant tissue of cacao enabling early detection of the pathogen in plants. A second species of Ceratobasidium, Ceratobasidium ramicola

  1. High-resolution melt and morphological analyses of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from cacao: tools for the control of Cacao swollen shoot virus spread.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wetten, Andy; Campbell, Colin; Allainguillaume, Joël

    2016-03-01

    Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) are key vectors of badnaviruses, including Cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV), the most damaging virus affecting cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). The effectiveness of mealybugs as virus vectors is species dependent, and it is therefore vital that CSSV resistance breeding programmes in cacao incorporate accurate mealybug identification. In this work, the efficacy of a CO1-based DNA barcoding approach to species identification was evaluated by screening a range of mealybugs collected from cacao in seven countries. Morphologically similar adult females were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, and then, following DNA extraction, were screened with CO1 barcoding markers. A high degree of CO1 sequence homology was observed for all 11 individual haplotypes, including those accessions from distinct geographical regions. This has allowed the design of a high-resolution melt (HRM) assay capable of rapid identification of the commonly encountered mealybug pests of cacao. HRM analysis readily differentiated between mealybug pests of cacao that cannot necessarily be identified by conventional morphological analysis. This new approach, therefore, has potential to facilitate breeding for resistance to CSSV and other mealybug-transmitted diseases. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Genetic Parameters and the Impact of Off-Types for Theobroma cacao L. in a Breeding Program in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    DuVal, Ashley; Gezan, Salvador A.; Mustiga, Guiliana; Stack, Conrad; Marelli, Jean-Philippe; Chaparro, José; Livingstone, Donald; Royaert, Stefan; Motamayor, Juan C.

    2017-01-01

    Breeding programs of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) trees share the many challenges of breeding long-living perennial crops, and genetic progress is further constrained by both the limited understanding of the inheritance of complex traits and the prevalence of technical issues, such as mislabeled individuals (off-types). To better understand the genetic architecture of cacao, in this study, 13 years of phenotypic data collected from four progeny trials in Bahia, Brazil were analyzed jointly in a multisite analysis. Three separate analyses (multisite, single site with and without off-types) were performed to estimate genetic parameters from statistical models fitted on nine important agronomic traits (yield, seed index, pod index, % healthy pods, % pods infected with witches broom, % of pods other loss, vegetative brooms, diameter, and tree height). Genetic parameters were estimated along with variance components and heritabilities from the multisite analysis, and a trial was fingerprinted with low-density SNP markers to determine the impact of off-types on estimations. Heritabilities ranged from 0.37 to 0.64 for yield and its components and from 0.03 to 0.16 for disease resistance traits. A weighted index was used to make selections for clonal evaluation, and breeding values estimated for the parental selection and estimation of genetic gain. The impact of off-types to breeding progress in cacao was assessed for the first time. Even when present at <5% of the total population, off-types altered selections by 48%, and impacted heritability estimations for all nine of the traits analyzed, including a 41% difference in estimated heritability for yield. These results show that in a mixed model analysis, even a low level of pedigree error can significantly alter estimations of genetic parameters and selections in a breeding program. PMID:29250097

  3. Concentration of cadmium in cacao beans and its relationship with soil cadmium in southern Ecuador

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chavez, E.; He, Z.L.; Stoffella, P.J.; Mylavarapu, R.S.; Li, Y.C.; Moyano, B.; Baligar, V.C.

    2015-01-01

    Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg −1 ) has raised concerns in the consumption of cacao-based chocolate. Little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil and cacao in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to determine the status of Cd in both, soils and cacao plants, in southern Ecuador. Soil samples were collected from 19 farms at 0–5, 5–15, 15–30, and 30–50 cm depths, whereas plant samples were taken from four nearby trees. Total recoverable and extractable Cd were measured at the different soil depths. Total recoverable Cd ranged from 0.88 to 2.45 and 0.06 to 2.59, averaged 1.54 and 0.85 mg kg −1 , respectively in the surface and subsurface soils whereas the corresponding values for M3-extractable Cd were 0.08 to 1.27 and 0.02 to 0.33 with mean values of 0.40 and 0.10 mg kg −1 . Surface soil in all sampling sites had total recoverable Cd above the USEPA critical level for agricultural soils (0.43 mg kg −1 ), indicating that Cd pollution occurs. Since both total recoverable and M3-extractable Cd significantly decreased depth wise, anthropogenic activities are more likely the source of contamination. Cadmium in cacao tissues decreased in the order of beans > shell > > leaves. Cadmium content in cacao beans ranged from 0.02 to 3.00, averaged 0.94 mg kg −1 , and 12 out of 19 sites had bean Cd content above the critical level. Bean Cd concentration was highly correlated with M3- or HCl-extractable Cd at both the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depths (r = 0.80 and 0.82 for M3, and r = 0.78 and 0.82 for HCl; P < 0.01). These results indicate that accumulation of Cd in surface layers results in excessive Cd in cacao beans and M3- or HCl-extractable Cd are suitable methods for predicting available Cd in the studied soils. - Highlights: • > 60% of the studied sites had a Cd content in cacao beans above the critical level. • Bean Cd concentration was closely correlated with available Cd in soil. • Soil Cd contamination is

  4. Concentration of cadmium in cacao beans and its relationship with soil cadmium in southern Ecuador

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chavez, E. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, Guayaquil, Guayas (Ecuador); He, Z.L., E-mail: zhe@ufl.edu [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Stoffella, P.J. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Mylavarapu, R.S. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Soil and Water Science Department, Gainesville, FL 33611 (United States); Li, Y.C. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL 33031 (United States); Moyano, B. [Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, Guayaquil, Guayas (Ecuador); Baligar, V.C. [United State Department of Agriculture, ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705 (United States)

    2015-11-15

    Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg{sup −1}) has raised concerns in the consumption of cacao-based chocolate. Little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil and cacao in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to determine the status of Cd in both, soils and cacao plants, in southern Ecuador. Soil samples were collected from 19 farms at 0–5, 5–15, 15–30, and 30–50 cm depths, whereas plant samples were taken from four nearby trees. Total recoverable and extractable Cd were measured at the different soil depths. Total recoverable Cd ranged from 0.88 to 2.45 and 0.06 to 2.59, averaged 1.54 and 0.85 mg kg{sup −1}, respectively in the surface and subsurface soils whereas the corresponding values for M3-extractable Cd were 0.08 to 1.27 and 0.02 to 0.33 with mean values of 0.40 and 0.10 mg kg{sup −1}. Surface soil in all sampling sites had total recoverable Cd above the USEPA critical level for agricultural soils (0.43 mg kg{sup −1}), indicating that Cd pollution occurs. Since both total recoverable and M3-extractable Cd significantly decreased depth wise, anthropogenic activities are more likely the source of contamination. Cadmium in cacao tissues decreased in the order of beans > shell > > leaves. Cadmium content in cacao beans ranged from 0.02 to 3.00, averaged 0.94 mg kg{sup −1}, and 12 out of 19 sites had bean Cd content above the critical level. Bean Cd concentration was highly correlated with M3- or HCl-extractable Cd at both the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depths (r = 0.80 and 0.82 for M3, and r = 0.78 and 0.82 for HCl; P < 0.01). These results indicate that accumulation of Cd in surface layers results in excessive Cd in cacao beans and M3- or HCl-extractable Cd are suitable methods for predicting available Cd in the studied soils. - Highlights: • > 60% of the studied sites had a Cd content in cacao beans above the critical level. • Bean Cd concentration was closely correlated with available Cd in soil. • Soil

  5. Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powis, Terry G.; Cyphers, Ann; Gaikwad, Nilesh W.; Grivetti, Louis; Cheong, Kong

    2011-01-01

    Mesoamerican peoples had a long history of cacao use—spanning more than 34 centuries—as confirmed by previous identification of cacao residues on archaeological pottery from Paso de la Amada on the Pacific Coast and the Olmec site of El Manatí on the Gulf Coast. Until now, comparable evidence from San Lorenzo, the premier Olmec capital, was lacking. The present study of theobromine residues confirms the continuous presence and use of cacao products at San Lorenzo between 1800 and 1000 BCE, and documents assorted vessels forms used in its preparation and consumption. One elite context reveals cacao use as part of a mortuary ritual for sacrificial victims, an event that occurred during the height of San Lorenzo's power. PMID:21555564

  6. Actividad antibacteriana de la cáscara de cacao, Theobroma cacao L

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Cuéllar G.

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo. Evaluar la actividad antibacteriana de diferentes fracciones de la cáscara de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.. Materiales y métodos. Se evaluó la actividad antibacteriana mediante el método de difusión en agar de diferentes fracciones de la cáscara de cacao, empleando cepas autóctonas y de referencia ATCC. Posteriormente, se hizo un análisis de estas fracciones por cromatografía líquida de alta eficiencia y cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas. Resultados. La fracción clorofórmica presentó actividad antibacteriana frente a Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 y Streptococcus agalactiae (autóctona, con porcentajes de inhibición de 34.90% (100 μg/μl y 52.40% (100 μg/μl respectivamente. También se evidenció una concentración mínima inhibitoria de 512 μg/ml frente a Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 y de 128 μg/ml frente a Streptococcus agalactiae. Conclusiones. Este trabajo es el primer reporte a saber en Colombia sobre actividad antibacteriana in vitro de la cáscara de cacao, el cual resulta ser un avance importante para esta agroindustria. Esta investigación abre paso a otros estudios relacionados para establecer el espectro de inhibición frente a otros microorganismos.

  7. ASSESSMENT OF CACAO SEEDS OF “GAPOKTAN” AT LINTAS SEKAYAM SANGGAU WEST KALIMANTAN

    OpenAIRE

    Azri

    2015-01-01

    Cacao seeds price at farmers level in 2013 is IDR 800 per kg. Expected by implementing technology cacao seeds be processed products such as cocoa powder can increase added value for cacao farmers. From aspect of expected processing most cacao must fermented with Indonesian cacao quality standard requirements in accordance with SNI 01-2323-2002 so that quality of cacao Indonesia can be accepted in international market. Cacao seeds done after fermented cacao seeds for three up to...

  8. Enraizamiento de Estacas de Cacao Defoliadas (Teobroma Cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delisle A.

    1947-06-01

    Full Text Available Los factores más importantes que controlan el enraizamiento de estacas de cacao son: adecuada cantidad de humedad y de agua. Para controlar estos factores muchos métodos han empleado con éxito. Es importante hacer notar que uno de los principales inconvenientes relacionados con este problema es el mantenimiento de las hojas en estado verde y sanas en las estacas. Variaciones en la cantidad de sombra y humedad tienden frecuentemente a producir en las hojas amarillamientos y parches negruzcos aun en las bien acondicionadas y generalmente estas estacas acaban por morirse. De acuerdo con Pyke (Second Anual Report on Cacao Research 1932 la caída de las hojas por deficiencia en el sombreado origina principalmente la pérdida de las estacas; esto es, las estas que retienen sus hojas v verdes y sanas enraizan casi siempre.

  9. TcNPR3 from Theobroma cacao functions as a repressor of the pathogen defense response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Zi; Zhang, Yufan; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2013-12-06

    Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) NON-EXPRESSOR OF PR1 (NPR1) is a transcription coactivator that plays a central role in regulating the transcriptional response to plant pathogens. Developing flowers of homozygous npr3 mutants are dramatically more resistant to infection by the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, suggesting a role of NPR3 as a repressor of NPR1-mediated defense response with a novel role in flower development. We report here the characterization of a putative NPR3 gene from the tropical tree species Theobroma cacao (TcNPR3). Like in Arabidopsis, TcNPR3 was constitutively expressed across a wide range of tissue types and developmental stages but with some differences in relative levels compared to Arabidopsis. To test the function of TcNPR3, we performed transgenic complementation analysis by introducing a constitutively expressing putative TcNPR3 transgene into an Arabidopsis npr3 mutant. TcNPR3 expressing Arabidopsis plants were partially restored to the WT pathogen phenotype (immature flowers susceptible to bacterial infection). To test TcNPR3 function directly in cacao tissues, a synthetic microRNA targeting TcNPR3 mRNA was transiently expressed in cacao leaves using an Agrobacterium-infiltration method. TcNPR3 knock down leaf tissues were dramatically more resistance to infection with Phytophthora capsici in a leaf bioassay, showing smaller lesion sizes and reduced pathogen replication. We conclude that TcNPR3 functions similar to the Arabidopsis NPR3 gene in the regulation of the cacao defense response. Since TcNPR3 did not show a perfect complementation of the Arabidopsis NPR3 mutation, the possibility remains that other functions of TcNPR3 remain to be found. This novel knowledge can contribute to the breeding of resistant cacao varieties against pathogens through molecular markers based approaches or biotechnological strategies.

  10. Patterns in hydraulic architecture from roots to branches in six tropical tree species from cacao agroforestry and their relation to wood density and stem growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotowska, Martyna M; Hertel, Dietrich; Rajab, Yasmin Abou; Barus, Henry; Schuldt, Bernhard

    2015-01-01

    For decades it has been assumed that the largest vessels are generally found in roots and that vessel size and corresponding sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity are acropetally decreasing toward the distal twigs. However, recent studies from the perhumid tropics revealed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution. Worldwide tropical perhumid forests are extensively replaced by agroforestry systems often using introduced species of various biogeographical and climatic origins. Nonetheless, it is unknown so far what kind of hydraulic architectural patterns are developed in those agroforestry tree species and which impact this exerts regarding important tree functional traits, such as stem growth, hydraulic efficiency and wood density (WD). We investigated wood anatomical and hydraulic properties of the root, stem and branch wood in Theobroma cacao and five common shade tree species in agroforestry systems on Sulawesi (Indonesia); three of these were strictly perhumid tree species, and the other three tree species are tolerating seasonal drought. The overall goal of our study was to relate these properties to stem growth and other tree functional traits such as foliar nitrogen content and sapwood to leaf area ratio. Our results confirmed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution in nearly all species. Drought-adapted species showed divergent patterns of hydraulic conductivity, vessel density, and relative vessel lumen area between root, stem and branch wood compared to wet forest species. Confirming findings from natural old-growth forests in the same region, WD showed no relationship to specific conductivity. Overall, aboveground growth performance was better predicted by specific hydraulic conductivity than by foliar traits and WD. Our study results suggest that future research on conceptual trade-offs of tree hydraulic architecture should consider biogeographical patterns underlining the importance of anatomical adaptation mechanisms to environment.

  11. Patterns in hydraulic architecture from roots to branches in six tropical tree species from cacao agroforestry and their relation to wood density and stem growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martyna Malgorzata Kotowska

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available For decades it has been assumed that the largest vessels are generally found in roots and that vessel size and corresponding sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity are acropetally decreasing towards the distal twigs. However, recent studies from the perhumid tropics revealed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution. Worldwide tropical perhumid forests are extensively replaced by agroforestry systems often using introduced species of various biogeographical and climatic origins. Nonetheless, it is unknown so far what kind of hydraulic architectural patterns are developed in those agroforestry tree species and which impact this exerts regarding important tree functional traits, such as stem growth, hydraulic efficiency and wood density. We investigated wood anatomical and hydraulic properties of the root, stem and branch wood in Theobroma cacao and five common shade tree species in agroforestry systems on Sulawesi (Indonesia; three of these were strictly perhumid tree species, and the other three tree species are tolerating seasonal drought. The overall goal of our study was to relate these properties to stem growth and other tree functional traits such as foliar nitrogen content and sapwood to leaf area ratio. Our results confirmed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution in nearly all species. Drought-adapted species showed divergent patterns of hydraulic conductivity, vessel density and relative vessel lumen area between root, stem and branch wood compared to wet forest species. Confirming findings from natural old-growth forests in the same region, wood density showed no relationship to specific conductivity. Overall, aboveground growth performance was better predicted by specific hydraulic conductivity than by foliar traits and wood density. Our study results suggest that future research on conceptual trade-offs of tree hydraulic architecture should consider biogeographical patterns underlining the importance of anatomical adaptation

  12. CACAO TO COCOA TO CHOCOLATE: HEALTHY FOOD?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ROYA KELISHADI

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans - the fruit of the cacao tree or Theobroma cacao (the latin term: food of the gods. Recent published articles demonstrate that the quality and quantity of the antioxidants in cocoa and chocolate are very high and their flavonoids are believed to reduce the number of free radicals in the body that contribute to medical problems, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer and also to offer some anti-aging health benefits. Cocoa can lower the leukotriene/ prostacyclin ratio and is shown to have beneficial effects on platelets and possibly inflammation and vessel dilation. They inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL oxidation, raise the high-density lipoprotein (HDL level and reduce the thrombotic tendency. Their antioxidant catechin content is four times that of tea. They help the body process nitric oxide. Their flavanols and procyanidins have inhibitory effects on hemolysis, they can also attribute as a defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS and can inhibit their carcinogenic processes. Also they are shown to inhibit growth and polyamine biosynthesis of human colonic cancer cells. They contain tryptophan and anandamide, which lessen anxiety, promote relaxation and trigger the production of endorphins. Cocoa can prevent dental caries and may play a regulating role in the function of the immune system and prevent infectious and autoimmune diseases. It stimulates lactase enzyme activity. Although caffeine may be harmful in large dose, chocolate contains it in small amount in comparison to coffee and tea. Negative effects of chocolate on childhood hyperactivity and migraine  as well as tension headaches are controversial. Since the theobromine content of chocolate relaxes the esophageal sphincter, patients suffering from heartburn should avoid it. Cocoa can trigger some allergic reactions such as atopic dermatitis. This article reviews the potential health benefits and disadvantages of cocoa

  13. C and N Content in Density Fractions of Whole Soil and Soil Size Fraction Under Cacao Agroforestry Systems and Natural Forest in Bahia, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rita, Joice Cleide O.; Gama-Rodrigues, Emanuela Forestieri; Gama-Rodrigues, Antonio Carlos; Polidoro, Jose Carlos; Machado, Regina Cele R.; Baligar, Virupax C.

    2011-07-01

    Agroforestry systems (AFSs) have an important role in capturing above and below ground soil carbon and play a dominant role in mitigation of atmospheric CO2. Attempts has been made here to identify soil organic matter fractions in the cacao-AFSs that have different susceptibility to microbial decomposition and further represent the basis of understanding soil C dynamics. The objective of this study was to characterize the organic matter density fractions and soil size fractions in soils of two types of cacao agroforestry systems and to compare with an adjacent natural forest in Bahia, Brazil. The land-use systems studied were: (1) a 30-year-old stand of natural forest with cacao (cacao cabruca), (2) a 30-year-old stand of cacao with Erythrina glauca as shade trees (cacao + erythrina), and (3) an adjacent natural forest without cacao. Soil samples were collected from 0-10 cm depth layer in reddish-yellow Oxisols. Soil samples was separated by wet sieving into five fraction-size classes (>2000 μm, 1000-2000 μm, 250-1000 μm, 53-250 μm, and cacao AFS soils consisted mainly (65 %) of mega-aggregates (>2000 μm) mixed with macroaggregates (32-34%), and microaggregates (1-1.3%). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N content increased with increasing soil size fraction in all land-use systems. Organic C-to-total N ratio was higher in the macroaggregate than in the microaggregate. In general, in natural forest and cacao cabruca the contribution of C and N in the light and heavy fractions was similar. However, in cacao + erythrina the heavy fraction was the most common and contributed 67% of C and 63% of N. Finding of this study shows that the majority of C and N in all three systems studied are found in macroaggregates, particularly in the 250-1000 μm size aggregate class. The heavy fraction was the most common organic matter fraction in these soils. Thus, in mature cacao AFS on highly weathered soils the main mechanisms of C stabilization could be the physical

  14. Coffee vs. Cacao: A Case Study from the Vietnamese Central Highlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Dang Thanh; Shively, Gerald

    2005-01-01

    Mr. Nam, the vice chair of a village in Dak Lak province of Vietnam, was keen to protect farmers in his village from the sharp decline in prices of coffee ("Coffea canephora" Pierre ex Froehner). He did this by encouraging farmers in his village to plant cacao ("Theobroma cacao" L. subsp. "cacao"). Cacao was suitable…

  15. Estado legal mundial del cadmio en cacao (Theobroma cacao): fantasía o realidad

    OpenAIRE

    Jiménez Tobón, Claudia Stella

    2015-01-01

    Colombian cacao is well positioned in the international markets, given its taste and aroma. There is, however, a concern under contamination terms at a national level, because there is cadmium in the seeds. This metal, in case of being accumulated in the human body, is the cause of several and serious diseases that slowly deteriorate it. Even though the fact that in 2019 the European Community will start to demand a maximum level of the cadmium allowed in the cacao and its derivat...

  16. Horticultural traits associated with cacao accessions recommended for Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important agricultural product from which the international chocolate industry is based upon. Increasing demand for chocolate, especially in emerging markets in Asia, coupled with reduced worldwide production has led to shortfalls in cacao ‘bean’ supplies. Deficits...

  17. Phytophthora megakarya and P. palmivora, closely related causal agents of cacao black pod induce similar reactions when infecting pods of a susceptible cacao genotype

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phytophthora megakarya (Pmeg) and Phytophthora palmivora (Ppal) cause black pod rot of Theobroma cacao. Of these two clade 4 species; Pmeg is more virulent and is displacing Ppal on cacao in many cacao production areas in Africa. To understand the advantages Pmeg has over Ppal, we compared symptom...

  18. Enhanced resistance in Theobroma cacao against oomycete and fungal pathogens by secretion of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate-binding proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helliwell, Emily E; Vega-Arreguín, Julio; Shi, Zi; Bailey, Bryan; Xiao, Shunyuan; Maximova, Siela N; Tyler, Brett M; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2016-03-01

    The internalization of some oomycete and fungal pathogen effectors into host plant cells has been reported to be blocked by proteins that bind to the effectors' cell entry receptor, phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P). This finding suggested a novel strategy for disease control by engineering plants to secrete PI3P-binding proteins. In this study, we tested this strategy using the chocolate tree Theobroma cacao. Transient expression and secretion of four different PI3P-binding proteins in detached leaves of T. cacao greatly reduced infection by two oomycete pathogens, Phytophthora tropicalis and Phytophthora palmivora, which cause black pod disease. Lesion size and pathogen growth were reduced by up to 85%. Resistance was not conferred by proteins lacking a secretory leader, by proteins with mutations in their PI3P-binding site, or by a secreted PI4P-binding protein. Stably transformed, transgenic T. cacao plants expressing two different PI3P-binding proteins showed substantially enhanced resistance to both P. tropicalis and P. palmivora, as well as to the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum theobromicola. These results demonstrate that secretion of PI3P-binding proteins is an effective way to increase disease resistance in T. cacao, and potentially in other plants, against a broad spectrum of pathogens. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Transposon fingerprinting using low coverage whole genome shotgun sequencing in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) and related species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sveinsson, Saemundur; Gill, Navdeep; Kane, Nolan C; Cronk, Quentin

    2013-07-24

    Transposable elements (TEs) and other repetitive elements are a large and dynamically evolving part of eukaryotic genomes, especially in plants where they can account for a significant proportion of genome size. Their dynamic nature gives them the potential for use in identifying and characterizing crop germplasm. However, their repetitive nature makes them challenging to study using conventional methods of molecular biology. Next generation sequencing and new computational tools have greatly facilitated the investigation of TE variation within species and among closely related species. (i) We generated low-coverage Illumina whole genome shotgun sequencing reads for multiple individuals of cacao (Theobroma cacao) and related species. These reads were analysed using both an alignment/mapping approach and a de novo (graph based clustering) approach. (ii) A standard set of ultra-conserved orthologous sequences (UCOS) standardized TE data between samples and provided phylogenetic information on the relatedness of samples. (iii) The mapping approach proved highly effective within the reference species but underestimated TE abundance in interspecific comparisons relative to the de novo methods. (iv) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique patterns of TE abundance indicating that the TE composition of the genome is evolving actively within this species. (v) LTR/Gypsy elements are the most abundant, comprising c.10% of the genome. (vi) Within T. cacao the retroelement families show an order of magnitude greater sequence variability than the DNA transposon families. (vii) Theobroma grandiflorum has a similar TE composition to T. cacao, but the related genus Herrania is rather different, with LTRs making up a lower proportion of the genome, perhaps because of a massive presence (c. 20%) of distinctive low complexity satellite-like repeats in this genome. (i) Short read alignment/mapping to reference TE contigs provides a simple and effective method of investigating

  20. Potencial de actividad antioxidante de extractos fenólicos de Theobroma cacao L. (cacao)

    OpenAIRE

    Quiñones Gálvez, Janet; Trujillo Sánchez, Reinaldo; Capdesuñer Ruiz, Yanelis; Quirós Molina, Yemeys; Hernández de la Torre, Martha

    2013-01-01

    Introducción: Theobroma cacao L. (cacao), familia Sterculiaceae, es una planta rica en fenoles, los cuales en las plantas son de especial interés por su potente actividad antioxidante, dada esencialmente por sus propiedades redox, que pueden desempeñar un papel importante en la absorción y neutralización de los radicales libres. Objetivos: seleccionar un clon promisorio en la producción de compuestos fenólicos, determinar los órganos con mayor contenido de fenoles, establecer el cultivo in vi...

  1. C and N content in density fractions of whole soil and soil size fraction under cacao agroforestry systems and natural forest in Bahia, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rita, Joice Cleide O; Gama-Rodrigues, Emanuela Forestieri; Gama-Rodrigues, Antonio Carlos; Polidoro, Jose Carlos; Machado, Regina Cele R; Baligar, Virupax C

    2011-07-01

    Agroforestry systems (AFSs) have an important role in capturing above and below ground soil carbon and play a dominant role in mitigation of atmospheric CO(2). Attempts has been made here to identify soil organic matter fractions in the cacao-AFSs that have different susceptibility to microbial decomposition and further represent the basis of understanding soil C dynamics. The objective of this study was to characterize the organic matter density fractions and soil size fractions in soils of two types of cacao agroforestry systems and to compare with an adjacent natural forest in Bahia, Brazil. The land-use systems studied were: (1) a 30-year-old stand of natural forest with cacao (cacao cabruca), (2) a 30-year-old stand of cacao with Erythrina glauca as shade trees (cacao + erythrina), and (3) an adjacent natural forest without cacao. Soil samples were collected from 0-10 cm depth layer in reddish-yellow Oxisols. Soil samples was separated by wet sieving into five fraction-size classes (>2000 μm, 1000-2000 μm, 250-1000 μm, 53-250 μm, and 2000 μm) mixed with macroaggregates (32-34%), and microaggregates (1-1.3%). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N content increased with increasing soil size fraction in all land-use systems. Organic C-to-total N ratio was higher in the macroaggregate than in the microaggregate. In general, in natural forest and cacao cabruca the contribution of C and N in the light and heavy fractions was similar. However, in cacao + erythrina the heavy fraction was the most common and contributed 67% of C and 63% of N. Finding of this study shows that the majority of C and N in all three systems studied are found in macroaggregates, particularly in the 250-1000 μm size aggregate class. The heavy fraction was the most common organic matter fraction in these soils. Thus, in mature cacao AFS on highly weathered soils the main mechanisms of C stabilization could be the physical protection within macroaggregate structures thereby

  2. Cacao, flavanolen, en hart- en vaatziekten: Stand van de wetenschap

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buijsse, B.; Kromhout, D.

    2010-01-01

    De gedachte dat cacao gezondheidseffecten bezit is niet nieuw. Al in de 18e eeuw werd verondersteld dat cacao een veelvoud aan kwalen kon verlichten, alleen ontbrak hiervoor lange tijd de wetenschappelijke onderbouwing. Nadat halverwege de jaren negentig van de vorige eeuw werd ontdekt dat cacao

  3. Theobroma cacao: Review of the Extraction, Isolation, and Bioassay of Its Potential Anti-cancer Compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baharum, Zainal; Akim, Abdah Md; Hin, Taufiq Yap Yun; Hamid, Roslida Abdul; Kasran, Rosmin

    2016-01-01

    Plants have been a good source of therapeutic agents for thousands of years; an impressive number of modern drugs used for treating human diseases are derived from natural sources. The Theobroma cacao tree, or cocoa, has recently garnered increasing attention and become the subject of research due to its antioxidant properties, which are related to potential anti-cancer effects. In the past few years, identifying and developing active compounds or extracts from the cocoa bean that might exert anti-cancer effects have become an important area of health- and biomedicine-related research. This review provides an updated overview of T. cacao in terms of its potential anti-cancer compounds and their extraction, in vitro bioassay, purification, and identification. This article also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques described and reviews the processes for future perspectives of analytical methods from the viewpoint of anti-cancer compound discovery. PMID:27019680

  4. Estado legal mundial del cadmio en cacao (Theobroma cacao): fantasía o realidad

    OpenAIRE

    Jiménez Tobón, Claudia Stella

    2015-01-01

    El cacao colombiano está bien posicionado en el mercado internacional por su sabor y aroma; sin embargo, en materia de contaminantes, existe a una preocupación a escala nacional debido a la presencia de cadmio en las semillas. Este metal, cuando se acumula en el organismo, es el responsable de serias enfermedades que lo deterioran lentamente. Aunque se conoce que a partir del 2019, la Comunidad Europea comenzará a exigir al cacao y sus derivados unos niveles máximos de cadmio, no es bien cono...

  5. Fermentation of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seeds with a hybrid Kluyveromyces marxianus strain improved product quality attributes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leal, Gildemberg Amorim; Gomes, Luiz Humberto; Efraim, Priscilla; de Almeida Tavares, Flavio Cesar; Figueira, Antonio

    2008-08-01

    Fermentation of Theobroma cacao (cacao) seeds is an absolute requirement for the full development of chocolate flavor precursors. An adequate aeration of the fermenting cacao seed mass is a fundamental prerequisite for a satisfactory fermentation. Here, we evaluated whether a controlled inoculation of cacao seed fermentation using a Kluyveromyces marxianus hybrid yeast strain, with an increased pectinolytic activity, would improve an earlier liquid drainage ('sweatings') from the fermentation mass, developing a superior final product quality. Inoculation with K. marxianus increased by one third the volume of drained liquid and affected the microorganism population structure during fermentation, which was detectable up to the end of the process. Introduction of the hybrid yeast affected the profile of total seed protein degradation evaluated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with improved seed protein degradation, and reduction of titrable acidity. Sensorial evaluation of the chocolate obtained from beans fermented with the K. marxianus inoculation was more accepted by analysts in comparison with the one from cocoa obtained through natural fermentation. The increase in mass aeration during the first 24 h seemed to be fundamental for the improvement of fermentation quality, demonstrating the potential application of this improved hybrid yeast strain with superior exogenous pectinolytic activity.

  6. Sulawesi cacao (Theobroma cacao, l.) performances under two different agricultural system in east coast of Central Sulawesi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muslimin; Wijayanti, W.; Anshary, A.; Basri, Z.; Cruz, A. F.; Suwastika, I. N.; Shiina, T.

    2018-04-01

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is one major agricultural commodity from central Sulawesi, which is significantly affected by a range of pest and diseases including Cacao Pod Borer (CPB), Pod Rod Diseases (PRD), and Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD). Intensive and extensive approaches, including introduction of various new superior cultivars/clones, and development of eco-friendly agricultural system were implemented in order to overtake that problem. Here, we observed the performance of three different clones (namely: Sulawesi 1, MCC01, and Tadulako-1) in two different locations (Parigi and Poso-which located along east coast of central Sulawesi province), and under two different Agricultural management system (echo-friendly-intensive and Non-Intensive). All clones tested showed their well-adapted and suitable to local conditions. The performance of each clone can be improved by intensive management system. Based on all observed parameters (number of wet bean per pot, bean count, fat and shell percentage, and percentage of infection) it convincingly showed that intensive management system was working well in improving the quality and quantity of cacao beans production, and it fit to commercial requirements. The highest rate of infection was by Phytophthora, and no significant differences on the overall performances. Clones of Sulawesi-1 and MCC01 most likely was better than Tadulako-1.

  7. Identificación de un gen codificante de polifenol oxidasa (PPO en Theobroma cacao L. (cacao de Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Morante-Carriel

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available En Ecuador, las plantaciones de cacao presentan bajos promedios de producción debido a la diversidad de patógenos, especialmente a la infección por Moniliophthora roreri (monilia. Se cree que existe una relación entre el ataque del hongo y el aumento de los niveles de expresión de genes codificantes de polifenol oxidasas (PPOs como mecanismo de defensa ante patógenos y herbívoros en diferentes plantas. Para la identificación de genes que codifican para PPOs, se seleccionaron hojas de cacao Nacional, provenientes de plantas resistentes y susceptibles a monilia, ubicadas en la Finca Experimental La Represa, propiedad de la Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo. Se afinó un protocolo de extracción de ARN total de alta calidad para hojas de cacao recalcitrantes. Después de su retrotranscripción a ADNc, se realizaron ensayos de amplificación por PCR con diferentes primers, diseñados a partir de secuencias conservadas de PPOs. Los productos de amplificación permitieron la identificación de un gen de 961 pb, similar a un gen que codifica para la PPO predictiva de Theobroma cacao depositada en NCBI (XP_017978715.1 La identificación de este gen, es fundamental para evaluar a futuro los niveles de expresión y cuantificación en diferentes estados de desarrollo del fruto. Dicha cuantificación permitirá proponer herramientas de control para monilia y construir las bases para el mejoramiento genético del cacao Nacional.

  8. Comparison of two cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) clones for the effect of pollination intensity on fruit set and seed content

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Falque, M.; Lesdalons, C.; Eskes, A.B.

    1996-01-01

    We compared the influence of pollination intensity (PI) on fruit set and seed number per pod in two cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) clones, IFC5 (Forastero Lower-Amazon Amelonado), which is self-compatible and known to produce a high number of seeds per pod under open pollination, and SCA6 (Forastero

  9. Towards the understanding of the cocoa transcriptome: Production and analysis of an exhaustive dataset of ESTs of Theobroma cacao L. generated from various tissues and under various conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argout, Xavier; Fouet, Olivier; Wincker, Patrick; Gramacho, Karina; Legavre, Thierry; Sabau, Xavier; Risterucci, Ange Marie; Da Silva, Corinne; Cascardo, Julio; Allegre, Mathilde; Kuhn, David; Verica, Joseph; Courtois, Brigitte; Loor, Gaston; Babin, Regis; Sounigo, Olivier; Ducamp, Michel; Guiltinan, Mark J; Ruiz, Manuel; Alemanno, Laurence; Machado, Regina; Phillips, Wilberth; Schnell, Ray; Gilmour, Martin; Rosenquist, Eric; Butler, David; Maximova, Siela; Lanaud, Claire

    2008-10-30

    Theobroma cacao L., is a tree originated from the tropical rainforest of South America. It is one of the major cash crops for many tropical countries. T. cacao is mainly produced on smallholdings, providing resources for 14 million farmers. Disease resistance and T. cacao quality improvement are two important challenges for all actors of cocoa and chocolate production. T. cacao is seriously affected by pests and fungal diseases, responsible for more than 40% yield losses and quality improvement, nutritional and organoleptic, is also important for consumers. An international collaboration was formed to develop an EST genomic resource database for cacao. Fifty-six cDNA libraries were constructed from different organs, different genotypes and different environmental conditions. A total of 149,650 valid EST sequences were generated corresponding to 48,594 unigenes, 12,692 contigs and 35,902 singletons. A total of 29,849 unigenes shared significant homology with public sequences from other species.Gene Ontology (GO) annotation was applied to distribute the ESTs among the main GO categories.A specific information system (ESTtik) was constructed to process, store and manage this EST collection allowing the user to query a database.To check the representativeness of our EST collection, we looked for the genes known to be involved in two different metabolic pathways extensively studied in other plant species and important for T. cacao qualities: the flavonoid and the terpene pathways. Most of the enzymes described in other crops for these two metabolic pathways were found in our EST collection.A large collection of new genetic markers was provided by this ESTs collection. This EST collection displays a good representation of the T. cacao transcriptome, suitable for analysis of biochemical pathways based on oligonucleotide microarrays derived from these ESTs. It will provide numerous genetic markers that will allow the construction of a high density gene map of T. cacao

  10. Towards the understanding of the cocoa transcriptome: Production and analysis of an exhaustive dataset of ESTs of Theobroma cacao L. generated from various tissues and under various conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruiz Manuel

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Theobroma cacao L., is a tree originated from the tropical rainforest of South America. It is one of the major cash crops for many tropical countries. T. cacao is mainly produced on smallholdings, providing resources for 14 million farmers. Disease resistance and T. cacao quality improvement are two important challenges for all actors of cocoa and chocolate production. T. cacao is seriously affected by pests and fungal diseases, responsible for more than 40% yield losses and quality improvement, nutritional and organoleptic, is also important for consumers. An international collaboration was formed to develop an EST genomic resource database for cacao. Results Fifty-six cDNA libraries were constructed from different organs, different genotypes and different environmental conditions. A total of 149,650 valid EST sequences were generated corresponding to 48,594 unigenes, 12,692 contigs and 35,902 singletons. A total of 29,849 unigenes shared significant homology with public sequences from other species. Gene Ontology (GO annotation was applied to distribute the ESTs among the main GO categories. A specific information system (ESTtik was constructed to process, store and manage this EST collection allowing the user to query a database. To check the representativeness of our EST collection, we looked for the genes known to be involved in two different metabolic pathways extensively studied in other plant species and important for T. cacao qualities: the flavonoid and the terpene pathways. Most of the enzymes described in other crops for these two metabolic pathways were found in our EST collection. A large collection of new genetic markers was provided by this ESTs collection. Conclusion This EST collection displays a good representation of the T. cacao transcriptome, suitable for analysis of biochemical pathways based on oligonucleotide microarrays derived from these ESTs. It will provide numerous genetic markers that will allow

  11. Towards the understanding of the cocoa transcriptome: Production and analysis of an exhaustive dataset of ESTs of Theobroma cacao L. generated from various tissues and under various conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argout, Xavier; Fouet, Olivier; Wincker, Patrick; Gramacho, Karina; Legavre, Thierry; Sabau, Xavier; Risterucci, Ange Marie; Da Silva, Corinne; Cascardo, Julio; Allegre, Mathilde; Kuhn, David; Verica, Joseph; Courtois, Brigitte; Loor, Gaston; Babin, Regis; Sounigo, Olivier; Ducamp, Michel; Guiltinan, Mark J; Ruiz, Manuel; Alemanno, Laurence; Machado, Regina; Phillips, Wilberth; Schnell, Ray; Gilmour, Martin; Rosenquist, Eric; Butler, David; Maximova, Siela; Lanaud, Claire

    2008-01-01

    Background Theobroma cacao L., is a tree originated from the tropical rainforest of South America. It is one of the major cash crops for many tropical countries. T. cacao is mainly produced on smallholdings, providing resources for 14 million farmers. Disease resistance and T. cacao quality improvement are two important challenges for all actors of cocoa and chocolate production. T. cacao is seriously affected by pests and fungal diseases, responsible for more than 40% yield losses and quality improvement, nutritional and organoleptic, is also important for consumers. An international collaboration was formed to develop an EST genomic resource database for cacao. Results Fifty-six cDNA libraries were constructed from different organs, different genotypes and different environmental conditions. A total of 149,650 valid EST sequences were generated corresponding to 48,594 unigenes, 12,692 contigs and 35,902 singletons. A total of 29,849 unigenes shared significant homology with public sequences from other species. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation was applied to distribute the ESTs among the main GO categories. A specific information system (ESTtik) was constructed to process, store and manage this EST collection allowing the user to query a database. To check the representativeness of our EST collection, we looked for the genes known to be involved in two different metabolic pathways extensively studied in other plant species and important for T. cacao qualities: the flavonoid and the terpene pathways. Most of the enzymes described in other crops for these two metabolic pathways were found in our EST collection. A large collection of new genetic markers was provided by this ESTs collection. Conclusion This EST collection displays a good representation of the T. cacao transcriptome, suitable for analysis of biochemical pathways based on oligonucleotide microarrays derived from these ESTs. It will provide numerous genetic markers that will allow the construction of a high

  12. [Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis associated with cacao (Theobroma cacao) plantations in Tabasco].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrada Figueroa, Georgina Del Carmen; Leal Ascencio, Víctor Javier; Jiménez Sastré, Alejandro; López Álvarez, Jorge

    2014-01-01

    Tabasco is the Mexican state that reported the highest number (37.4%) of patients with leishmaniasis during 1990-2011. Close to 90% of these patients lived in Chontalpa, where the municipality of Cunduacán accounted for the majority of the cases. One of the characteristics of this region is that houses are located within cacao plantations. To determine if cacao plantations are a risk factor for leishmaniasis transmission in locations of Cunduacán, Tabasco. We performed an analytical and retrospective study of 115 locations in Cunduacán, analyzing the number of localities with or without patients with leishmaniasis registered between 2000-2011 and, additionally, if they had cacao plantations, using a map where different crops were georeferenced. We measured the magnitude of the association (odds ratio, 95% CI). During the period 2000-2011, cases of leishmaniasis were reported in 77 (67.0%) Cunduacán locations, of these, 55 (71.4%) had cocoa plantations, five (6.5%) of banana, five (6.5%) of cane, and 12 (15.6%) had no crops georeferenced. We found that cocoa crops are a risk factor for the transmission of leishmaniasis (OR: 3.438; 95% CI: 1,526-7,742). The probability of transmission of leishmaniasis in areas with cocoa crops is greater than in communities without this crop.

  13. Mining of expressed sequence tag libraries of cacao

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) provide researchers with a quick and inexpensive route for discovering new genes, data on gene expression and regulation, and also provide genic markers that help in constructing genome maps. Cacao is an important perennial crop of humid tropics. Cacao EST sequences, as available ...

  14. THE ISOLATION OF COMPOUND POLYPHENOL FROM WAJO DISTRICT CACAO BEAN AND CACAO WASTE THROUGH FERMENTATION PROCESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Wijaya

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to utilize the liquid smoke, charcoal, oil and gas that have been produced from cocoa waste shell from fast pyrolysis technology at 125-500 oC. The charcoal of the cocoa waste was analyzed using a bomb calorimeter at 5925 cal/g showed that it contains 52.02% of lignin; 17.27% of alpha cellulose and 19.56% of hemicellulose, respectively. The HPLC analysis of Wajo district cacao bean resulted in polyphenol compound as 308.35. GC-MS analysis of cocoa shell liquid smoke that pyrolized at 125-500 oC produces severals compounds such as acetic acid, n-buthane, methyl esther, propanoac acid, butanoac acid, methyl pyridine, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, and mequinol. The FTIR analysis of cocoa bean showed a hydroxyl group at 3450.65 cm-1, carbonyl group at 1730.15 cm-1, CH group at 719.45-607.58 cm-1. The crystallinity degree of Wajo District cocoa shell analyzed using XRD was 26,50%. The existence of chemical compounds in liquid smoke products have been found as raw chemicals.  Content of biomass carbon at these cacao waste increased according to the increase of pyrolisis temperature, while the carbon emission of these three materials decreased as the temperature increased. Compound polyphenol from cacao bean has a potent as anti oxidant that is friendly  for environmental and healthy.   Keywords: cacao  bean, fermentation,  polyphenol,  and  chemical

  15. Physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of raw, roasted and puffed cacao beans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, SuJung; Kim, Byung-Yong; Baik, Moo-Yeol

    2016-03-01

    The antioxidant capacity and attributable bioactive compounds of puffed cacao beans were investigated. Roasting was carried out at 190°C for 15min and puffing was performed at 4-7kgf/cm(2). Cacao beans puffed at 4kgf/cm(2) showed the highest total polyphenols (23.16mgGAE/gsample) and total flavonoids (10.65mgCE/gsample) (pbeans reflected the total polyphenols and flavonoids measured. The quantities of theobromine, catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 were higher in cacao beans puffed at 4kgf/cm(2) than in roasted cacao beans. Puffed cacao beans received a good sensory score in flavor, but sourness increased as puffing pressure increased. Thus, these results suggest that, in cacao bean processing, puffing could be an alternative to roasting, which provide a rich taste and high antioxidant capacity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. CACAO facility. Radioactive targets at Orsay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bacri, C.O.; Petitbon-Thevenet, V.; Mottier, J.; Lefort, H.; Durnez, A.; Fortuna, F.

    2014-01-01

    CACAO, Chimie des Actinides et Cibles radioActives a Orsay (actinide chemistry and radioactive targets at Orsay), is a new laboratory dedicated to the fabrication and characterization of radioactive targets. It is supported by the radiochemistry group and the stable target service of the IPNO. The recurring needs of physicists working in the nuclear fuel cycle physics and the growing difficulties to obtain radioactive targets elsewhere were the main motivating factors behind the construction of this new laboratory. The first targets of 235,238 U and 232 Th have already been prepared although the full operating licenses still need to be obtained. In this paper, the installation and the equipment of CACAO will be described. An extensive study of a U test target fabricated by the CACAO laboratory has been performed and results are reported here. The different techniques used to characterize the deposit are presented and the outcome is discussed. (author)

  17. Genetic diversity of naturalized cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Identification of genetically diverse cacao with disease resistance, high productivity and desirable organoleptic traits is vitally important to the agricultural crop’s long-term sustainability. Environmental changes, pests and diseases as well as nation’s sovereign property rights have led to a de...

  18. The cacao Criollo genome v2.0: an improved version of the genome for genetic and functional genomic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argout, X; Martin, G; Droc, G; Fouet, O; Labadie, K; Rivals, E; Aury, J M; Lanaud, C

    2017-09-15

    Theobroma cacao L., native to the Amazonian basin of South America, is an economically important fruit tree crop for tropical countries as a source of chocolate. The first draft genome of the species, from a Criollo cultivar, was published in 2011. Although a useful resource, some improvements are possible, including identifying misassemblies, reducing the number of scaffolds and gaps, and anchoring un-anchored sequences to the 10 chromosomes. We used a NGS-based approach to significantly improve the assembly of the Belizian Criollo B97-61/B2 genome. We combined four Illumina large insert size mate paired libraries with 52x of Pacific Biosciences long reads to correct misassembled regions and reduced the number of scaffolds. We then used genotyping by sequencing (GBS) methods to increase the proportion of the assembly anchored to chromosomes. The scaffold number decreased from 4,792 in assembly V1 to 554 in V2 while the scaffold N50 size has increased from 0.47 Mb in V1 to 6.5 Mb in V2. A total of 96.7% of the assembly was anchored to the 10 chromosomes compared to 66.8% in the previous version. Unknown sites (Ns) were reduced from 10.8% to 5.7%. In addition, we updated the functional annotations and performed a new RefSeq structural annotation based on RNAseq evidence. Theobroma cacao Criollo genome version 2 will be a valuable resource for the investigation of complex traits at the genomic level and for future comparative genomics and genetics studies in cacao tree. New functional tools and annotations are available on the Cocoa Genome Hub ( http://cocoa-genome-hub.southgreen.fr ).

  19. POLYPHENOLS DISTRIBUTION AND RESERVE SUBSTANCES ANALYSIS IN CACAO SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS

    OpenAIRE

    GALLEGO RÚA, Adriana María; HENAO RAMÍREZ, Ana María; URREA TRUJILLO, Aura Inés; ATEHORTÚA GARCÉS, Lucía

    2016-01-01

    In order to understand the causes of lack of regeneration in cacao somatic embryos, two cacao varieties with different responses to regeneration potential were described based on their capacity to store different compounds. It is well known that seed reserves play a central role in the regenerative capability of somatic embryos; thus, we followed histochemical changes and reserve fluctuations of proteins, polysaccharides and polyphenols during somatic embryogenesis (SE) in the two cacao varie...

  20. Sieving Effect of Sorting Machine with Vibration Table Type on Cacao Pod Based Compost

    OpenAIRE

    Soekarno, Siswoyo; Suharyanto, Edy; Arif, Ahmad Hudi

    2009-01-01

    Cacao pod is the biggest part (70% of weight) of Cacao, which was not optimaly utilized.Cacao podis one of organic material that can be functioned as an organic fertilizer, such as compost. When utilizedwith right proportion, organic fertilizer is safe for plants and not degrades the soil composition. Compostingprocess is one of utilization form of Cacao pod. The size reduction of cacao pod in the organic fertilizerprocess would help to accelerate the composting process. Smaller particle size...

  1. Development and characterization of microsatellites for the cacao fungal pathogen Moniliophthora roreri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao is an important cash crop in Central and South America and a valuable food commodity in the United States and the global economy. The fungus Moniliophthora roreri infects and destroys cacao fruits and threatens the production of cacao in South and Central America and the Caribbean. To understa...

  2. Progressive erosion of genetic and epigenetic variation in callus-derived cocoa (Theobroma cacao) plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez López, Carlos M; Wetten, Andrew C; Wilkinson, Michael J

    2010-06-01

    *Relatively little is known about the timing of genetic and epigenetic forms of somaclonal variation arising from callus growth. We surveyed for both types of change in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) plants regenerated from calli of various ages, and also between tissues from the source trees. *For genetic change, we used 15 single sequence repeat (SSR) markers from four source trees and from 233 regenerated plants. For epigenetic change, we used 386 methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) markers on leaf and explant (staminode) DNA from two source trees and on leaf DNA from 114 regenerants. *Genetic variation within source trees was limited to one slippage mutation in one leaf. Regenerants were far more variable, with 35% exhibiting at least one mutation. Genetic variation initially accumulated with culture age but subsequently declined. MSAP (epigenetic) profiles diverged between leaf and staminode samples from source trees. Multivariate analysis revealed that leaves from regenerants occupied intermediate eigenspace between leaves and staminodes of source plants but became progressively more similar to source tree leaves with culture age. *Statistical analysis confirmed this rather counterintuitive finding that leaves of 'late regenerants' exhibited significantly less genetic and epigenetic divergence from source leaves than those exposed to short periods of callus growth.

  3. Planeamiento estratégico del cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Gonzales Herrera, Christian; Silva Dávalos, Nelson; Gálvez Moyano, Julio; Mercado Sotomayor, Carlos

    2013-01-01

    xvi, 188 h. : il. ; 30 cm. La presente tesis desarrolla el plan estratégico para el Cacao en el Perú, el cual tiene como principal objetivo establecer estrategias que permitirán el desarrollo sostenible a largo plazo y una mejora sustantiva en la calidad de vida de los integrantes de la cadena productiva y pobladores de las zona cacaoteras. Al mismo tiempo, se realiza un análisis de la situación actual del Cacao que ayuda a conocer la realidad y lo que representa a nivel nacion...

  4. Evaluación sensorial de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. cultivado en la región del sur del departamento de Bolívar (Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johana Andrea Guzmán Duque

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available El departamento de Bolívar (Colombia presenta condiciones aptas tanto agrícolas como culturales para el desarrollo productivo de cacao de fino aroma. Esta actividad ofrece una oportunidad conveniente para su desarrollo sostenible, económico y de proyección social. La presente investigación evaluó las características sensoriales del cacao Theobroma cacao L. en seis municipios del sur de Bolívar para determinar atributos propios y diferencias significativas entre estas regiones; para esto se realizó un muestreo de granos secos y mazorcas de cacao, de los clones más representativos de cada municipio. El proceso se llevó a cabo con 18 jueces capacitados para detectar, describir y discriminar propiedades  sensoriales en el cacao, quienes evaluaron las muestras a través de cuatro pruebas sensoriales específicas diseñadas para realizar la caracterización organoléptica del cacao de Bolívar, seleccionando para este fin las pruebas descriptivas de perfil de sabor y análisis cuantitativo y las pruebas discriminativas de ordenamiento y escalar de control. El análisis físico y sensorial del grano reveló la correlación entre las condiciones agroecológicas y tecnológicas (especialmente aquellos que tienen que ver con las operaciones de fermentación y/o beneficio con las cualidades sensoriales que éste posee en sus atributos de sabor y aroma.

  5. Analysis of community income on suren (Toona sureni (Blume) Merr.) and cacao crops (Theobroma cacao L.) in Simalungun, North Sumatera-Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latifah, S.; Afifuddin, Y.; Widya, S.

    2018-02-01

    Agroforestry is the management and integration of trees, crops and/or livestock on the same plot of land and can be an integral component of productive agriculture. It may include existing native forests and forests established by landholders. The study was conducted in Mekar Sari Raya village, Panei sub, Simalungun regency, North Sumatera. This study aims to gain the ability to use agroforestry in suren crops and cocoa that provides benefits to farmers and the feasibility of the model farm. The study site has Net Present Value (NPV) is 2,670,306,905 ( IDR) for 15 of year, Gross B/C Ratio (BCR) is 2.3; Internal Rate of Return ( IRR) is 28 %; and Payback Period (PP) for 5 years 4 months 24 days. Agroforestry using commodities cacao and suren crops are financially feasible to be cultivated and developed.

  6. Anti-HIV and immunomodulation activities of cacao mass lignin-carbohydrate complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakagami, Hiroshi; Kawano, Michiyo; Thet, May Maw; Hashimoto, Ken; Satoh, Kazue; Kanamoto, Taisei; Terakubo, Shigemi; Nakashima, Hideki; Haishima, Yuji; Maeda, Yuuichi; Sakurai, Koji

    2011-01-01

    Recently, a prominent antiviral and macrophage stimulatory activity of cacao lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) has been reported. However, the solubility and sterility of LCC have not been considered yet. In the present study, complete solubilisation and sterilisation was achieved by autoclaving under mild alkaline conditions and the previously reported biological activities were re-examined. LCCs were obtained by 1% NaOH extraction and acid precipitation, and a repeated extraction-precipitation cycle. Nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine productions were assayed by the Griess method and ELISA, respectively. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression was determined by Western blot analysis. Superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide radical-scavenging activity was determined by ESR spectroscopy. Cacao mass LCC showed reproducibly higher anti-HIV activity than cacao husk LCC. Cacao mass LCC, up to 62.5 μg/ml, did not stimulate mouse macrophage-like cells (RAW264.7 and J774.1) to produce NO, nor did it induce iNOS protein, in contrast to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cacao mass LCC and LPS synergistically stimulated iNOS protein expression, suggesting a different point of action. Cacao mass LCC induced tumour necrosis factor-α production markedly less than LPS, and did not induce interleukin-1β, interferon-α or interferon-γ. ESR spectroscopy showed that cacao mass LCC, but not LPS, scavenged NO produced from NOC-7. This study demonstrated several new biological activities of LCCs distinct from LPS and further confirmed the promising antiviral and immunomodulating activities of LCCs.

  7. Immunomodulatory properties of cacao extracts – potential consequences for medical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Kathrin; Geisler, Simon; Ueberall, Florian; Fuchs, Dietmar; Gostner, Johanna M.

    2013-01-01

    Anti-inflammatory properties of cacao, fruits of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae), are well documented, and therapeutic applications are described for gastrointestinal, nervous, and cardiovascular abnormalities. Most, if not all of these disease conditions involve inflammation or immune activation processes. The pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and related biochemical pathways like tryptophan breakdown by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and neopterin formation are deeply involved in their pathogenesis. Neopterin concentrations and the kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp, an estimate of IDO activity) are elevated in a significant proportion of patients with virus infections, cancer, autoimmune syndrome, neurodegeneration, and coronary artery disease. Moreover, higher neopterin and Kyn/Trp concentrations are indicative for poor prognosis. When investigating the effect of aqueous or ethanolic extracts of cacao on IFN-γ, neopterin and Kyn/Trp concentrations in mitogen-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, breakdown of tryptophan by IDO, and formation of neopterin and IFN-γ were dose-dependently suppressed. The effects observed in the cell-based assays are associated with the antioxidant activity of the cacao extracts as determined by the cell-free oxygen radical absorption capacity assay. The influence of cacao extracts on IDO activity could be of particular relevance for some of the beneficial health effects ascribed to cacao: tryptophan breakdown by IDO is strongly involved in immunoregulation, and the diminished availability of tryptophan limits the biosynthesis of neurotransmitter serotonin. The inhibition of tryptophan breakdown by cacao constituents could thus be relevant not only for immune system restoration in patients, but also contribute to mood elevation and thereby improve quality of life. However, the available data thus far are merely in vitro only and future studies need to investigate the influence of cacao on

  8. A physiological production model for cacao : results of model simulations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuidema, P.A.; Leffelaar, P.A.

    2002-01-01

    CASE2 is a physiological model for cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) growth and yield. This report introduces the CAcao Simulation Engine for water-limited production in a non-technical way and presents simulation results obtained with the model.

  9. The relic Criollo cacao in Belize- genetic diversity and relationship with Trinitario and other cacao clones held in the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is native to the South American rainforest but it was domesticated in Mesoamerica. The relic Criollo cocoa in Belize has been well known in the premium chocolate market for its high-quality. Knowledge of genetic diversity in this variety is essential for efficient conserva...

  10. Path analysis of phenotypic traits in young cacao plants under drought conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Emerson Alves Dos; Almeida, Alex-Alan Furtado de; Branco, Marcia Christina da Silva; Santos, Ivanildes Conceição Dos; Ahnert, Dario; Baligar, Virupax C; Valle, Raúl René

    2018-01-01

    Drought is worldwide considered one of the most limiting factors of Theobroma cacao production, which can be intensified by global climate changes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the phenotypic correlation among morphological characteristics of cacao progenies submitted to irrigation and drought conditions and their partitions into direct and indirect effects. Path analysis with phenotypic plasticity index was used as criteria for estimation of basic and explanatory variables. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Cacao Research Center (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, in a randomized block 21 x 2 factorial arrangement [21 cacao progenies obtained from complete diallel crosses and two water regimes (control and drought)] and six replications. In general, drought conditions influenced biomass production in most progenies, causing significant reductions in total leaf area, leaf number, leaf biomass, fine-roots length (diameter cacao progenies drought tolerant.

  11. Comparación sensorial del cacao (Theobroma cacao L. Nacional fino de aroma cultivado en diferentes zonas del Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eddyn Solórzano Chavez

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo comparar el perfil sensorial de muestras de cacao de varias zonas productoras del país. Con este propósito el Laboratorio de Calidad Integral de Cacao y Chocolate de la Estación Experimental Tropical Pichilingue del INIAP, recibió muestras de 11 asociaciones de productores. Un panel de cinco miembros con experiencia en degustación de pasta de cacao (licor produjo datos para los siguientes componentes del sabor: cacao, acidez, amargor, astringencia, caramelo, floral, frutal, nuez y verde. El análisis comparativo de las muestras se llevó a cabo mediante la prueba no paramétrica de Kruskal & Wallis. El grado de asociación de distintos pares de variables se examinó mediante un análisis correlacional. La relación entre muestras también se exploró mediante el análisis multivariado de componentes principales. Este análisis condujo a la identificación de las variables originales que más aportaron a la varianza de los dos primeros componentes principales. Diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre muestras se detectaron solo para el sabor a cacao. Las correlaciónes más altas se dieron entre las variables frutal y verde, frutal y astringencia, frutal y amargor, y frutal y nuez, la mayoría de signo negativo. Las variables con más aportación a la varianza (35.20% del primer componente principal fueron frutal, verde y amargor. Acidez, floral y nuez hicieron la mayor aportación al segundo componente principal. La aparente estructuración de dos grupos muestrales en el plano definido sugiere semejanzas y diferencias en su perfil sensorial.

  12. Soil physical and chemical properties of cacao farms in the south western region of cameroon

    Science.gov (United States)

    The low macro nutrient content (K, Ca and Mg) in soils under cacao is one of the major causes of the poor cacao (Theobroma cacao L) yields. Efforts were made to assess the major physical and chemical properties of soils from some important cacao zones of the South West Region of Cameroon in order t...

  13. Cocoa Bean (Theobroma cacao L.Drying Kinetics Cinética del Secado de Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ndukwu MacManus Chinenye

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. is widely produced in West Africa and South America and is a great economic tree crop, with so many industrial uses. In this work, the experimental drying kinetics of foreign species was investigated, and the experiments were carried out under isothermal conditions, using heated batch drier at 55, 70 and 81 ºC. The moisture ratio data obtained from change of moisture content with the drying time was fit to two thin layer drying model with good results. A faster drying process was observed at a higher drying temperature resulting in higher drying rates which is advantageous when evaluating costs. Fick’s second law of diffusion was used to predict effective diffusivity using experimental data assuming that the variation of diffusivity with temperature can be expressed by an Arrhenius type function, and the values of diffusivity obtained ranged from 6.137 x 10-10 to 2.1855 x 10-9 m2 s-1 for the temperature used. The Arrhenius constant (D is predicted at 8.64 x 10-4 m2 s-1 while the activation energy was predicted at 39.94 kJ mol-1.El cacao (Theobroma cacao L. es ampliamente producido en el Oeste de África y Sudamérica y es un cultivo de gran importancia económica, con muchos usos industriales. En este trabajo se investigó la cinética del secado experimental de especies foráneas, y se realizaron experimentos bajo condiciones isotérmicas, usando un secador discontinuo en caliente a 55, 70 y 81 °C. Los datos de relación de humedad obtenidos desde el cambio de contenido de humedad con el tiempo de secado se ajustaron a un modelo de secado de dos capas delgadas con buenos resultados. Se observó un proceso de secado más rápido a una temperatura de secado mayor resultando en mayores tasas de secado, lo que es ventajoso al evaluar costos. La segunda ley de difusión de Fick se usó para predecir difusividad efectiva usando datos experimentales, asumiendo que la variación de difusividad con la temperatura puede ser

  14. Fertilizer requirements of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in South-Western Nigeria

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wessel, M.

    1971-01-01

    The studies reported on were conducted in the period 1961-1970 when the author was employed by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria at Ibadan, formerly a sub-station of the West African Cocoa Research Institute.

    In the first three chapters information is given on the cacao industry and on

  15. Influencia de factores agroambientales sobre la calidad del clon de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. PH-16 en la región cacaotera de Bahia, Brasil/Inuence of agro-environmental factors on the quality of cacao (Theobroma cacao L. clone PH-16 in the cacao region of Bahia, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Amorim Homem de Abreu Loureiro

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Los desafíos técnicos y cientícos actuales para el cultivo del cacao implican la necesidad de evaluar múltiples atributos relacionados con la producción primaria y con los criterios de calidad. El estudio se realizó con el clon de cacao PH-16 en la zona húmeda de la región cacaotera de Bahia, Brasil. El objetivo fue conocer la inuencia del sitio de cultivo sobre las variables físicas y químicas antes y después de la fermentación de los granos de cacao. Las variables químicas más inuenciadas por el medio ambiente fueron el pH y la acidez total de los granos con mucílago, y el pH, acidez total e índice de pigmentos de los granos fermentados. El sitio de cultivo que corresponde al Argisol Amarillo Distróco latosólico, en el sistema agroforestal Cabruca con densidad media de 35 árboles de sombra por hectárea, presentó los granos con mejores atributos de calidad.

  16. Inhibitory Effect of Phragmanthera Incana (Schum.) Harvested from Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) and Kolanut (Cola Nitida) Trees on Fe2+ induced Lipid Oxidative Stress in Some Rat Tissues - In Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogunmefun, O. T.; Fasola, T. R.; Saba, A. B.; Akinyemi, A. J.

    2015-01-01

    Evidence in both experimental and clinical studies has shown the participation of oxidative stress in the development and progression of diabetes mellitus. This study therefore, sought to investigate the inhibitory effect of methanolic extract of Phragmanthera incana leaves, a mistletoe species harvested from Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and Kolanut (Cola nitida) on FeSO4 induced lipid peroxidation in rat pancreas, liver, kidney, heart and brain in vitro. The methanolic extract was prepared with 90% methanol (v/v); subsequently, the antioxidant properties and inhibitory effect of the extract on Fe2+ induced lipid peroxidation in some rat tissues were determined in vitro. Incubation of the different rat tissues homogenate in the presence of Fe caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of the tissues. However, the methanolic extracts of Phragmanthera incana leaves harvested from both Cocoa and Kolanut trees caused a significant decrease in the MDA contents of all the tissues tested in a dose-dependent manner. However, the extract of Phragmanthera incana leaves harvested from kolanut trees had a better inhibitory effect on Fe2+- induced lipid peroxidation in the rat tissues homogenates than that of Phragmanthera incana leaves harvested from cocoa trees. This higher inhibitory effect could be attributed to its significantly higher antioxidant properties as typified by their phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging ability and reducing power. Therefore, oxidative stress associated with diabetes and its other complications could be potentially managed/prevented by harnessing Phragmanthera incana leaves as cheap nutraceuticals. However, Phragmanthera incana leaves harvested from kolanut trees exhibited better antioxidant properties.

  17. Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter cloacae endophytes from healthy Theobroma cacao L. trees can systemically colonize seedlings and promote growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leite, Hianna Almeida Câmara; Silva, Anderson Barbosa; Gomes, Fábio Pinto; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Faria, José Cláudio; de Souza, Jorge Teodoro; Loguercio, Leandro Lopes

    2013-03-01

    Clonal genotypes resistant to fungal diseases are an important component of the cocoa production system in southeastern Bahia state (Brazil), so that technologies for faster production of stronger and healthier plantlets are highly desirable. In this study, the effects of inoculated bacterial endophytes isolated from healthy adult cacao plants on seedlings, and aspects related to inoculation methods, colonization patterns, and photosynthesis were investigated. Sequencing of 16S rRNA, hsp-60, and rpo-B genes placed the wild-type isolates within the species Enterobacter cloacae (isolates 341 and 344) and Bacillus subtilis (isolate 629). Spontaneous rifampicin-resistant (rif(R)) variants for 344 were also produced and tested. Endophytic application was either by immersion of surface sterilized seeds in bacterial suspensions or direct inoculation into soil, 20 days after planting non-inoculated seeds into pots. Results from in vitro recovery of inoculated isolates showed that the wild-type endophytes and rif(R) variants systemically colonized the entire cacao seedlings in 15-20 days, regardless of the inoculation method. Some endophytic treatments showed significant increases in seedlings' height, number of leaves, and dry matter. Inoculation methods affected the combined application of endophytes, which maintained the growth-promotion effects, but not in the same manner as in single applications. Interestingly, the 344-3.2 rif(R) variant showed improved performance in relation to both the wild type and another related variant. Photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance increased significantly for some endophytic treatments, being partially associated with effects on growth and affected by the inoculation method. The results suggest that E. cloacae and B. subtilis endophytes from healthy adult plants (not transmitted by seeds) were able to promote vegetative growth on cacao seedlings. The development of products for large-scale use in seedlings

  18. Origin, dispersal and current global distribution of cacao genetic diversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is cultivated globally as the unique source of cocoa butter and powder for the confectionery industries. In spite of its economical importance, cocoa was and continues to be dominantly produced in low-input and low-output systems. Production constraints, including depletio...

  19. Cacao diseases: important threats to chocolate production worldwide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ploetz, Randy C

    2007-12-01

    ABSTRACT Theobroma cacao, cacao, is an ancient, neotropical domesticate. It is now grown throughout the humid, lowland tropics and is the basis of a multibillion dollar confectionary trade. Diverse diseases impact production of the crop. They reduce yields by ca. 20%, but could cause far greater losses if certain highly damaging diseases were to become more widely distributed. Among the most potentially dangerous of these diseases are frosty pod, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, and witches' broom, caused by M. perniciosa (previously Crinipellis perniciosa). These two diseases occur only in the Western Hemisphere, and severe losses would follow their introduction to West Africa and Asia, where ca. 86% of all cacao production occurs. Elsewhere, Cacao swollen shoot virus and the damaging black pod agent, Phytophthora megakarya, are found in Western Africa; whereas vascular streak dieback, caused by Oncobasidium theobromae, is present only in Asia. Breeding programs are challenged by minimal resistance to some of the diseases. Progress that has been made is threatened by the "emergence" of other serious diseases, such as Ceratocystis wilt (Ceratocystis cacaofunesta). During this symposium, new insights are discussed on the biology, origins, pathology and phylogeny of the pathogens; as well as the biological, chemical and genetic management of the diseases that they cause.

  20. Antimicrobial and plant growth-promoting properties of the cacao endophyte Bacillus subtilis ALB629.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falcäo, L L; Silva-Werneck, J O; Vilarinho, B R; da Silva, J P; Pomella, A W V; Marcellino, L H

    2014-06-01

    To investigate the effects of the endophyte Bacillus subtilisALB629 on the growth of cacao seedlings at early developmental stage and to evaluate its antimicrobial properties. Germinating cacao seeds were inoculated with ALB629, and seedlings growth was evaluated 30 days later. Significant increase (P cacao-grafting procedure in the field, ALB629 increased the grafting success rate (24%), indicating its protective effect. In addition, this Bacillus secretes an antagonist compound, as shown by the antifungal activity of the cell-free culture. Bacillus subtilisALB629 promotes cacao root growth, besides promoting growth of the aerial part of cacao seedlings. It has antimicrobial properties and produces an antifungal compound. ALB629 presented beneficial characteristics for cacao cultivation, being a good biological control agent candidate. Furthermore, it is a potential source of antifungal compound with potential for commercial exploitation. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Characterization of a stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase gene family from chocolate tree, Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yufan; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2015-01-01

    In plants, the conversion of stearoyl-ACP to oleoyol-ACP is catalyzed by a plastid-localized soluble stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturase (SAD). The activity of SAD significantly impacts the ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and is thus a major determinant of fatty acid composition. The cacao genome contains eight putative SAD isoforms with high amino acid sequence similarities and functional domain conservation with SAD genes from other species. Sequence variation in known functional domains between different SAD family members suggested that these eight SAD isoforms might have distinct functions in plant development, a hypothesis supported by their diverse expression patterns in various cacao tissues. Notably, TcSAD1 is universally expressed across all the tissues, and its expression pattern in seeds is highly correlated with the dramatic change in fatty acid composition during seed maturation. Interestingly, TcSAD3 and TcSAD4 appear to be exclusively and highly expressed in flowers, functions of which remain unknown. To test the function of TcSAD1 in vivo, transgenic complementation of the Arabidopsis ssi2 mutant was performed, demonstrating that TcSAD1 successfully rescued all AtSSI2 related phenotypes further supporting the functional orthology between these two genes. The identification of the major SAD gene responsible for cocoa butter biosynthesis provides new strategies for screening for novel genotypes with desirable fatty acid compositions, and for use in breeding programs to help pyramid genes for quality and other traits such as disease resistance.

  2. Insight into the Wild Origin, Migration and Domestication History of the Fine Flavour Nacional Theobroma cacao L. Variety from Ecuador

    OpenAIRE

    Loor Solorzano, Rey Gaston; Fouet, Olivier; Lemainque, Arnaud; Pavek, Sylvana; Boccara, Michel; Argout, Xavier; Amores, Freddy; Courtois, Brigitte; Risterucci, Ange Marie; Lanaud, Claire

    2012-01-01

    Ecuador's economic history has been closely linked to Theobroma cacao L cultivation, and specifically to the native fine flavour Nacional cocoa variety. The original Nacional cocoa trees are presently in danger of extinction due to foreign germplasm introductions. In a previous work, a few non-introgressed Nacional types were identified as potential founders of the modern Ecuadorian cocoa population, but so far their origin could not be formally identified. In order to determine the putative ...

  3. Antimicrobial effects of ionizing radiation on artificially and naturally contaminated cacao beans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Restaino, L.; Myron, J.J.J.; Lenovich, L.M.; Bills, S.; Tscherneff, K.

    1984-01-01

    With an initial microbial level of ca. 10 7 microorganisms per g of Ivory Coast cacao beans, 5 kGy of gamma radiation from a Co 60 source under an atmosphere of air reduced the microflora per g by 2.49 and 3.03 logs at temperatures of 35 and 50 0 C, respectively. Bahia cacao beans were artificially contaminated with dried spores of Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium citrinum, giving initial fungal levels of 1.9 x 10 4 and 1.4 x 10 3 spores per g of whole Bahia cacao beans, respectively. The average D 10 values for A. flavus and P. citrinum spores on Bahia cacao beans were 0.66 and 0.88 kGy, respectively. 12 references

  4. Abscisic Acid and the Maturation of Cacao Embryos in Vitro 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pence, Valerie Creaser

    1992-01-01

    Abscisic acid (ABA) was tested for its ability to affect development of immature zygotic embryos of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in vitro, by adding exogenous ABA, fluridone, or mefluidide to cultured embryos. Endogenous ABA levels, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were increased by exogenous ABA or by culture on sucrose increasing to 21%, and were decreased by fluridone and, to a lesser extent, by mefluidide. The effects of these on maturation were measured as effects on anthocyanins, lipids, and fatty acid saturation, all of which increase with maturation of the cacao embryo. Maturation was stimulated by increasing sucrose and, to a lesser degree, the addition of ABA, but decreasing endogenous ABA by treating with fluridone significantly inhibited all maturation parameters. Although desiccation tolerance does not develop in cacao embryos, these results suggest that ABA and sucrose are both needed for the initiation of events associated with maturation in vitro. PMID:16668805

  5. Evaluation of soil amendments as a remediation alternative for cadmium contaminated soils under cacao plantations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elevated plant-available cadmium (Cd) in soils results in contamination to cacao (Theobroma cacao L) beans. Effectiveness of vermicompost and zeolite in reducing available Cd in three cacao-growing soils was studied under laboratory conditions. Sorption-desorption experiments were conducted in soils...

  6. Characterization of a stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase gene family from chocolate tree, Theobroma cacao L

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yufan; Maximova, Siela N.; Guiltinan, Mark J.

    2015-01-01

    In plants, the conversion of stearoyl-ACP to oleoyol-ACP is catalyzed by a plastid-localized soluble stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturase (SAD). The activity of SAD significantly impacts the ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and is thus a major determinant of fatty acid composition. The cacao genome contains eight putative SAD isoforms with high amino acid sequence similarities and functional domain conservation with SAD genes from other species. Sequence variation in known functional domains between different SAD family members suggested that these eight SAD isoforms might have distinct functions in plant development, a hypothesis supported by their diverse expression patterns in various cacao tissues. Notably, TcSAD1 is universally expressed across all the tissues, and its expression pattern in seeds is highly correlated with the dramatic change in fatty acid composition during seed maturation. Interestingly, TcSAD3 and TcSAD4 appear to be exclusively and highly expressed in flowers, functions of which remain unknown. To test the function of TcSAD1 in vivo, transgenic complementation of the Arabidopsis ssi2 mutant was performed, demonstrating that TcSAD1 successfully rescued all AtSSI2 related phenotypes further supporting the functional orthology between these two genes. The identification of the major SAD gene responsible for cocoa butter biosynthesis provides new strategies for screening for novel genotypes with desirable fatty acid compositions, and for use in breeding programs to help pyramid genes for quality and other traits such as disease resistance. PMID:25926841

  7. Cacao usage by the earliest Maya civilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, W Jeffrey; Tarka, Stanley M; Powis, Terry G; Valdez, Fred; Hester, Thomas R

    2002-07-18

    The Maya archaeological site at Colha in northern Belize, Central America, has yielded several spouted ceramic vessels that contain residues from the preparation of food and beverages. Here we analyse dry residue samples by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric-pressure chemical-ionization mass spectrometry, and show that chocolate (Theobroma cacao) was consumed by the Preclassic Maya as early as 600 bc, pushing back the earliest chemical evidence of cacao use by some 1,000 years. Our application of this new and highly sensitive analytical technique could be extended to the identification of other ancient foods and beverages.

  8. Suppressive effects of cacao polyphenols on the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natsume, Midori; Baba, Seigo

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies in humans have shown that the cacao polyphenols, (-)-epicatechin and its oligomers, prevent in vitro and ex vivo low-density lipoprotein oxidation mediated by free radical generators and metal ions and also reduce plasma LDL-cholesterol levels. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cacao polyphenols on the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (-/-) mice. Mice aged 8 weeks (n = 90) were randomized into three groups, and fed either normal mouse chow (controls) or chow supplemented with 0.25 or 0.40 % cacao polyphenols for 16 weeks. The mean plaque area in cross-sections of the brachiocephalic trunk was measured and found to be lower in the 0.25 % cacao polyphenol group than in the control group (p cacao polyphenol group (p cacao polyphenols inhibit the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (-/-) mice by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

  9. Carbon Storage in Soil Size Fractions Under Two Cacao Agroforestry Systems in Bahia, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gama-Rodrigues, Emanuela F.; Ramachandran Nair, P. K.; Nair, Vimala D.; Gama-Rodrigues, Antonio C.; Baligar, Virupax C.; Machado, Regina C. R.

    2010-02-01

    Shaded perennial agroforestry systems contain relatively high quantities of soil carbon (C) resulting from continuous deposition of plant residues; however, the extent to which the C is sequestered in soil will depend on the extent of physical protection of soil organic C (SOC). The main objective of this study was to characterize SOC storage in relation to soil fraction-size classes in cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) agroforestry systems (AFSs). Two shaded cacao systems and an adjacent natural forest in reddish-yellow Oxisols in Bahia, Brazil were selected. Soil samples were collected from four depth classes to 1 m depth and separated by wet-sieving into three fraction-size classes (>250 μm, 250-53 μm, and cacao AFSs, the C contained in the macroaggregate fraction might become stabilized in the soil. The study shows the role of cacao AFSs in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emission through accumulation and retention of high amounts of organic C in the soils and suggests the potential benefit of this environmental service to the nearly 6 million cacao farmers worldwide.

  10. Influence of low light intensity and soil flooding on cacao physiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Growth and development of plants frequently are limited by multiple abiotic stresses that occur simultaneously in the environment. Cabruca’ an agroforestry system is a main cropping system invariably adapted for cultivation of cacao in southern Bahia, Brazil. In this system of management cacao is gr...

  11. Cacao Phylloplane: The First Battlefield against Moniliophthora perniciosa, Which Causes Witches' Broom Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, D S M; Gramacho, K P; Cardoso, T H S; Micheli, F; Alvim, F C; Pirovani, C P

    2017-07-01

    The phylloplane is the first contact surface between Theobroma cacao and the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, which causes witches' broom disease (WBD). We evaluated the index of short glandular trichomes (SGT) in the cacao phylloplane and the effect of irrigation on the disease index of cacao genotypes with or without resistance to WBD, and identified proteins present in the phylloplane. The resistant genotype CCN51 and susceptible Catongo presented a mean index of 1,600 and 700 SGT cm -2 , respectively. The disease index in plants under drip irrigation was reduced by approximately 30% compared with plants under sprinkler irrigation prior to inoculation. Leaf water wash (LWW) of the cacao inhibited the germination of spores by up to 98%. Proteins from the LWW of CCN51 were analyzed by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by tandem mass spectrometry. The gel showed 71 spots and identified a total of 42 proteins (28 from the plant and 14 from bacteria). Proteins related to defense and synthesis of defense metabolites and involved in nucleic acid metabolism were identified. The results support the hypothesis that the proteins and water-soluble compounds secreted to the cacao phylloplane participate in the defense against pathogens. They also suggest that SGT can contribute to the resistance of cacao.

  12. Concentration of Cadmium in Cacao Beans and its Relationship with Soil Cadmium in Southern Ecuador

    Science.gov (United States)

    The concentration of cadmium (Cd) in cacao (Theobroma cacao, L.) beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg-1 established by the European Union) has raised concerns of safety in the consumption of cacao-based chocolate (dark chocolate). Currently, little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil,...

  13. Impact of soils and cropping systems on composition of mineral elements of dry cacao beans

    Science.gov (United States)

    In view of its high economic value, cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) researchers are seeking technological innovations that increase production and improve the quality of cacao beans. The objective of this study was to characterize the mineral (P, K, Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ba) composition of caca...

  14. Prediction of Cacao (Theobroma cacao) Resistance to Moniliophthora spp. Diseases via Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Genomic Selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, Michel S; Navarro, Alberto J R; Mustiga, Guiliana; Stack, Conrad; Gezan, Salvador; Peña, Geover; Sarabia, Widem; Saquicela, Diego; Sotomayor, Ignacio; Douglas, Gavin M; Migicovsky, Zoë; Amores, Freddy; Tarqui, Omar; Myles, Sean; Motamayor, Juan C

    2018-01-01

    Cacao ( Theobroma cacao ) is a globally important crop, and its yield is severely restricted by disease. Two of the most damaging diseases, witches' broom disease (WBD) and frosty pod rot disease (FPRD), are caused by a pair of related fungi: Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri , respectively. Resistant cultivars are the most effective long-term strategy to address Moniliophthora diseases, but efficiently generating resistant and productive new cultivars will require robust methods for screening germplasm before field testing. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS) provide two potential avenues for predicting the performance of new genotypes, potentially increasing the selection gain per unit time. To test the effectiveness of these two approaches, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and GS on three related populations of cacao in Ecuador genotyped with a 15K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray for three measures of WBD infection (vegetative broom, cushion broom, and chirimoya pod), one of FPRD (monilia pod) and two productivity traits (total fresh weight of pods and % healthy pods produced). GWAS yielded several SNPs associated with disease resistance in each population, but none were significantly correlated with the same trait in other populations. Genomic selection, using one population as a training set to estimate the phenotypes of the remaining two (composed of different families), varied among traits, from a mean prediction accuracy of 0.46 (vegetative broom) to 0.15 (monilia pod), and varied between training populations. Simulations demonstrated that selecting seedlings using GWAS markers alone generates no improvement over selecting at random, but that GS improves the selection process significantly. Our results suggest that the GWAS markers discovered here are not sufficiently predictive across diverse germplasm to be useful for MAS, but that using all markers in a GS framework holds

  15. Prediction of Cacao (Theobroma cacao Resistance to Moniliophthora spp. Diseases via Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Genomic Selection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel S. McElroy

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao is a globally important crop, and its yield is severely restricted by disease. Two of the most damaging diseases, witches’ broom disease (WBD and frosty pod rot disease (FPRD, are caused by a pair of related fungi: Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, respectively. Resistant cultivars are the most effective long-term strategy to address Moniliophthora diseases, but efficiently generating resistant and productive new cultivars will require robust methods for screening germplasm before field testing. Marker-assisted selection (MAS and genomic selection (GS provide two potential avenues for predicting the performance of new genotypes, potentially increasing the selection gain per unit time. To test the effectiveness of these two approaches, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS and GS on three related populations of cacao in Ecuador genotyped with a 15K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP microarray for three measures of WBD infection (vegetative broom, cushion broom, and chirimoya pod, one of FPRD (monilia pod and two productivity traits (total fresh weight of pods and % healthy pods produced. GWAS yielded several SNPs associated with disease resistance in each population, but none were significantly correlated with the same trait in other populations. Genomic selection, using one population as a training set to estimate the phenotypes of the remaining two (composed of different families, varied among traits, from a mean prediction accuracy of 0.46 (vegetative broom to 0.15 (monilia pod, and varied between training populations. Simulations demonstrated that selecting seedlings using GWAS markers alone generates no improvement over selecting at random, but that GS improves the selection process significantly. Our results suggest that the GWAS markers discovered here are not sufficiently predictive across diverse germplasm to be useful for MAS, but that using all markers in a GS framework holds

  16. Evaluación del potencial biofertilizante de bacterias diazótrofas aisladas de suelos con cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Zulay Argüello-Navarro

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available La adaptabilidad del cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en condiciones adversas permite sugerir que la microbiota asociada con la rizosfera desempeña una función importante para la nutrición y el desarrollo de la planta. En el trabajo se evaluó el potencial biofertilizante de bacterias fijadoras de nitrógeno (diazótrofas aisladas de suelos cacaoteros por la técnica de diluciones seriadas. Las bacterias se aislaron en medios semiselectivos (NFb, JMV, LGI, JNFb. Los aislados puros se caracterizaron morfológica y bioquímicamente y complementariamente se evaluó la capacidad de fijación biológica de nitrógeno (FBN por el método de Micro-Kjeldahl. Los aislados con mejor capacidad de fijación de nitrógeno fueron seleccionados para evaluar su potencial promotor de crecimiento durante 120 días en plantas de cacao clon CCN 51 establecidas a partir de semillas. El análisis de datos mostró que las plantas de cacao respondieron efectivamente a los tratamientos con bacterias donde las variables de crecimiento y N (% foliar incrementaron significativamente, en comparación con el testigo. Se destacó el aporte de los aislados DKA2J24, DKB3J73 presuntamente del género Burkholderia sp. y DKA1L3 semejante al género Gluconacetobacter sp., todos con un gran potencial como biofertilizantes en la prueba de bioensayo.

  17. Unexpected Genome Variability at Multiple Loci Suggests Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus Comprises Multiple, Divergent Molecular Variants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV) [Badnavirus, Caulimoviridae] causes swollen shoot disease of Theobroma cacao L. in West Africa. Since ~2000, various diagnostic tests have failed to detect CSSV in ~50-70% of symptomatic cacao plants, suggesting the possible emergence of new, previously uncharacteriz...

  18. NONLINEAR MODELS FOR DESCRIPTION OF CACAO FRUIT GROWTH WITH ASSUMPTION VIOLATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JOEL AUGUSTO MUNIZ

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. is an important fruit in the Brazilian economy, which is mainly cultivated in the southern State of Bahia. The optimal stage for harvesting is a major factor for fruit quality and the knowledge on its growth curves can help, especially in identifying the ideal maturation stage for harvesting. Nonlinear regression models have been widely used for description of growth curves. However, several studies in this subject do not consider the residual analysis, the existence of a possible dependence between longitudinal observations, or the sample variance heterogeneity, compromising the modeling quality. The objective of this work was to compare the fit of nonlinear regression models, considering residual analysis and assumption violations, in the description of the cacao (clone Sial-105 fruit growth. The data evaluated were extracted from Brito and Silva (1983, who conducted the experiment in the Cacao Research Center, Ilheus, State of Bahia. The variables fruit length, diameter and volume as a function of fruit age were studied. The use of weighting and incorporation of residual dependencies was efficient, since the modeling became more consistent, improving the model fit. Considering the first-order autoregressive structure, when needed, leads to significant reduction in the residual standard deviation, making the estimates more reliable. The Logistic model was the most efficient for the description of the cacao fruit growth.

  19. Cacao diseases: a global perspective from an industry point of view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hebbar, Prakash K

    2007-12-01

    ABSTRACT Diseases of cacao, Theobroma cacao, account for losses of more than 30% of the potential crop. These losses have caused a steady decline in production and a reduction in bean quality in almost all the cacao-producing areas in the world, especially in small-holder farms in Latin America and West Africa. The most significant diseases are witches' broom, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa, which occurs mainly in South America; frosty pod rot, caused by M. roreri, which occurs mainly in Central and northern South America; and black pod disease, caused by several species of Phytophthora, which are distributed throughout the tropics. In view of the threat that these diseases pose to the sustainability of the cacao crop, Mars Inc. and their industry partners have funded collaborative research involving cacao research institutes and governmental and nongovernmental agencies. The objective of this global initiative is to develop short- to medium-term, low-cost, environmentally friendly disease-management strategies until disease tolerant varieties are widely available. These include good farming practices, biological control and the rational or minimal use of chemicals that could be used for integrated pest management (IPM). Farmer field schools are used to get these technologies to growers. This paper describes some of the key collaborative partners and projects that are underway in South America and West Africa.

  20. Apuntes sobre el Cultivo del Cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chavarriaga. Eduardo

    1940-09-01

    Full Text Available El sombrío constituye uno de los problemas que se presentan en el cultivo del cacao, de necesaria resolución para ayuda del agricultor en su labor al producir tan importante grano. Contribuye a la economía del cultivo un conocimiento amplio de la cuestión que debe preocupar al productor inquiriendo no solamente por lo acostumbrado en la región, sino por lo que en otras partes se conoce sobre el particular, para abandonar un poco el emperismo y hacer una industria cada día más próspera. Como razón a favor del sombrío, tenemos los países en donde se produce cacao de fina calidad; Trinidad, Venezuela. Nicaragua, siempre acostumbran la sombra; y sin ir muy lejos, en el Valle del Cauca, donde no se cultiva a pleno sol y se obtienen plantaciones de larga duración y producto superior, es bien conocido el beneficio de ella; allí, los agricultores conocen los desastrosos efectos que ocasiona la falta de sombra, cuando por cualquier causa mueren los árboles que la suministran. Por tanto, en este estudio indicaremos el uso de la sombra para el cacao, como el medio de conservar la fertilidad y buenas condiciones del suelo, obtener buenos rendimientos y asegurar larga vida a la plantación.

  1. Differential expression of jasmonate biosynthesis genes in cacao genotypes contrasting for resistance against Moniliophthora perniciosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litholdo, Celso G; Leal, Gildemberg A; Albuquerque, Paulo S B; Figueira, Antonio

    2015-10-01

    The resistance mechanism of cacao against M. perniciosa is likely to be mediated by JA/ET-signaling pathways due to the preferential TcAOS and TcSAM induction in a resistant genotype. The basidiomycete Moniliophthora perniciosa causes a serious disease in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), and the use of resistant varieties is the only sustainable long-term solution. Cacao resistance against M. perniciosa is characterized by pathogen growth inhibition with reduced colonization and an attenuation of disease symptoms, suggesting a regulation by jasmonate (JA)/ethylene (ET) signaling pathways. The hypothesis that genes involved in JA biosynthesis would be active in the interaction of T. cacao and M. perniciosa was tested here. The cacao JA-related genes were evaluated for their relative quantitative expression in susceptible and resistant genotypes upon the exogenous application of ET, methyl-jasmonate (MJ), and salicylic acid (SA), or after M. perniciosa inoculation. MJ treatment triggered changes in the expression of genes involved in JA biosynthesis, indicating that the mechanism of positive regulation by exogenous MJ application occurs in cacao. However, a higher induction of these genes was observed in the susceptible genotype. Further, a contrast in JA-related transcriptional expression was detected between susceptible and resistant plants under M. perniciosa infection, with the induction of the allene oxide synthase gene (TcAOS), which encodes a key enzyme in the JA biosynthesis pathway in the resistant genotype. Altogether, this work provides additional evidences that the JA-dependent signaling pathway is modulating the defense response against M. perniciosa in a cacao-resistant genotype.

  2. Cacao seeds are a "Super Fruit": A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crozier, Stephen J; Preston, Amy G; Hurst, Jeffrey W; Payne, Mark J; Mann, Julie; Hainly, Larry; Miller, Debra L

    2011-02-07

    Numerous popular media sources have developed lists of "Super Foods" and, more recently, "Super Fruits". Such distinctions often are based on the antioxidant capacity and content of naturally occurring compounds such as polyphenols within those whole fruits or juices of the fruit which may be linked to potential health benefits. Cocoa powder and chocolate are made from an extract of the seeds of the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree. In this study, we compared cocoa powder and cocoa products to powders and juices derived from fruits commonly considered "Super Fruits". Various fruit powders and retail fruit products were obtained and analyzed for antioxidant capacity (ORAC (μM TE/g)), total polyphenol content (TP (mg/g)), and total flavanol content (TF (mg/g)). Among the various powders that were tested, cocoa powder was the most concentrated source of ORAC and TF. Similarly, dark chocolate was a significantly more concentrated source of ORAC and TF than the fruit juices. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate had equivalent or significantly greater ORAC, TP, and TF values compared to the other fruit powders and juices tested, respectively. Cacao seeds thus provide nutritive value beyond that derived from their macronutrient composition and appear to meet the popular media's definition of a "Super Fruit".

  3. Cacao seeds are a "Super Fruit": A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Numerous popular media sources have developed lists of "Super Foods" and, more recently, "Super Fruits". Such distinctions often are based on the antioxidant capacity and content of naturally occurring compounds such as polyphenols within those whole fruits or juices of the fruit which may be linked to potential health benefits. Cocoa powder and chocolate are made from an extract of the seeds of the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree. In this study, we compared cocoa powder and cocoa products to powders and juices derived from fruits commonly considered "Super Fruits". Results Various fruit powders and retail fruit products were obtained and analyzed for antioxidant capacity (ORAC (μM TE/g)), total polyphenol content (TP (mg/g)), and total flavanol content (TF (mg/g)). Among the various powders that were tested, cocoa powder was the most concentrated source of ORAC and TF. Similarly, dark chocolate was a significantly more concentrated source of ORAC and TF than the fruit juices. Conclusions Cocoa powder and dark chocolate had equivalent or significantly greater ORAC, TP, and TF values compared to the other fruit powders and juices tested, respectively. Cacao seeds thus provide nutritive value beyond that derived from their macronutrient composition and appear to meet the popular media's definition of a "Super Fruit". PMID:21299842

  4. Cacao seeds are a "Super Fruit": A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mann Julie

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Numerous popular media sources have developed lists of "Super Foods" and, more recently, "Super Fruits". Such distinctions often are based on the antioxidant capacity and content of naturally occurring compounds such as polyphenols within those whole fruits or juices of the fruit which may be linked to potential health benefits. Cocoa powder and chocolate are made from an extract of the seeds of the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree. In this study, we compared cocoa powder and cocoa products to powders and juices derived from fruits commonly considered "Super Fruits". Results Various fruit powders and retail fruit products were obtained and analyzed for antioxidant capacity (ORAC (μM TE/g, total polyphenol content (TP (mg/g, and total flavanol content (TF (mg/g. Among the various powders that were tested, cocoa powder was the most concentrated source of ORAC and TF. Similarly, dark chocolate was a significantly more concentrated source of ORAC and TF than the fruit juices. Conclusions Cocoa powder and dark chocolate had equivalent or significantly greater ORAC, TP, and TF values compared to the other fruit powders and juices tested, respectively. Cacao seeds thus provide nutritive value beyond that derived from their macronutrient composition and appear to meet the popular media's definition of a "Super Fruit".

  5. Better chocolate through genomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theobroma cacao, the cacao or chocolate tree, is a tropical understory tree whose seeds are used to make chocolate. And like any important crop, cacao is the subject of much research. On September 15, 2010, scientists publicly released a preliminary sequence of the cacao genome--which contains all o...

  6. Nitrogen forms and levels influence on growth and nutrition of cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammonium and nitrate are the major forms of N present in tropical soils. A climatically controlled growth chamber experiment was conducted to assess the influence of forms (NO3-, NH4+, and mix of NO3- + NH4+) and levels (1.5 to 12.0 mM) of N on the growth and nutrition of cacao (Theobroma cacao L). ...

  7. Cacao biotechnology: current status and future prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wickramasuriya, Anushka M; Dunwell, Jim M

    2018-01-01

    Theobroma cacao-The Food of the Gods, provides the raw material for the multibillion dollar chocolate industry and is also the main source of income for about 6 million smallholders around the world. Additionally, cocoa beans have a number of other nonfood uses in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Specifically, the potential health benefits of cocoa have received increasing attention as it is rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. At present, the demand for cocoa and cocoa-based products in Asia is growing particularly rapidly and chocolate manufacturers are increasing investment in this region. However, in many Asian countries, cocoa production is hampered due to many reasons including technological, political and socio-economic issues. This review provides an overview of the present status of global cocoa production and recent advances in biotechnological applications for cacao improvement, with special emphasis on genetics/genomics, in vitro embryogenesis and genetic transformation. In addition, in order to obtain an insight into the latest innovations in the commercial sector, a survey was conducted on granted patents relating to T. cacao biotechnology. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Production and robustness of a Cacao agroecosystem: effects of two contrasting types of management strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabatier, Rodolphe; Wiegand, Kerstin; Meyer, Katrin

    2013-01-01

    Ecological intensification, i.e. relying on ecological processes to replace chemical inputs, is often presented as the ideal alternative to conventional farming based on an intensive use of chemicals. It is said to both maintain high yield and provide more robustness to the agroecosystem. However few studies compared the two types of management with respect to their consequences for production and robustness toward perturbation. In this study our aim is to assess productive performance and robustness toward diverse perturbations of a Cacao agroecosystem managed with two contrasting groups of strategies: one group of strategies relying on a high level of pesticides and a second relying on low levels of pesticides. We conducted this study using a dynamical model of a Cacao agroecosystem that includes Cacao production dynamics, and dynamics of three insects: a pest (the Cacao Pod Borer, Conopomorpha cramerella) and two characteristic but unspecified beneficial insects (a pollinator of Cacao and a parasitoid of the Cacao Pod Borer). Our results showed two opposite behaviors of the Cacao agroecosystem depending on its management, i.e. an agroecosystem relying on a high input of pesticides and showing low ecosystem functioning and an agroecosystem with low inputs, relying on a high functioning of the ecosystem. From the production point of view, no type of management clearly outclassed the other and their ranking depended on the type of pesticide used. From the robustness point of view, the two types of managements performed differently when subjected to different types of perturbations. Ecologically intensive systems were more robust to pest outbreaks and perturbations related to pesticide characteristics while chemically intensive systems were more robust to Cacao production and management-related perturbation.

  9. Comparative evaluation of total RNA extraction methods in Theobroma cacao using shoot apical meristems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, D V; Branco, S M J; Holanda, I S A; Royaert, S; Motamayor, J C; Marelli, J P; Corrêa, R X

    2016-03-04

    Theobroma cacao is a species of great economic importance with its beans used for chocolate production. The tree has been a target of various molecular studies. It contains many polyphenols, which complicate the extraction of nucleic acids with the extraction protocols requiring a large amount of plant material. These issues, therefore, necessitate the optimization of the protocols. The aim of the present study was to evaluate different methods for extraction of total RNA from shoot apical meristems of T. cacao 'CCN 51' and to assess the influence of storage conditions for the meristems on the extraction. The study also aimed to identify the most efficient protocol for RNA extraction using a small amount of plant material. Four different protocols were evaluated for RNA extraction using one shoot apical meristem per sample. Among these protocols, one that was more efficient was then tested to extract RNA using four different numbers of shoot apical meristems, subjected to three different storage conditions. The best protocol was tested for cDNA amplification using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; the cDNA quality was determined to be satisfactory for molecular analyses. The study revealed that with the best RNA extraction protocol, one shoot apical meristem was sufficient for extraction of high-quality total RNA. The results obtained might enable advances in genetic analyses and molecular studies using reduced amount of plant material.

  10. Polyphenols distributions and reserve substances analysis in cacao somatic embryogenesis

    OpenAIRE

    Adriana María Gallego Rúa; Ana María Henao Ramírez; Aura Inés Urrea Trujillo; Lucía Atehortúa Garcés

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACTIn order to understand the causes of lack of regeneration in cacao somatic embryos, two cacao varieties with different responses to regeneration potential were described based on their capacity to store different compounds. It is well known that seed reserves play a central role in the regenerative capability of somatic embryos; thus, we followed histochemical changes and reserve fluctuations of proteins, polysaccharides and polyphenols during somatic embryogenesis (SE) in the two cac...

  11. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraz Dos Santos, Lucas; Moreira Fregapani, Roberta; Falcão, Loeni Ludke; Togawa, Roberto Coiti; Costa, Marcos Mota do Carmo; Lopes, Uilson Vanderlei; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Alves, Rafael Moyses; Micheli, Fabienne; Marcellino, Lucilia Helena

    2016-01-01

    The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum) (Willd. ex Spreng.) Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified). The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches' broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values). Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively.

  12. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas Ferraz Dos Santos

    Full Text Available The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng. Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified. The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches' broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values. Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively.

  13. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraz dos Santos, Lucas; Moreira Fregapani, Roberta; Falcão, Loeni Ludke; Togawa, Roberto Coiti; Costa, Marcos Mota do Carmo; Lopes, Uilson Vanderlei; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Alves, Rafael Moyses

    2016-01-01

    The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum) (Willd. ex Spreng.) Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified). The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches’ broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values). Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively. PMID:26949967

  14. Morphological, Physiological, and Taxonomic Characterization of Actinobacterial Isolates Living as Endophytes of Cacao Pods and Cacao Seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tchinda, Romaric Armel Mouafo; Boudjeko, Thaddée; Simao-Beaunoir, Anne-Marie; Lerat, Sylvain; Tsala, Éric; Monga, Ernest; Beaulieu, Carole

    2016-01-01

    Vascular plants are commonly colonized by endophytic actinobacteria. However, very little is known about the relationship between these microorganisms and cacao fruits. In order to determine the physiological and taxonomic relationships between the members of this community, actinobacteria were isolated from cacao fruits and seeds. Among the 49 isolates recovered, 11 morphologically distinct isolates were selected for further characterization. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene allowed the partition of the selected isolates into three phylogenetic clades. Most of the selected endophytic isolates belonged to the Streptomyces violaceusniger clade. Physiological characterization was carried out and a similarity index was used to cluster the isolates. However, clustering based on physiological properties did not match phylogenetic lineages. Isolates were also characterized for traits commonly associated with plant growth-promoting bacteria, including antibiosis and auxin biosynthesis. All isolates exhibited resistance to geldanamycin, whereas only two isolates were shown to produce this antibiotic. Endophytes were inoculated on radish seedlings and most isolates were found to possess plant growth-promoting abilities. These endophytic actinobacteria inhibited the growth of various plant pathogenic fungi and/or bacteria. The present study showed that S. violaceusniger clade members represent a significant part of the actinobacterial community living as endophytes in cacao fruits and seeds. While several members of this clade are known to be geldanamycin producers and efficient biocontrol agents of plant diseases, we herein established the endophytic lifestyle of some of these microorganisms, demonstrating their potential as plant health agents.

  15. Proteome analysis during pod, zygotic and somatic embryo maturation of Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemenak, Nicolas; Kaiser, Edward; Maximova, Siela N; Laremore, Tatiana; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2015-05-15

    Two dimensional electrophoresis and nano-LC-MS were performed in order to identify alterations in protein abundance that correlate with maturation of cacao zygotic and somatic embryos. The cacao pod proteome was also characterized during development. The recently published cacao genome sequence was used to create a predicted proteolytic fragment database. Several hundred protein spots were resolved on each tissue analysis, of which 72 variable spots were subjected to MS analysis, resulting in 49 identifications. The identified proteins represent an array of functional categories, including seed storage, stress response, photosynthesis and translation factors. The seed storage protein was strongly accumulated in cacao zygotic embryos compared to their somatic counterpart. However, sucrose treatment (60 g L(-1)) allows up-regulation of storage protein in SE. A high similarity in the profiles of acidic proteins was observed in mature zygotic and somatic embryos. Differential expression in both tissues was observed in proteins having high pI. Several proteins were detected exclusively in fruit tissues, including a chitinase and a 14-3-3 protein. We also identified a novel cacao protein related to known mabinlin type sweet storage proteins. Moreover, the specific presence of thaumatin-like protein, another sweet protein, was also detected in fruit tissue. We discuss our observed correlations between protein expression profiles, developmental stage and stress responses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Molecular characterization of previously elusive badnaviruses associated with symptomatic cacao in the New World.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chingandu, Nomatter; Zia-Ur-Rehman, Muhammad; Sreenivasan, Thyail N; Surujdeo-Maharaj, Surendra; Umaharan, Pathmanathan; Gutierrez, Osman A; Brown, Judith K

    2017-05-01

    Suspected virus-like symptoms were observed in cacao plants in Trinidad during 1943, and the viruses associated with these symptoms were designated as strains A and B of cacao Trinidad virus (CTV). However, viral etiology has not been demonstrated for either phenotype. Total DNA was isolated from symptomatic cacao leaves exhibiting the CTV A and B phenotypes and subjected to Illumina HiSeq and Sanger DNA sequencing. Based on de novo assembly, two apparently full-length badnavirus genomes of 7,533 and 7,454 nucleotides (nt) were associated with CTV strain A and B, respectively. The Trinidad badnaviral genomes contained four open reading frames, three of which are characteristic of other known badnaviruses, and a fourth that is present in only some badnaviruses. Both badnaviral genomes harbored hallmark caulimovirus-like features, including a tRNA Met priming site, a TATA box, and a polyadenylation-like signal. Pairwise comparisons of the RT-RNase H region indicated that the Trinidad isolates share 57-71% nt sequence identity with other known badnaviruses. Based on the system for badnavirus species demarcation in which viruses with less than 80% nt sequence identity in the RT-RNase gene are considered members of separate species, these isolates represent two previously unidentified badnaviruses, herein named cacao mild mosaic virus and cacao yellow vein banding virus, making them the first cacao-infecting badnaviruses identified thus far in the Western Hemisphere.

  17. Exportación de nibs de cacao nativo de fino aroma con niveles de cadmio <= 0.5 mg/kg

    OpenAIRE

    Santa Cruz Muñoz, Iris Magaly

    2016-01-01

    La tesis expone un plan de negocios que surge a raíz de la demanda creciente internacional del cacao debido a una demanda de un chocolate con mayor contenido de cacao, la cual debe satisfacer normas sociales, saludables, ecológicas y éticas del cual el Perú es reconocido como país productor de Cacao de Fino Aroma. Asimismo, existe la amenaza que tienen los productores latinoamericanos de cacao por haberse encontrado altos niveles de cadmio en granos de cacao, siendo este perjudicial para la s...

  18. Association mapping of fruit, seed and disease resistance traits in Theobroma cacao L

    Science.gov (United States)

    An association mapping approach was employed to find markers for color, size, girth and mass of fruits; seed number and butterfat content; and resistance to black pod and witches’ broom diseases in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Ninety-five microsatellites (SSRs) and 775 single nucleotide polymorphisms...

  19. Actividad antioxidante de clones de cacao (Theobroma cacao l.) finos y aromáticos cultivados en el estado de Chiapas-México

    OpenAIRE

    Ramírez González, Martha Beatriz; Cely Niño, Víctor Hugo; Ramírez, Sandra Isabel

    2013-01-01

    Objetivo: determinar la capacidad antioxidante y contenido de grasa de clones de cacao, provenientes de especies nativas del Estado de Chiapas, México. Materiales y métodos: en extractos de 34 muestras semillas de cacao diluidas en metanol al 95% y clasificadas según pH en tres grupos: I (5,52-5,90), II (5,91- 6,28) y III (6,29-6,67), se realizaron ensayos analíticos de variables físicas y químicas. Se evaluó la inhibición de radicales 2,2-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) a 517 nm, el contenid...

  20. Algunas Observaciones sobre el Desecamiento del Grano de Cacao Bajo Diferentes Condiciones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Platone E.

    1949-12-01

    Full Text Available Las diversas modalidades del proceso de desecamiento del cacao fermentado (con tal de que la temperatura de desecamiento no sea muy elevada tienen escasa influencia sobre la calidad aparente del grano, a condición desde luego, de que el proceso sea llevado hasta lograr un mismo porcentaje de humedad en los granos. Ya se sabía que, aparentemente, debería preferirse el desecamiento artificial, al natural, por cuanto se logra un mejor control de la temperatura y de otras condiciones del proceso. En realidad, los fabricantes prefieren, en igualdad de condiciones, el cacao desecado al sol. A este propósito había sido establecido por la Oficina Internacional de Fabricantes de Cacao y Chocolate, según dice Knapp (ya citado, que el cacao que hubiese sido secado a más de 50°C, fuera específicamente rotulado como "desecado artificialmente". Sin embargo, el desecamiento al sol significa ordinariamente para los granos, una temperatura notoriamente superior a dichos 50oC, aunque por lo regular no suprior a 60°C.

  1. Genetic identity, ancestry and parentage in farmer selections of cacao from Aceh, Indonesia revealed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is the source of cocoa powder and butter used for chocolate and this species originated in the rainforests of South America. Indonesia is the 3rd largest cacao producer in the world with an annual cacao output of 0.55 million tons. Knowledge of on-farm genetic diversity is...

  2. Development of a marker assisted selection program for cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, R J; Kuhn, D N; Brown, J S; Olano, C T; Phillips-Mora, W; Amores, F M; Motamayor, J C

    2007-12-01

    ABSTRACT Production of cacao in tropical America has been severely affected by fungal pathogens causing diseases known as witches' broom (WB, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa), frosty pod (FP, caused by M. roreri) and black pod (BP, caused by Phytophthora spp.). BP is pan-tropical and causes losses in all producing areas. WB is found in South America and parts of the Caribbean, while FP is found in Central America and parts of South America. Together, these diseases were responsible for over 700 million US dollars in losses in 2001 (4). Commercial cacao production in West Africa and South Asia are not yet affected by WB and FP, but cacao grown in these regions is susceptible to both. With the goal of providing new disease resistant cultivars the USDA-ARS and Mars, Inc. have developed a marker assisted selection (MAS) program. Quantitative trait loci have been identified for resistance to WB, FP, and BP. The potential usefulness of these markers in identifying resistant individuals has been confirmed in an experimental F(1) family in Ecuador.

  3. Characterization of Pseudomonas chlororaphis from Theobroma cacao L. rhizosphere with antagonistic activity against Phytophthora palmivora (Butler).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acebo-Guerrero, Y; Hernández-Rodríguez, A; Vandeputte, O; Miguélez-Sierra, Y; Heydrich-Pérez, M; Ye, L; Cornelis, P; Bertin, P; El Jaziri, M

    2015-10-01

    To isolate and characterize rhizobacteria from Theobroma cacao with antagonistic activity against Phytophthora palmivora, the causal agent of the black pod rot, which is one of the most important diseases of T. cacao. Among 127 rhizobacteria isolated from cacao rhizosphere, three isolates (CP07, CP24 and CP30) identified as Pseudomonas chlororaphis, showed in vitro antagonistic activity against P. palmivora. Direct antagonism tested in cacao detached leaves revealed that the isolated rhizobacteria were able to reduce symptom severity upon infection with P. palmivora Mab1, with Ps. chlororaphis CP07 standing out as a potential biocontrol agent. Besides, reduced symptom severity on leaves was also observed in planta where cacao root system was pretreated with the isolated rhizobacteria followed by leaf infection with P. palmivora Mab1. The production of lytic enzymes, siderophores, biosurfactants and HCN, as well as the detection of genes encoding antibiotics, the formation of biofilm, and bacterial motility were also assessed for all three rhizobacterial strains. By using a mutant impaired in viscosin production, derived from CP07, it was found that this particular biosurfactant turned out to be crucial for both motility and biofilm formation, but not for the in vitro antagonism against Phytophthora, although it may contribute to the bioprotection of T. cacao. In the rhizosphere of T. cacao, there are rhizobacteria, such as Ps. chlororaphis, able to protect plants against P. palmivora. This study provides a theoretical basis for the potential use of Ps. chlororaphis CP07 as a biocontrol agent for the protection of cacao plants from P. palmivora infection. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  4. Trichoderma species from the cacao agroecosystem with biocontrol potential of Moniliophthora roreri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Reyes-Figueroa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available La moniliasis del cacao ( Moniliophthora roreri es la principal limitante parasítica de la producción de cacao ( Theobroma cacao en México. Una alternativa sostenible para el control de la enfermedad es el uso del hongo Trichoderma . El objetivo del presente estudio fue seleccionar aislamientos nativos de Trichoderma con las mejores características antagónicas y fisiológicas in vitro, para el control de M. roreri . Para ello, se caracterizaron 50 aislamientos de Trichoderma , obtenidos del agroecosistema cacao. El crecimiento micelial y la producción de conidios a 25, 30 y 35 °C se consideraron variables fisiológicas. El micoparasitismo, antibiosis y antagonismo potencial fueron las variables antagónicas. Se encontraron diferencias significativas ( P = 0.0001 en todas las variables evaluadas . El intervalo de temperatura óptima para el crecimiento micelial y producción de conidios fue de 25 a 30 °C. El micoparasitismo varió de 0 a 100 % y solo los aislamientos de seis especies mostraron esta característica. La antibiosis osciló entre 6.8 y 55.5 %, y el antagonismo potencial varió de 3.4 a 69 %. Trichoderma virens (TTC017 y T. harzianum (TTC090, TTC039, TTC073 mostraron el mejor biocontrol potencial in vitro , por lo que son cepas prometedoras para futuras investigaciones sobre control biológico de la moniliasis del cacao.

  5. El polisulfuro de calcio en el manejo de la moniliasis Moniliophthora roreri (Cif & Par. Evans et al. del cacao Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Ramírez González

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available El cacao es severamente afectado por el hongo Moniliophthora roreri (Cif & Par. Evans et al., el cual daña los frutos y puede ocasionar pérdidas totales y su control es principalmente cultural. El objetivo del trabajo es determinar la efectividad del polisulfuro de calcio (PC como alternativa para su manejo. El patógeno fue aislado y cultivado in vitro y se evaluó el efecto del PC sobre la germinación y formación de conidias; en el campo, sobre frutos se asperjó PC antes y después de la inoculación con M. roreri y se determinó la incidencia e índices de severidad interna y externa. En una plantación de cacao se asperjó PC y se determinó su incidencia y producción. El PC in vitro inhibió el crecimiento y la formación de conidias; la aplicación de PC antes o después de la inoculación artificial con M. roreri sobre frutos inhibe completamente el desarrollo de la enfermedad; con aspersiones de PC en plantaciones de cacao la incidencia de la enfermedad fue de 0,53%, mientras que fue de 21% con manejo cultural y del 69,6% con testigo de inoculación natural; la producción de cacao seco/año fue de un 90,6% más con PC que en el testigo de inoculación natural, por lo que resulta viable integrar PC en el manejo deM. roreri.

  6. Study on the presence and influence of phenolic compounds in callogenesis and somatic embryo development of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L..

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sulistyani Pancaningtyas

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. like most tropical trees is recalcitrant in tissue culture. Somatic embryogenesis is generally efficient micropropagation technique to multiply elite material. However, Somatic embryogenesis in cocoa is difficult and this species is considered as recalcitrant. One of the factors often considered as a component of in vitro recalsitrance is a high phenolic content and oxidation of these compounds. In cocoa tissue culture accumulate large amounts of poliphenolics compounds which probably impair further development. This study was conducted to investigate the composition of phenolic compounds in cocoa flower and leaves, and their changes troughout the somatic embryogenesis process. Calli were induced in cacao floral and leaves explants on a half-strenght Murashige and Skoog medium containing 30 g/L Glucose and combination of 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D with kinetin (kin. Total polyphenol content was observed on Sulawesi 1 cocoa clone. Embryogenic and non-embryogenic callus were also compared. The percentage of callus production from flower tissue is 85%, percentage of embryogenic callus 40 %, although  the percentage of somatic embryo production from embryogenic callus callus is 70%. The conservation of callus into somatic embryos followed by decline in phenol content and an increase in peroxidase. The synthesis kinetics for these compounds in calli, under different somatic embryogenesis conditions, revealed a higher concentration under non-embryogenic conditions. So that, phenolic compound can influence the production of calli and an absence the phenolic compound can enhance production of somatic embryo.Kata kunci: Theobroma cacao L., polifenol, embrio somatik, kalus, flavonoid, katekin, in vitro recalcitance

  7. Macro and micro nutrient uptake parameters and use efficiency in cacao genotypes influenced by deficient to excess levels of soil K

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important economic crop for many of the tropical countries. Adequate levels of soil K are essential for good growth and achieving high cocoa bean yields. Soils under cacao invariably have low levels of plant available K to support good cacao growth. Growth chamber ex...

  8. Breeding for disease resistance in cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao production must increase in order to meet the projected rise in the demand for chocolate. Approximately one-third of global production is lost annually to diseases and insects. Four diseases account for the greatest losses worldwide: black pod, caused by four Phytophthora spp; witches’ broom...

  9. Carbon storage in soil size fractions under two cacao agroforestry systems in Bahia, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gama-Rodrigues, Emanuela F; Ramachandran Nair, P K; Nair, Vimala D; Gama-Rodrigues, Antonio C; Baligar, Virupax C; Machado, Regina C R

    2010-02-01

    Shaded perennial agroforestry systems contain relatively high quantities of soil carbon (C) resulting from continuous deposition of plant residues; however, the extent to which the C is sequestered in soil will depend on the extent of physical protection of soil organic C (SOC). The main objective of this study was to characterize SOC storage in relation to soil fraction-size classes in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) agroforestry systems (AFSs). Two shaded cacao systems and an adjacent natural forest in reddish-yellow Oxisols in Bahia, Brazil were selected. Soil samples were collected from four depth classes to 1 m depth and separated by wet-sieving into three fraction-size classes (>250 microm, 250-53 microm, and <53 microm)-corresponding to macroaggregate, microaggregate, and silt-and-clay size fractions-and analyzed for C content. The total SOC stock did not vary among systems (mean: 302 Mg/ha). On average, 72% of SOC was in macroaggregate-size, 20% in microaggregate-size, and 8% in silt-and-clay size fractions in soil. Sonication of aggregates showed that occlusion of C in soil aggregates could be a major mechanism of C protection in these soils. Considering the low level of soil disturbances in cacao AFSs, the C contained in the macroaggregate fraction might become stabilized in the soil. The study shows the role of cacao AFSs in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emission through accumulation and retention of high amounts of organic C in the soils and suggests the potential benefit of this environmental service to the nearly 6 million cacao farmers worldwide.

  10. Accurate determination of genetic identity for a single cacao bean, using molecular markers with a nanofluidic system, ensures cocoa authenticity and traceability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important tropical crop since it is the source of cocoa butter and powder for the confectionery industry. Production and marketing of premium high-value fine flavored cacao provide opportunities for cacao growers, the chocolate industry and consumers. The higher far...

  11. ESTUDIO DE LA DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA DE 20 ACCESIONES DE CACAO (Theobroma cacao L. MEDIANTE AP-PCR DE LA COLECCIÓN DEL CENTRO DEL CACAO DE AROMA TENGUEL EN LA FINCA EXPERIMENTAL LA BUSETA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mercedes Susana Carranza Patiño

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available El presente estudio consistió en determinar la diversidad genética basada en los marcadores RAPD´s (Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA de 20 accesiones de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.de la variedad Nacional, con características de productividad, y niveles de resistencia, susceptibilidad y tolerancia a las rincipales enfermedades causadas por hongos como Ceratocistys fimbriata, Moniliophtora roreri y Crinipelis perniciosa. Este germoplasma de cacao se encuentra localizado en el Centro de Cacao de Aroma Tenguel, en la Finca Experimental “La Buseta” propiedad de la Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo. La extracción de ADN se la realizó utilizando el protocolo de Doyle & Doyle (1990 con algunas modificaciones. 14 oligonucleótidos fueron utilizados para la obtención de marcadores RAPD´s, de los cuales 9 amplificaron productos reproducibles OPA-15, OPC-07, OPC-9, OPC-4, OPC-3, OPC-1, OPA-12 OPC-13 y OPA-7. Los productos de amplificación fueron migrados en geles de agarosa al 1.2% a 90 voltios por una hora. Los marcadores moleculares fueron analizados por medio de una matriz de datos binarios para calcular las distancias genéticas. Los nueve cebadores utilizados generaron 67 bandas de las cuales 59 (88% fueron polimórficas. El dendrograma mostró dos grupos A y B, en el grupo A se incluyo dos accesiones, y en el grupo B se encuentran los 18 restantes el cual incluye 2 subgrupos B1 y B2 en el subgrupo B1 se incluye la accesión (L-22-H-40, y en el subgrupo B2 están incluidas las accesiones que poseen características de productividad. El nivel de diversidad más alto se obtuvo con los oligonucleótidos OPC 04 (0.80, OPC 07 (0.82. El cebador OPC 01 (0.37 reportó el nivel más bajo. Las accesiones (L-22-H-40 (O.75, (L-34-H-07 (0.86 y el (L-42-H-60 (0.72 presentaron los niveles de variabilidad más altos, siendo los valores más bajos los mostrados por las accesiones (L-26-H-64 (O.48 y (L-23-H63 (O.47. El valor de la diversidad

  12. First report of frosty pod rot caused by Moniliophthora roreri on cacao in Bolivia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frosty pod rot (FPR) is a devastating cacao disease caused by the basidiomycete Moniliophthora roreri (Aime and Phillips-Mora, 2005). The disease is confined to 13 countries in Central and South America and constitutes a permanent threat for cacao cultivation worldwide. In July 2012, FPR was detect...

  13. Repression of calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in trigeminal neurons by a Theobroma cacao extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbey, Marcie J; Patil, Vinit V; Vause, Carrie V; Durham, Paul L

    2008-01-17

    Cocoa bean preparations were first used by the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations of South America to treat a variety of medical ailments involving the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. Diets rich in foods containing abundant polyphenols, as found in cocoa, underlie the protective effects reported in chronic inflammatory diseases. Release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from trigeminal nerves promotes inflammation in peripheral tissues and nociception. To determine whether a methanol extract of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae) beans enriched for polyphenols could inhibit CGRP expression, both an in vitro and an in vivo approach was taken. Treatment of rat trigeminal ganglia cultures with depolarizing stimuli caused a significant increase in CGRP release that was repressed by pretreatment with Theobroma cacao extract. Pretreatment with Theobroma cacao was also shown to block the KCl- and capsaicin-stimulated increases in intracellular calcium. Next, the effects of Theobroma cacao on CGRP levels were determined using an in vivo model of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation. Capsaicin injection into the TMJ capsule caused an ipsilateral decrease in CGRP levels. Theobroma cacao extract injected into the TMJ capsule 24h prior to capsaicin treatment repressed the stimulatory effects of capsaicin. Our results demonstrate that Theobroma cacao extract can repress stimulated CGRP release by a mechanism that likely involves blockage of calcium channel activity. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the beneficial effects of diets rich in cocoa may include suppression of sensory trigeminal nerve activation.

  14. Cacao Intensification in Sulawesi: A Green Prosperity Model Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moriarty, K.; Elchinger, M.; Hill, G.; Katz, J.; Barnett, J.

    2014-09-01

    NREL conducted eight model projects for Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) Compact with Indonesia. Green Prosperity, the largest project of the Compact, seeks to address critical constraints to economic growth while supporting the Government of Indonesia's commitment to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive future. This study evaluates techniques to improve cacao farming in Sulawesi Indonesia with an emphasis on Farmer Field Schools and Cocoa Development Centers to educate farmers and for train the trainer programs. The study estimates the economic viability of cacao farming if smallholder implement techniques to increase yield as well as social and environmental impacts of the project.

  15. Selección de genotipos de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. con resistencia a escoba de bruja (Moniliophthora perniciosa en Los Ríos, Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Miguel Tarqui Freire

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available El Programa de Mejoramiento del Cacao y el Café en el INIAP EET-Pichilingue ha estado estudiando, durante varios años, los genotipos de cacao más altos (Theobroma cacao L. caracterizados por la resistencia genética a las principales enfermedades, especialmente la escoba de brujas (Moniliophthora perniciosa Factor limitante para su cultivo en varios países de América Central y del Sur. El objetivo de la investigación fue identificar y seleccionar los clones de cacao con una baja incidencia de la enfermedad de la escoba de brujas. Se probaron 21 genotipos (14 resultantes de Amazonas x Amazonas y (4 de Amazonas x Cruces Nacionales. Entre la población derivada de cruces nacionales vs. nacionales, no se encontraron genotipos mostrando resistencia a la enfermedad. Además, se seleccionó INIAPT 074 del cruce entre CCN 51 x B 60 y TIP 1 y TAP 6 como clones de control. Se evaluaron las siguientes características: Número de mazorcas sanas (MS, Peso fresco (PF, Número de mazorcas enfermas (ME, Número de escobas vegetativas (EBveg, Número de escobas portadoras (EBcojin y Número de chirimoyas. Un análisis de componentes principales y un análisis de conglomerados se realizaron utilizando el método de Ward y se construyó un dendrograma para determinar la similitud entre las características productivas y sanitarias. Se determinó que los genotipos resultantes del cruce amazónico x amazónico: INIAPT 527, INIAPT 560 e INIAPT 526 presentaron menor incidencia de escobas y se identificaron como fuentes de resistencia genética a Moniliophthora perniciosa.

  16. Conversion of lowland tropical forests to tree cash crop plantations loses up to one-half of stored soil organic carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Straaten, Oliver; Corre, Marife D; Wolf, Katrin; Tchienkoua, Martin; Cuellar, Eloy; Matthews, Robin B; Veldkamp, Edzo

    2015-08-11

    Tropical deforestation for the establishment of tree cash crop plantations causes significant alterations to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Despite this recognition, the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tier 1 method has a SOC change factor of 1 (no SOC loss) for conversion of forests to perennial tree crops, because of scarcity of SOC data. In this pantropic study, conducted in active deforestation regions of Indonesia, Cameroon, and Peru, we quantified the impact of forest conversion to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), and cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry plantations on SOC stocks within 3-m depth in deeply weathered mineral soils. We also investigated the underlying biophysical controls regulating SOC stock changes. Using a space-for-time substitution approach, we compared SOC stocks from paired forests (n = 32) and adjacent plantations (n = 54). Our study showed that deforestation for tree plantations decreased SOC stocks by up to 50%. The key variable that predicted SOC changes across plantations was the amount of SOC present in the forest before conversion--the higher the initial SOC, the higher the loss. Decreases in SOC stocks were most pronounced in the topsoil, although older plantations showed considerable SOC losses below 1-m depth. Our results suggest that (i) the IPCC tier 1 method should be revised from its current SOC change factor of 1 to 0.6 ± 0.1 for oil palm and cacao agroforestry plantations and 0.8 ± 0.3 for rubber plantations in the humid tropics; and (ii) land use management policies should protect natural forests on carbon-rich mineral soils to minimize SOC losses.

  17. Conversion of lowland tropical forests to tree cash crop plantations loses up to one-half of stored soil organic carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Straaten, Oliver; Corre, Marife D.; Wolf, Katrin; Tchienkoua, Martin; Cuellar, Eloy; Matthews, Robin B.; Veldkamp, Edzo

    2015-01-01

    Tropical deforestation for the establishment of tree cash crop plantations causes significant alterations to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Despite this recognition, the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tier 1 method has a SOC change factor of 1 (no SOC loss) for conversion of forests to perennial tree crops, because of scarcity of SOC data. In this pantropic study, conducted in active deforestation regions of Indonesia, Cameroon, and Peru, we quantified the impact of forest conversion to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), and cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry plantations on SOC stocks within 3-m depth in deeply weathered mineral soils. We also investigated the underlying biophysical controls regulating SOC stock changes. Using a space-for-time substitution approach, we compared SOC stocks from paired forests (n = 32) and adjacent plantations (n = 54). Our study showed that deforestation for tree plantations decreased SOC stocks by up to 50%. The key variable that predicted SOC changes across plantations was the amount of SOC present in the forest before conversion—the higher the initial SOC, the higher the loss. Decreases in SOC stocks were most pronounced in the topsoil, although older plantations showed considerable SOC losses below 1-m depth. Our results suggest that (i) the IPCC tier 1 method should be revised from its current SOC change factor of 1 to 0.6 ± 0.1 for oil palm and cacao agroforestry plantations and 0.8 ± 0.3 for rubber plantations in the humid tropics; and (ii) land use management policies should protect natural forests on carbon-rich mineral soils to minimize SOC losses. PMID:26217000

  18. Effects of habitat management on different feeding guilds of herbivorous insects in cacao agroforestry systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novais, Samuel M A; Macedo-Reis, Luiz E; DaRocha, Wesley D; Neves, Frederico S

    2016-06-01

    interesting conservation strategy when compared to rubber agroforests. We also emphasized the potential risk of local pest outbreaks in rubber agroforests for both the rubber and associated cacao trees.

  19. Fluorescent detection of (-)-epicatechin in microsamples from cacao seeds and cocoa products: Comparison with Folin-Ciocalteu method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez-Sanchez, Israel; Maya, Lisandro; Ceballos, Guillermo; Villarreal, Francisco

    2010-12-01

    Polyphenolic compounds of the flavanoid family are abundantly present in cacao seed and its cocoa products. Results from studies using cocoa products indicate beneficial effects of flavanols on cardiovascular endpoints. Evidence indicates that (-)-epicatechin is the main cacao flavanol associated with cardiovascular effects, so the accurate quantification of its content in cacao seeds or cocoa products is important. Common methods for the quantification of phenolic content in cocoa products are based on the reaction of phenols with colorimetric reagents such as the Folin-Ciocalteu (FC) In this study, we compared the FC method of phenolic determinations using 2 different standards (gallic acid and (-)-epicatechin) to construct calibration curves. We compare these results with those obtained from a simple fluorometric method (Ex(280)/Em(320) nm) used to determine catechin/(-)-epicatechin content in samples of cacao seeds and cocoa products. Values obtained from the FC method determination of polyphenols yield an overestimation of phenol (flavonoid) content when gallic acid is used as standard. Moreover, the epicatechin is a more reliable standard because of its abundance in cacao seeds and cocoa products. The use of fluorometric spectra yields a simple and highly quantitative means for a more precise and rapid quantification of cacao catechins. Fluorometric values are essentially in agreement with those reported using more cumbersome methods. In conclusion, the use of fluorescence emission spectra is a quick, practical and suitable means to quantifying catechins in cacao seeds and cocoa products.

  20. EFFECT OF FERMENTED CACAO POD SUPPLEMENTATION ON SHEEP RUMEN MICROBIAL FERMENTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Wulandari

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to improve beneficial value of cacao pod as sheep feedingredients comprising up to 50% total feed. This research was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 wascacao pod fermentation. Completely randomized design with 3x3 factorial patterns was used in thisstage, in which factor I was microbial inoculum dosage of 0%, 0.05% and 0.1% and factor II wasincubation period of 0, 3 and 6 days. Result demonstrated that six-day fermentation with 0.05%microbial inoculum could lower cacao NDF, ADF and theobromine. The optimum inoculum dosage andfermentation time from stage 1 was applied to stage 2. Stage 2 was rumen microbial fermentation test.This research administrated 3x3 of latin square design. In period I sheep were fed with CF0 (nonfermentedcomplete feed, in period II sheep were given CF 1 (complete feed containing fermentedcacao pod and in period III sheep were given CF2 (fermented complete feed based cacao pod. Resultdemonstrated that pH value of sheep microbial liquid in treatment of CF0, CF1 and CF2 was in normalpH range and did not affect volatile fatty acids (VFA and ammonia. In conclusion, supplementing up to 50% of feed with complete feed containing fermented or non-fermented cacao pod did not affect theprocess of rumen microbial fermentation.

  1. Efecto de la temperatura y tiempo de tostado en los caracteres sensoriales y en las propiedades químicas de granos de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) procedente de Uchiza, San Martín – Perú para la obtención de NIBS

    OpenAIRE

    Aldave Palacios, Gladis Josefina

    2016-01-01

    Estudia las variedades de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) CCN-51 e ICS-6, procedentes del distrito de Uchiza, provincia de Tocache, departamento de San Martín, en Perú. Efectúa el tratamiento térmico de tostado a las temperaturas de 120 y 130 °C por 40 y 50 minutos, los nibs de cacao (granos de cacao tostados y pelados) son evaluados sensorialmente por seis jueces entrenados. La evaluación estadística mediante la prueba no paramétrica de Wilcoxon no halla diferencia significativa entre los tratami...

  2. Repression of calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in trigeminal neurons by a Theobroma cacao extract☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbey, Marcie J.; Patil, Vinit V.; Vause, Carrie V.; Durham, Paul L.

    2008-01-01

    Ethnopharmacological relevance Cocoa bean preparations were first used by the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations of South America to treat a variety of medical ailments involving the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. Diets rich in foods containing abundant polyphenols, as found in cocoa, underlie the protective effects reported in chronic inflammatory diseases. Release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from trigeminal nerves promotes inflammation in peripheral tissues and nociception. Aim of the study To determine whether a methanol extract of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae) beans enriched for polyphenols could inhibit CGRP expression, both an in vitro and an in vivo approach was taken. Results Treatment of rat trigeminal ganglia cultures with depolarizing stimuli caused a significant increase in CGRP release that was repressed by pretreatment with Theobroma cacao extract. Pretreatment with Theobroma cacao was also shown to block the KCl- and capsaicin-stimulated increases in intracellular calcium. Next, the effects of Theobroma cacao on CGRP levels were determined using an in vivo model of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation. Capsaicin injection into the TMJ capsule caused an ipsilateral decrease in CGRP levels. Theobroma cacao extract injected into the TMJ capsule 24 h prior to capsaicin treatment repressed the stimulatory effects of capsaicin. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Theobroma cacao extract can repress stimulated CGRP release by a mechanism that likely involves blockage of calcium channel activity. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the beneficial effects of diets rich in cocoa may include suppression of sensory trigeminal nerve activation. PMID:17997062

  3. Embriogénesis somática secundaria en el genotipo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) inifap 1 y su descripción histológica

    OpenAIRE

    Lázaro, A. Alejandro; Azpeitia-Morales, A.; Sáenz-Carbonell, L.; Mirafuentes Hernández, F.

    2015-01-01

    La embriogénesis somática aplicada para la propagación clonal de plantas de cacao, aun es de baja eficiencia, por lo que el objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la respuesta de los cotiledones procedentes de embriones somáticos primarios como fuente de explante para inducir embriogénesis somática secundaria (ESS) en presencia de fitohormonas y sin estas en el genotipo de cacao inifap 1, asi como describir los eventos de la ESS desde los 30 hasta los 240 días de cultivo. El uso de las fi...

  4. Embriogénesis somática secundaria en el genotipo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) inifap 1 y su descripción histológica

    OpenAIRE

    A. Alejandro-Lázaro; A. Azpeitia-Morales; L. Sáenz-Carbonell; F . Mirafuentes Hernández

    2015-01-01

    La embriogénesis somática aplicada para la propagación clonal de plantas de cacao, aun es de baja eficiencia, por lo que el objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la respuesta de los cotiledones procedentes de embriones somáticos primarios como fuente de explante para inducir embriogénesis somática secundaria (ESS) en presencia de fitohormonas y sin estas en el genotipo de cacao inifap 1, asi como describir los eventos de la ESS desde los 30 hasta los 240 días de cultivo. El uso de l...

  5. Crecimiento de plántulas de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en diferentes tamaños de contenedor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica Andrea Osorio G.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available El volumen del contenedor para la propagación del cacao es determinante, ya que su tamaño influye en el crecimiento y desarrollo de las plántulas, siendo un factor definitivo para el establecimiento del cultivo. En este trabajo se comparó el efecto que tienen diferentes tamaños de contenedor 0,01; 0,02 y 0,1m3 (volumen de sustrato y la duración en vivero, sobre el crecimiento de plantas de cacao, además, se evaluaron los cambios en el sustrato confinado. Se sembraron semillas de cacao en contenedores de diferentes alturas: 25, 45 y 70cm. Se midió la temperatura de las hojas y se colectaron plántulas, para cuantificar la biomasa particionada y crecimiento de la raíz principal. Simultáneamente fueron evaluadas la resistencia a la penetración, la temperatura, la humedad y la porosidad del sustrato. Los resultados evidenciaron diferencias significativas (P<0,05 en la acumulación de fitomasa total. En los contenedores de mayor tamaño (0,1m3 hubo mayor biomasa total, mayor longitud de raíces: 62,17cm, el sustrato presentó menor resistencia a la penetración (0,52Kg cm-2 y temperatura. La temperatura de las hojas se relacionó directamente con la temperatura del suelo e inversamente con la humedad del suelo. Se comprobó que el tamaño del contenedor afecta las características físicas del sustrato y el crecimiento de las plantas, lo cual sugiere que con 0,02m2 (con 45cm altura del contenedor las plantas pueden permanecer 180 días en vivero.

  6. Accurate determination of genetic identity for a single cacao bean, using molecular markers with a nanofluidic system, ensures cocoa authentication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Wanping; Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Mischke, Sue; Bellato, Cláudia M; Motilal, Lambert; Zhang, Dapeng

    2014-01-15

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), the source of cocoa, is an economically important tropical crop. One problem with the premium cacao market is contamination with off-types adulterating raw premium material. Accurate determination of the genetic identity of single cacao beans is essential for ensuring cocoa authentication. Using nanofluidic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping with 48 SNP markers, we generated SNP fingerprints for small quantities of DNA extracted from the seed coat of single cacao beans. On the basis of the SNP profiles, we identified an assumed adulterant variety, which was unambiguously distinguished from the authentic beans by multilocus matching. Assignment tests based on both Bayesian clustering analysis and allele frequency clearly separated all 30 authentic samples from the non-authentic samples. Distance-based principle coordinate analysis further supported these results. The nanofluidic SNP protocol, together with forensic statistical tools, is sufficiently robust to establish authentication and to verify gourmet cacao varieties. This method shows significant potential for practical application.

  7. Sieving Effect of Sorting Machine with Vibration Table Type on Cacao Pod Based Compost

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siswoyo Soekarno

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Cacao pod is the biggest part (70% of weight of Cacao, which was not optimaly utilized.Cacao podis one of organic material that can be functioned as an organic fertilizer, such as compost. When utilizedwith right proportion, organic fertilizer is safe for plants and not degrades the soil composition. Compostingprocess is one of utilization form of Cacao pod. The size reduction of cacao pod in the organic fertilizerprocess would help to accelerate the composting process. Smaller particle size would faster interacting withenvironment, so the composting process would be well accelerated if compared to the material with biggersize. Chopping machine of Cacao pod is used to cut the biomass to be small particle in order to be able tobe utilized as some important necessity, i.e. fertilizer or farm animals feed. However, Varies compost sizewas one of the problems faced in the composting process. Therefore, the sorting process was needed tobe done after chopping process, so the compost size became uniform and fulfill the user demand. Thisresearch was aimed at knowing the slope effect of sorting machine and rotation speed (RPM. The methodused in analyzing the results of this research was comparing the treatment factors, which are shown withhistogram. As the super small size of compost recommended for applying in the fertilizing process, so theoptimum treatment combination for having high mass fraction of SS compost grade was achieved at 12oslope of sieve table and 1400 RPM motor rotation speed. As bigger the particle densities of the compostsize as smaller the compost porosity. Mass loss was very low at all treatment combination with the valuearound 0.43-1.33%, so the sieving efficiency can be said very high.

  8. Cacao in México: Restrictive factors and productivity levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio Díaz-José

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. represents one of the most important agricultural crops of the humid Mexican tropics. In the last 10 yr, approximately 23.000 t of this grain were no longer produced per cycle. The objective of this study was to identify characteristics and factors that restrict production in the states of Tabasco and Chiapas. A survey was applied to obtain information about 184 producers and their plantations by two-stage sampling. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multilevel models were adjusted to analyze the information. Results show that there are differences (P < 0.05 in cacao yield between municipalities (380 kg ha-1 + u,o j is the estimated residual for each municipality. Crop productivity levels are higher in the state of Tabasco than in Chiapas (644 and 344 kg ha-1, respectively. Incidence of frosty pod rot of cacoa, also known as moniliasis, induced by Moniliophthora roreri [(Cif H.C. Evans, Stalpers, Samson & Benny 1978] is significantly greater (P < 0.05 in the state of Chiapas (60% than in Tabasco (48%.Producers who carry out more crop management practices increase yields and decrease the pathogen's impact on their plantations. Results suggest the need to apply differentiated public policies to promote production within each region or municipality.

  9. Efecto preventivo de un extracto de cacao enriquecido en polifenoles sobre ratas con alteraciones endocrino metabólicas inducidas por sacarosa

    OpenAIRE

    Villagarcía, Hernán Gonzalo; González Arbeláez, Luisa Fernanda; Castro, María Cecilia; Ríos, José Luis; Massa, María Laura; Schinella, Guillermo Raúl; Francini, Flavio

    2016-01-01

    Existe una creciente evidencia de que el consumo de ciertos alimentos, suplementos alimenticios o bebidas tradicionales puede reducir el daño oxidativo en diferentes sistemas biológicos. Alimentos derivados del cacao, tales como polvos de cacao, chocolate y otros productos relacionado con el cacao son alimentos ricos en polifenoles derivados de las semillas fermentadas, tostados y procesados industrialmente de Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae). Estos productos, consumidos en todo el mundo...

  10. Novel receptor-like kinases in cacao contain PR-1 extracellular domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, Paulo José Pereira Lima; Costa, Gustavo Gilson Lacerda; Fiorin, Gabriel Lorencini; Pereira, Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães; Mondego, Jorge Maurício Costa

    2013-08-01

    Members of the pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) family are well-known markers of plant defence responses, forming part of the arsenal of the secreted proteins produced on pathogen recognition. Here, we report the identification of two cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) PR-1s that are fused to transmembrane regions and serine/threonine kinase domains, in a manner characteristic of receptor-like kinases (RLKs). These proteins (TcPR-1f and TcPR-1g) were named PR-1 receptor kinases (PR-1RKs). Phylogenetic analysis of RLKs and PR-1 proteins from cacao indicated that PR-1RKs originated from a fusion between sequences encoding PR-1 and the kinase domain of a LecRLK (Lectin Receptor-Like Kinase). Retrotransposition marks surround TcPR-1f, suggesting that retrotransposition was involved in the origin of PR-1RKs. Genes with a similar domain architecture to cacao PR-1RKs were found in rice (Oryza sativa), barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) and a nonphototrophic bacterium (Herpetosiphon aurantiacus). However, their kinase domains differed from those found in LecRLKs, indicating the occurrence of convergent evolution. TcPR-1g expression was up-regulated in the biotrophic stage of witches' broom disease, suggesting a role for PR-1RKs during cacao defence responses. We hypothesize that PR-1RKs transduce a defence signal by interacting with a PR-1 ligand. © 2013 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  11. QTL mapping for resistance to frosty pod and black pod diseases in an f1 population of Theobroma cacao L

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is a native crop of the Americas; however severe losses due to frosty pod (FP) [Moniliophthora roreri (Cif. and Par.)], and black pod (BP) [Phytophthora palmivora (Butl.) Butl.] have reduced cacao in the Americas to only 13.0% of world production. Agronomic practices to co...

  12. Feasibility study of thermal processing of cacao shells with energy utilization. Haalbaarheidsstudie thermische verwerking cacaodop met energiebenutting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Vries, R; Pfeiffer, A E [KEMA Milieu Technologie, Arnhem (Netherlands)

    1994-05-27

    A cacao factory in Zaanstad, Netherlands, produces cacao shells, which are applied as filling material in fodder. However, while the development of the market and environmental regulations are uncertain, the option to use cacao shells as an energy source to generate heat and/or electricity seems to be attractive. Attention is paid to the consequences of the combustion of cacao shells for which two variants are considered: (1) only heat production which covers the total heat demand; (2) combined generation of power and heat, which saves natural gas and electricity. Surplus power can be supplied to the grid. Descriptions of the systems for the two variants are given, as well as the costs and benefits. A preference for one of the two variants depends on the market sales for cacao shells. If it is decided to put the chosen installation to tender it is recommended to investigate further the subsidy options and the possibility of cooperation with the energy utility sector. In the appendix the results of the flue gas purification concept are presented. 5 figs., 6 tabs., 1 appendix

  13. ALTERNATIVE TREE CROPS FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE POST-TSUNAMI IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF ACEH BARAT DISTRICT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wahyunto Wahyunto

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Tree farming such as coconut, cocoa, coffee, rubber, and rambutan was dominant in the west coast of Aceh prior to tsunami. The farming is not only important for sustainable livelihood, but also for superior environmental protection. During the tsunami, considerable portion of this ‘green infrastructure’ was devastated. Therefore, a scientifically based land suitability evaluation is needed for supporting the redesign and  reconstruction of the tree-based farming. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the current physical condition of the area and develop recommendation of land suitability for tree crops farming in the area. Field survey for inventory and evaluation of land characteristics was conducted in 2006, 15 months after the tsunami. Land suitability evaluation was conducted by matching field survey data and soil sample analyses in every mapping unit with crop growth requirements. The land suitability map was further matched with the district development plan, existing land uses and land status. The resulted land use recommendation map showed that the marine ecosystem along the coastal line was most suitable for coconut, cacao, coffee, and casuarinas. The recommended tree crops for the ancient sandy beach were areca nut, coconut, rambutan, mango, rubber and oil palm; and for the alluvial ecosystem were coconut, cacao, areca nut, mango, and bread fruit. Peatland of less than 3 m thick was marginally suitable for oil palm and rubber, while those thicker than 3 m were recommended for conservation due to its fragile ecosystem. In the undulating tectonic plain, the suitable tree crops were rubber, oil palm, coconut, and rambutan.

  14. Algunas Características de los Cacaos Criollos de Venezuela

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciferri R.

    1949-03-01

    Full Text Available Se indican algunas características morfológicas y biométricas de los cacaos "Criollo de cáscara morada" y "Criollo de cáscara decolorada", observadas en un cacaotal de Venezuela y las cuales se comparan con las de algunos de sus cruces, así más afines, como más alejados, que en conjunto forman el Forastero Venezolano. Se llama la atención sobre unos tipos de cacao muy valiosos, derivados de los cruzamientos entre estos dos tipos de Criollo, mencionados. Se indica, además, la distribución de dichos Criollos en Venezuela.

  15. De jacht op het geheim van cacao

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hollman, P.C.H.

    2008-01-01

    Je kans op een dodelijke hartaanval halveert als je elke dag een groot paaseitje pure chocolade eet, blijkt uit een recente Nederlandse epidemiologische studie. En ook andere studies laten zien dat consumptie van cacao beschermt tegen hart- en vaatziekten. Maar het is nog een raadsel hoe dat precies

  16. The Relationship between On-Farm Shade Trees and Cocoa Yields in Ghana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Asare, Richard

    Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a crop that is widely cultivated across West Africa with Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria contributing about 70% of the global production. In Ghana cocoa contributes significantly to the national economy as over 20% of the world’s cocoa production comes from...... the country, making it the world’s second largest producer with an annual production level of over 700,000 metric tons, and an estimated cultivation area of ca. 1.6 million ha. Cocoa is mostly cultivated by smallholder farmers either as a monocrop or in association with other food crops, tree crops and under...... the cover of shade trees – cocoa agroforestry. This thesis hypothesizes that canopy cover of shade trees in low input (low-to-no fertilizer application) cocoa growing systems can contribute to cocoa yield improvements. The main theme deals with shade trees diversity and its effects on cocoa production...

  17. El nombre 'Forastero' no más: A new protocol for meaningful cacao germplasm classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The title of this article (The name ‘Forastero’ no more) is to convey an attempt in this paper to try to convince the cacao scientific community not to use the term Forastero to identify cacao germplasm of non-Criollo origin. The term Forastero originated in Latin America to differentiate the intro...

  18. Fertilisation minérale du cacaoyer ( Theobroma cacao L.) en Côte d ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    En Côte d'Ivoire, le cacaoyer (Theobroma cacao L.) est traditionnellement cultivé selon un système extensif et itinérant, utilisant du matériel végétal peu performant. Les rendements en cacao sont donc faible (260 à 600 kg·ha-1·an-1). Pour améliorer la productivité des cacaoyères, les chercheurs ivoiriens ont mis au point ...

  19. High-resolution transcript profiling of the atypical biotrophic interaction between Theobroma cacao and the fungal pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, Paulo José Pereira Lima; Thomazella, Daniela Paula de Toledo; Reis, Osvaldo; do Prado, Paula Favoretti Vital; do Rio, Maria Carolina Scatolin; Fiorin, Gabriel Lorencini; José, Juliana; Costa, Gustavo Gilson Lacerda; Negri, Victor Augusti; Mondego, Jorge Maurício Costa; Mieczkowski, Piotr; Pereira, Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães

    2014-11-01

    Witches' broom disease (WBD), caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, is one of the most devastating diseases of Theobroma cacao, the chocolate tree. In contrast to other hemibiotrophic interactions, the WBD biotrophic stage lasts for months and is responsible for the most distinctive symptoms of the disease, which comprise drastic morphological changes in the infected shoots. Here, we used the dual RNA-seq approach to simultaneously assess the transcriptomes of cacao and M. perniciosa during their peculiar biotrophic interaction. Infection with M. perniciosa triggers massive metabolic reprogramming in the diseased tissues. Although apparently vigorous, the infected shoots are energetically expensive structures characterized by the induction of ineffective defense responses and by a clear carbon deprivation signature. Remarkably, the infection culminates in the establishment of a senescence process in the host, which signals the end of the WBD biotrophic stage. We analyzed the pathogen's transcriptome in unprecedented detail and thereby characterized the fungal nutritional and infection strategies during WBD and identified putative virulence effectors. Interestingly, M. perniciosa biotrophic mycelia develop as long-term parasites that orchestrate changes in plant metabolism to increase the availability of soluble nutrients before plant death. Collectively, our results provide unique insight into an intriguing tropical disease and advance our understanding of the development of (hemi)biotrophic plant-pathogen interactions. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  20. Frosty pod of cacao: a disease with a limited geographic range but unlimited potential for damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips-Mora, W; Wilkinson, M J

    2007-12-01

    ABSTRACT Moniliophthora roreri, the cause of frosty pod rot (FP), is a specialized fungal pathogen (family Marasmiaceae) that invades only actively growing pods of cacao, Theobroma cacao, and related species of Theobroma and Herrania. FP damages pods and the commercially important seeds that some of these species produce. M. roreri was confined to northwestern South America until the 1950s. Its appearance in Panama in 1956 signaled a change in its geographic distribution. Now, it is found in 11 countries in tropical America. The fungus is currently in an active dispersal phase, possibly due to an increase in human-mediated spread. FP is more destructive than black pod (Phytophthora spp.) and more dangerous and difficult to control than witches' broom, caused by Moniliophthora (Crinipellis) perniciosa. The aggressiveness of M. roreri, its capacity to survive different environmental conditions, its rapid natural dispersal, its propensity for man-mediated dispersal, and the susceptibility of most commercial cacao genotypes, all indicate that FP presents a substantial threat to cacao cultivation worldwide.

  1. Proanthocyanidin synthesis in Theobroma cacao: genes encoding anthocyanidin synthase, anthocyanidin reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Shi, Zi; Maximova, Siela; Payne, Mark J; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2013-12-05

    The proanthocyanidins (PAs), a subgroup of flavonoids, accumulate to levels of approximately 10% total dry weight of cacao seeds. PAs have been associated with human health benefits and also play important roles in pest and disease defense throughout the plant. To dissect the genetic basis of PA biosynthetic pathway in cacao (Theobroma cacao), we have isolated three genes encoding key PA synthesis enzymes, anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) and leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR). We measured the expression levels of TcANR, TcANS and TcLAR and PA content in cacao leaves, flowers, pod exocarp and seeds. In all tissues examined, all three genes were abundantly expressed and well correlated with PA accumulation levels, suggesting their active roles in PA synthesis. Overexpression of TcANR in an Arabidopsis ban mutant complemented the PA deficient phenotype in seeds and resulted in reduced anthocyanidin levels in hypocotyls. Overexpression of TcANS in tobacco resulted in increased content of both anthocyanidins and PAs in flower petals. Overexpression of TcANS in an Arabidopsis ldox mutant complemented its PA deficient phenotype in seeds. Recombinant TcLAR protein converted leucoanthocyanidin to catechin in vitro. Transgenic tobacco overexpressing TcLAR had decreased amounts of anthocyanidins and increased PAs. Overexpressing TcLAR in Arabidopsis ldox mutant also resulted in elevated synthesis of not only catechin but also epicatechin. Our results confirm the in vivo function of cacao ANS and ANR predicted based on sequence homology to previously characterized enzymes from other species. In addition, our results provide a clear functional analysis of a LAR gene in vivo.

  2. Determinación de la concentración de cadmio en un chocolate colombiano con 65% de cacao y chocolates extranjeros con diferentes porcentajes de cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Echeverry, A.; Reyes, H.

    2016-01-01

    Se evaluó de forma cualitativa y cuantitativa la presencia de cadmio en un chocolate amargo con 65% de cacao producido en Colombia y en chocolates extranjeros con diferentes porcentajes de cacao. Para la preparación de las muestras se tomaron 0,5 gramos y se realizó una digestión ácida con ácido nítrico concentrado (HNO3 65%). La determinación del metal se llevó a cabo por medio de la técnica de espectrofotometría de absorción atómica de llama (FAAS). Se determinó el límite de detección (LOD)...

  3. Moniliophthora roreri (Cif y Par) Evans et al. en el cultivo de cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Sánchez Mora, Fernando David; Garcés Fiallos, Felipe Rafael

    2012-01-01

    More than a century, cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Ecuador has been an important source of income for farmers and currency for the country, becoming one of the biggest exporters worldwide. Then, gradually lost that status due to the attack of diseases, including moniliasis caused by [Moniliophthora roreri (Cif and Par) Evans et al.]. It can cause damage of up to 80% in production. Currently there is little scientific date information on its occurrence, symptoms, etiology, epidemiology, life c...

  4. Cacao diseases-the trilogy revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Harry C

    2007-12-01

    ABSTRACT This paper reviews the significant advances by the diseases themselves, as well as by the scientists, in the intervening period since the disease trilogy was first delimited in 1989. The impact of these diseases, black pod, witches' broom, and frosty pod rot, has increased dramatically. In addition, there have been radical changes in the taxonomic profiles of these pathogens, which have been based on both traditional (morphological, cytological) and modern (molecular) approaches. Black pod is caused by a complex of Phytophthora species, in which P. palmivora still is the most important worldwide. However, recent invasion of the principal cacao-growing countries of West Africa by the more virulent P. megakarya has been cause for concern. The latter evolved in the ancient forests straddling the Cameroon-Nigerian border as a primary coloniser of fallen fruit. Conversely, frosty pod rot, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, and witches' broom, caused by M. (Crinipellis) perniciosa, both neotropical diseases, are hemibiotrophic, coevolved pathogens. Respectively, M. roreri arose on Theobroma gileri in submontane forests on the north-western slopes of the Andes, whereas M. perniciosa developed as a complex of pathotypes with a considerably wider geographic and host range within South America; the cacao pathotype evolved on that host in the Amazon basin. The inter-relationships of these vicariant species and their recent spread are discussed, together with control strategies.

  5. Cacao families and parents selected as resistant to natural infection of Moniliophthora perniciosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina S. Benjamin

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The known sources of resistance to witches’ broom (WB, a severe disease of cacao, are limited. Aiming to identify families and parents resistant to Moniliophthora perniciosa, a population of 22 families was evaluated by assessing the number of brooms formed per tree during 10 years under field conditions. The population was established in randomized blocks with three replications of 12 plants each. Significant differences were observed among families. The most outstanding families were NA33 x RB39 and RB39 x P4B, which presented the lowest WB incidence during 10 years. The increase in natural field infection of Scavina clones families and their descendants were clearly demonstrated after 2006. The existence of additive effects for resistance appears clearly for families, which had other source of resistance associated with Scavina. Clones RB39, RB36, P4B, NA33 and CSUL3 are promising parents for pyramiding resistance genes and increasing the stability and durability of resistance to WB.

  6. Yield performance and bean quality traits of cacao propagated by grafting and somatic embryo-derived cuttings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao) has great potential as a component of a small tropical farming system. It adapts to a wide range of soils of climatic conditions, grows well under minimum tillage, adapts to temporary intercropping, has the potential of being sold in local and export markets and the pods are ...

  7. Evaluación microbiológica y sensorial de fermentados de pozol blanco, con cacao (Theobroma cacao y coco (Cocos nucifera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Román Jiménez Vera

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available El pozol es una bebida de maíz que se consume en el sureste de México y en algunos países de Centroamérica. Se puede consumir recién elaborado o fermentado. Tradicionalmente se consume solo (pozol blanco, aunque también es común agregarle cacao o coco. En este trabajo se evaluaron cambios microbiológicos durante la fermentación natural a temperatura ambiental, de tres tipos de pozol: blanco, con cacao y coco. La concentración de bacterias coliformes disminuyó a partir del tercer día de fermentación y a los 12 días se obtuvo una concentración de 2,20 log UFC/g. En las bacterias lácticas se observó el mayor crecimiento; ellas alcanzaron una concentración de 8,00 log UFC/g a los 3 días de fermentación que se mantuvo durante los 9 días siguientes. Se realizaron pruebas de nivel de agrado y preferencia con 31 jueces consumidores. La adición de ingredientes como el cacao o el coco no mejoraron el nivel de agrado entre los consumidores evaluados (p > 0,05. El pozol blanco y fresco fue el preferido (32 %. En el futuro, estos resultados pueden ser utilizados para clasificar al pozol como una bebida funcional, debido a la presencia de bacterias lácticas en concentración similar a la encontrada en el yogur.

  8. Identification, classification and differential expression of oleosin genes in tung tree (Vernicia fordii).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Heping; Zhang, Lin; Tan, Xiaofeng; Long, Hongxu; Shockey, Jay M

    2014-01-01

    Triacylglycerols (TAG) are the major molecules of energy storage in eukaryotes. TAG are packed in subcellular structures called oil bodies or lipid droplets. Oleosins (OLE) are the major proteins in plant oil bodies. Multiple isoforms of OLE are present in plants such as tung tree (Vernicia fordii), whose seeds are rich in novel TAG with a wide range of industrial applications. The objectives of this study were to identify OLE genes, classify OLE proteins and analyze OLE gene expression in tung trees. We identified five tung tree OLE genes coding for small hydrophobic proteins. Genome-wide phylogenetic analysis and multiple sequence alignment demonstrated that the five tung OLE genes represented the five OLE subfamilies and all contained the "proline knot" motif (PX5SPX3P) shared among 65 OLE from 19 tree species, including the sequenced genomes of Prunus persica (peach), Populus trichocarpa (poplar), Ricinus communis (castor bean), Theobroma cacao (cacao) and Vitis vinifera (grapevine). Tung OLE1, OLE2 and OLE3 belong to the S type and OLE4 and OLE5 belong to the SM type of Arabidopsis OLE. TaqMan and SYBR Green qPCR methods were used to study the differential expression of OLE genes in tung tree tissues. Expression results demonstrated that 1) All five OLE genes were expressed in developing tung seeds, leaves and flowers; 2) OLE mRNA levels were much higher in seeds than leaves or flowers; 3) OLE1, OLE2 and OLE3 genes were expressed in tung seeds at much higher levels than OLE4 and OLE5 genes; 4) OLE mRNA levels rapidly increased during seed development; and 5) OLE gene expression was well-coordinated with tung oil accumulation in the seeds. These results suggest that tung OLE genes 1-3 probably play major roles in tung oil accumulation and/or oil body development. Therefore, they might be preferred targets for tung oil engineering in transgenic plants.

  9. Identification, classification and differential expression of oleosin genes in tung tree (Vernicia fordii.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heping Cao

    Full Text Available Triacylglycerols (TAG are the major molecules of energy storage in eukaryotes. TAG are packed in subcellular structures called oil bodies or lipid droplets. Oleosins (OLE are the major proteins in plant oil bodies. Multiple isoforms of OLE are present in plants such as tung tree (Vernicia fordii, whose seeds are rich in novel TAG with a wide range of industrial applications. The objectives of this study were to identify OLE genes, classify OLE proteins and analyze OLE gene expression in tung trees. We identified five tung tree OLE genes coding for small hydrophobic proteins. Genome-wide phylogenetic analysis and multiple sequence alignment demonstrated that the five tung OLE genes represented the five OLE subfamilies and all contained the "proline knot" motif (PX5SPX3P shared among 65 OLE from 19 tree species, including the sequenced genomes of Prunus persica (peach, Populus trichocarpa (poplar, Ricinus communis (castor bean, Theobroma cacao (cacao and Vitis vinifera (grapevine. Tung OLE1, OLE2 and OLE3 belong to the S type and OLE4 and OLE5 belong to the SM type of Arabidopsis OLE. TaqMan and SYBR Green qPCR methods were used to study the differential expression of OLE genes in tung tree tissues. Expression results demonstrated that 1 All five OLE genes were expressed in developing tung seeds, leaves and flowers; 2 OLE mRNA levels were much higher in seeds than leaves or flowers; 3 OLE1, OLE2 and OLE3 genes were expressed in tung seeds at much higher levels than OLE4 and OLE5 genes; 4 OLE mRNA levels rapidly increased during seed development; and 5 OLE gene expression was well-coordinated with tung oil accumulation in the seeds. These results suggest that tung OLE genes 1-3 probably play major roles in tung oil accumulation and/or oil body development. Therefore, they might be preferred targets for tung oil engineering in transgenic plants.

  10. Study of Seed Germination by Soaking Methode of Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sulistyani Pancaningtyas

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Study of germination methods conduct to get information about seed viability based on germination rate, percentage of germination and vigority. Germination methods was studied to get the efficiency and effectivity of germination, easy to handle, low costs with high vigority. Sand and gunny sack methods  for germination, need extensive place  and 3-4 days germination period after planting. This research will study the alternative of germination method with soaking. This method can be accelerating  germination rate and effectively place usage without decreasing the quality of cacao seedling.The research was done at Kaliwining Experimental Station, Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institue. This research consist of two experiment was arranged based on factorial completely random design. First experiment will observed to compared germination rate and the second experiment will observed seedling quality between soaking and wet gunny sack germination method.The results showed that length of radicel on soaking method longer than wet gunny sack method. Growth of radicel started from 2 hours after soaking, moreover length of radicel at 4 hours after soaking have significant different value with gunny sack method. On 24 hours after soaking have 3,69 mm and 0,681 mm on wet gunny sack treatment. Except lengt of hipocotyl, there is not different condition between seedling that out came  from soaking and wet gunny sack method. Length of hipocotyl on 36 hours after soaking have 9,15 cm and significant different between wet gunny sack germination method that have 5,40 cm. Keywords : seed germination, soaking method, Theobroma cacao L., cocoa seedlings

  11. The role of trees in agroecology and sustainable agriculture in the tropics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leakey, Roger R B

    2014-01-01

    Shifting agriculture in the tropics has been replaced by sedentary smallholder farming on a few hectares of degraded land. To address low yields and low income both, the soil fertility, the agroecosystem functions, and the source of income can be restored by diversification with nitrogen-fixing trees and the cultivation of indigenous tree species that produce nutritious and marketable products. Biodiversity conservation studies indicate that mature cash crop systems, such as cacao and coffee with shade trees, provide wildlife habitat that supports natural predators, which, in turn, reduce the numbers of herbivores and pathogens. This review offers suggestions on how to examine these agroecological processes in more detail for the most effective rehabilitation of degraded land. Evidence from agroforestry indicates that in this way, productive and environmentally friendly farming systems that provide food and nutritional security, as well as poverty alleviation, can be achieved in harmony with wildlife.

  12. Respon Pertumbuhan Bibit Kakao (Theobroma Cacao L.) TerhadapPemberian Pupuk Guano Dan KCl

    OpenAIRE

    Rajagukguk, Pispa; Siagian, Balonggu; Rosanty Lahay, Ratna

    2015-01-01

    Addition of guano in cultivation of cacao seedling is the one step to use organic fertilizer thatcomes from animal feces and it is used to add soil nutrient for the growth of cocoa seedlings, aswell addition of KCl is used to add soil nutrient too. For that purpose addition guano and KCl aimsto increase growth of cacao in cultivation of seedling. This research had been conducted atexperimental field of agriculture fakulty University of North Sumatera in October 2013 - January2014 using factor...

  13. Respon pertumbuhan bibit kakao (Theobroma cacao L.) terhadap pemberian pupuk guano dan KCl

    OpenAIRE

    Rajagukguk, Pispa

    2015-01-01

    Addition of Guano in Cultivation of Cacao Seedling is the one of step to use organic fertilizer that comes from animal feces in the world. For that purpose addition guano aims to increase growth of Cacao in Cultivation of Seedling. This research had been conducted at experimental field of Fakultas Pertanian USU in October 2013 - January 2014 using factorial randomized block design with two factor, i.e. addition dose of Guano (0, 75 , 150 , 225 g/polibag) and dose of KCl (0 , ...

  14. Genetic diversity and parentage in farmer selections of cacao from Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia revealed by microsatellite markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinarti, Diny; Susilo, Agung W; Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Ji, Kun; Motilal, Lambert A; Mischke, Sue; Zhang, Dapeng

    2015-12-01

    Indonesia is the third largest cocoa-producing country in the world. Knowledge of genetic diversity and parentage of farmer selections is important for effective selection and rational deployment of superior cacao clones in farmers' fields. We assessed genetic diversity and parentage of 53 farmer selections of cacao in Sulawesi, Indonesia, using 152 international clones as references. Cluster analysis, based on 15 microsatellite markers, showed that these Sulawesi farmer selections are mainly comprised of hybrids derived from Trinitario and two Upper Amazon Forastero groups. Bayesian assignment and likelihood-based parentage analysis further demonstrated that only a small number of germplasm groups, dominantly Trinitario and Parinari, contributed to these farmer selections, in spite of diverse parental clones having been used in the breeding program and seed gardens in Indonesia since the 1950s. The narrow parentage predicts a less durable host resistance to cacao diseases. Limited access of the farmers to diverse planting materials or the strong preference for large pods and large bean size by local farmers, may have affected the selection outcome. Diverse sources of resistance, harbored in different cacao germplasm groups, need to be effectively incorporated to broaden the on-farm diversity and ensure sustainable cacao production in Sulawesi.

  15. Genetic diversity and parentage in farmer selections of cacao from Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia revealed by microsatellite markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinarti, Diny; Susilo, Agung W.; Meinhardt, Lyndel W.; Ji, Kun; Motilal, Lambert A.; Mischke, Sue; Zhang, Dapeng

    2015-01-01

    Indonesia is the third largest cocoa-producing country in the world. Knowledge of genetic diversity and parentage of farmer selections is important for effective selection and rational deployment of superior cacao clones in farmers’ fields. We assessed genetic diversity and parentage of 53 farmer selections of cacao in Sulawesi, Indonesia, using 152 international clones as references. Cluster analysis, based on 15 microsatellite markers, showed that these Sulawesi farmer selections are mainly comprised of hybrids derived from Trinitario and two Upper Amazon Forastero groups. Bayesian assignment and likelihood-based parentage analysis further demonstrated that only a small number of germplasm groups, dominantly Trinitario and Parinari, contributed to these farmer selections, in spite of diverse parental clones having been used in the breeding program and seed gardens in Indonesia since the 1950s. The narrow parentage predicts a less durable host resistance to cacao diseases. Limited access of the farmers to diverse planting materials or the strong preference for large pods and large bean size by local farmers, may have affected the selection outcome. Diverse sources of resistance, harbored in different cacao germplasm groups, need to be effectively incorporated to broaden the on-farm diversity and ensure sustainable cacao production in Sulawesi. PMID:26719747

  16. Time-Related Changes in Volatile Compounds during Fermentation of Bulk and Fine-Flavor Cocoa (Theobroma cacao Beans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Chocolate is one of the most consumed foods worldwide and cacao fermentation contributes to the unique sensory characteristics of chocolate products. However, comparative changes in volatiles occurring during fermentation of Criollo, Forastero, and Nacional cacao—three of the most representative cultivars worldwide—have not been reported. Beans of each cultivar were fermented for five days and samples were taken every 24 hours. Volatiles from each sample were adsorbed into a solid phase microextraction fiber and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Aroma potential of each compound was determined using available databases. Multivariate data analyses showed partial clustering of samples according to cultivars at the start of the fermentation but complete clustering was observed at the end of the fermentation. The Criollo cacao produced floral, fruity, and woody aroma volatiles including linalool, epoxylinalool, benzeneethanol, pentanol acetate, germacrene, α-copaene, aromadendrene, 3,6-heptanedione, butanal, 1-phenyl ethenone, 2-nonanone, and 2-pentanone. Nacional cacao produced fruity, green, and woody aroma volatiles including 2-nonanone, 3-octen-1-ol, 2-octanol acetate, 2-undecanone, valencene, and aromadendrene. The Forastero cacao yielded floral and sweet aroma volatiles such as epoxylinalool, pentanoic acid, benzeneacetaldehyde, and benzaldehyde. This is the first report of volatiles produced during fermentation of Criollo, Forastero, and Nacional cacao from the same origin.

  17. Development of a tomographic system adapted to 3D measurement of contaminated wounds based on the Cacao concept (Computer aided collimation Gamma Camera); Developpement a partir du concept CACAO (Camera A Collimation Assistee par Ordinateur) d'un systeme tomographique adapte a la mesure 3D de plaies contaminees

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Douiri, A

    2002-03-01

    The computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO in French) is a gamma camera using a collimator with large holes, a supplementary linear scanning motion during the acquisition and a dedicated reconstruction program taking full account of the source depth. The CACAO system was introduced to improve both the sensitivity and the resolution in nuclear medicine. This thesis focuses on the design of a fast and robust reconstruction algorithm in the CACAO project. We start by an overview of tomographic imaging techniques in nuclear medicine. After modelling the physical CACAO system, we present the complete reconstruction program which involves three steps: 1) shift and sum 2) deconvolution and filtering 3) rotation and sum. The deconvolution is the critical step that decreases the signal to noise ratio of the reconstructed images. We propose a regularized multi-channel algorithm to solve the deconvolution problem. We also present a fast algorithm based on Splines functions and preserving the high quality of the reconstructed images for the shift and the rotation steps. Comparisons of simulated reconstructed images in 2D and 3D for the conventional system (CPHC) and CACAO demonstrate the ability of CACAO system to increase the quality of the SPECT images. Finally, this study concludes with an experimental approach with a pixellated detector conceived for a 3D measurement of contaminated wounds. This experimentation proves the possible advantages of coupling the CACAO project with pixellated detectors. Moreover, a variety of applications could fully benefit from the CACAO system, such as low activity imaging, the use of high-energy gamma isotopes and the visualization of deep organs. Moreover the combination of the CACAO system with a pixels detector may open up further possibilities for the future of nuclear medicine. (author)

  18. Health Benefits of Methylxanthines in Cacao and Chocolate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Rafael; Oñatibia-Astibia, Ainhoa; Martínez-Pinilla, Eva

    2013-01-01

    One may wonder why methylxanthines are so abundant in beverages used by humans for centuries, or in cola-drinks that have been heavily consumed since their appearance. It is likely that humans have stuck to any brew containing compounds with psychoactive properties, resulting in a better daily life, i.e., more efficient thinking, exploring, hunting, etc., however, without the serious side effects of drugs of abuse. The physiological effects of methylxanthines have been known for a long time and they are mainly mediated by the so-called adenosine receptors. Caffeine and theobromine are the most abundant methylxanthines in cacao and their physiological effects are notable. Their health-promoting benefits are so remarkable that chocolate is explored as a functional food. The consequences of adenosine receptor blockade by natural compounds present in cacao/chocolate are here reviewed. Palatability and health benefits of methylxanthines, in general, and theobromine, in particular, have further contributed to sustain one of the most innocuous and pleasant habits: chocolate consumption. PMID:24145871

  19. Health Benefits of Methylxanthines in Cacao and Chocolate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Franco

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available One may wonder why methylxanthines are so abundant in beverages used by humans for centuries, or in cola-drinks that have been heavily consumed since their appearance. It is likely that humans have stuck to any brew containing compounds with psychoactive properties, resulting in a better daily life, i.e., more efficient thinking, exploring, hunting, etc., however, without the serious side effects of drugs of abuse. The physiological effects of methylxanthines have been known for a long time and they are mainly mediated by the so-called adenosine receptors. Caffeine and theobromine are the most abundant methylxanthines in cacao and their physiological effects are notable. Their health-promoting benefits are so remarkable that chocolate is explored as a functional food. The consequences of adenosine receptor blockade by natural compounds present in cacao/chocolate are here reviewed. Palatability and health benefits of methylxanthines, in general, and theobromine, in particular, have further contributed to sustain one of the most innocuous and pleasant habits: chocolate consumption.

  20. Health benefits of methylxanthines in cacao and chocolate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Rafael; Oñatibia-Astibia, Ainhoa; Martínez-Pinilla, Eva

    2013-10-18

    One may wonder why methylxanthines are so abundant in beverages used by humans for centuries, or in cola-drinks that have been heavily consumed since their appearance. It is likely that humans have stuck to any brew containing compounds with psychoactive properties, resulting in a better daily life, i.e., more efficient thinking, exploring, hunting, etc., however, without the serious side effects of drugs of abuse. The physiological effects of methylxanthines have been known for a long time and they are mainly mediated by the so-called adenosine receptors. Caffeine and theobromine are the most abundant methylxanthines in cacao and their physiological effects are notable. Their health-promoting benefits are so remarkable that chocolate is explored as a functional food. The consequences of adenosine receptor blockade by natural compounds present in cacao/chocolate are here reviewed. Palatability and health benefits of methylxanthines, in general, and theobromine, in particular, have further contributed to sustain one of the most innocuous and pleasant habits: chocolate consumption.

  1. The causal agents of witches' broom and frosty pod rot of cacao (chocolate, Theobroma cacao) form a new lineage of Marasmiaceae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aime, M C; Phillips-Mora, W

    2005-01-01

    The two most devastating diseases of cacao (Theobroma cacao)--the source of chocolate--in tropical America are caused by the fungi Crinipellis perniciosa (witches' broom disease) and Moniliophthora roreri (frosty pod rot or moniliasis disease). Despite the agricultural, socio-economic and environmental impact of these fungi, most aspects of their life cycles are unknown, and the phylogenetic relationships of M. roreri have yet to be conclusively established. In this paper, extensive phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear gene regions (28S rDNA, 18S rDNA, ITS, RPB1, and EF1-alpha) confirm that C. perniciosa and M. roreri are sister taxa that belong in the Marasmiaceae (euagarics). Furthermore, these taxa form part of a separate and distinct lineage within the family. This lineage includes the biotrophic fungi Moniliophthora perniciosa comb. nov. and M. roreri, as well as one undescribed endophytic species. The sister genera to Moniliophthora are Marasmius, Crinipellis and Chaetocalathus, which consist mainly of saprotrophic litter fungi.

  2. TcCYPR04, a Cacao Papain-Like Cysteine-Protease Detected in Senescent and Necrotic Tissues Interacts with a Cystatin TcCYS4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardoso, Thyago Hermylly Santana; Freitas, Ana Camila Oliveira; Andrade, Bruno Silva; Sousa, Aurizangela Oliveira de; Santiago, André da Silva; Koop, Daniela Martins; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Alvim, Fátima Cerqueira; Micheli, Fabienne; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2015-01-01

    The interaction amongst papain-like cysteine-proteases (PLCP) and their substrates and inhibitors, such as cystatins, can be perceived as part of the molecular battlefield in plant-pathogen interaction. In cacao, four cystatins were identified and characterized by our group. We identified 448 proteases in cacao genome, whereof 134 were cysteine-proteases. We expressed in Escherichia coli a PLCP from cacao, named TcCYSPR04. Immunoblottings with anti-TcCYSPR04 exhibited protein increases during leaf development. Additional isoforms of TcCYSPR04 appeared in senescent leaves and cacao tissues infected by Moniliophthora perniciosa during the transition from the biotrophic to the saprophytic phase. TcCYSPR04 was induced in the apoplastic fluid of Catongo and TSH1188 cacao genotypes, susceptible and resistant to M. perniciosa, respectively, but greater intensity and additional isoforms were observed in TSH1188. The fungal protein MpNEP induced PLCP isoform expression in tobacco leaves, according to the cross reaction with anti-TcCYSPR04. Several protein isoforms were detected at 72 hours after treatment with MpNEP. We captured an active PLCP from cacao tissues, using a recombinant cacao cystatin immobilized in CNBr-Sepharose. Mass spectrometry showed that this protein corresponds to TcCYSPR04. A homology modeling was obtained for both proteins. In order to become active, TcCYSPR04 needs to lose its inhibitory domain. Molecular docking showed the physical-chemical complementarities of the interaction between the cacao enzyme and its inhibitor. We propose that TcCYSPR04 and its interactions with cacao cystatins are involved in the senescence and necrosis events related to witches' broom symptoms. This molecular interaction may be the target for future interventions to control witches' broom disease.

  3. The CACAO Method for Smoothing, Gap Filling, and Characterizing Seasonal Anomalies in Satellite Time Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verger, Aleixandre; Baret, F.; Weiss, M.; Kandasamy, S.; Vermote, E.

    2013-01-01

    Consistent, continuous, and long time series of global biophysical variables derived from satellite data are required for global change research. A novel climatology fitting approach called CACAO (Consistent Adjustment of the Climatology to Actual Observations) is proposed to reduce noise and fill gaps in time series by scaling and shifting the seasonal climatological patterns to the actual observations. The shift and scale CACAO parameters adjusted for each season allow quantifying shifts in the timing of seasonal phenology and inter-annual variations in magnitude as compared to the average climatology. CACAO was assessed first over simulated daily Leaf Area Index (LAI) time series with varying fractions of missing data and noise. Then, performances were analyzed over actual satellite LAI products derived from AVHRR Long-Term Data Record for the 1981-2000 period over the BELMANIP2 globally representative sample of sites. Comparison with two widely used temporal filtering methods-the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) model and the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter as implemented in TIMESAT-revealed that CACAO achieved better performances for smoothing AVHRR time series characterized by high level of noise and frequent missing observations. The resulting smoothed time series captures well the vegetation dynamics and shows no gaps as compared to the 50-60% of still missing data after AG or SG reconstructions. Results of simulation experiments as well as confrontation with actual AVHRR time series indicate that the proposed CACAO method is more robust to noise and missing data than AG and SG methods for phenology extraction.

  4. Qualité du cacao camerounais : Facteurs influençant la présence et l ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    La qualité du cacao peut être influencée par la microflore fongique, en particulier toxinogène. Des cabosses de cacao, récoltées dans la région de Kumba au Cameroun, ont subi deux types de traitements post-récolte (fermentation en caisse et en tas de cabosses saines ou blessées). La numération des moisissures ...

  5. EFFECT LINDAK CACAO FRUIT MATURITY (THEOBROMA CACAO, F) WITH HIGH LEVEL OF POLYPHENOLS AS ANTIOXIDANT

    OpenAIRE

    Langkong, Jumriah

    2013-01-01

    Lindak cacao beans has polyphenol compounds that has a function as antioxidants which is important for the body to ward off a disease like cancer. The content of polyphenols in cocoa pods, influenced by post-harvest and processing. In addition, also influenced by fruit maturity level of lindak cocoa maturity level A (colored yellow on the entire surface of the fruit), B (yellow on the groove and back fruits), and C (colored yellow on the flow of fruit). The purpose of this study was to ana...

  6. From whole-body counting to imaging: The computer aided collimation gamma camera project (CACAO)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeanguillaume, C.; Begot, S.; Quartuccio, M.; Douiri, A.; Ballongue, P

    2000-07-01

    Whole-body counting is the method of choice for in vivo detection of contamination. To extend this well established method, the possible advantages of imaging radiocontaminants are examined. The use of the CACAO project is then studied. A comparison of simulated reconstructed images obtained by the CACAO project and by a conventional gamma camera used in nuclear medicine follows. Imaging a radionuclide contaminant with a geometrical sensitivity of 10{sup -2} seems possible in the near future. (author)

  7. From whole-body counting to imaging: The computer aided collimation gamma camera project (CACAO)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeanguillaume, C.; Begot, S.; Quartuccio, M.; Douiri, A.; Ballongue, P.

    2000-01-01

    Whole-body counting is the method of choice for in vivo detection of contamination. To extend this well established method, the possible advantages of imaging radiocontaminants are examined. The use of the CACAO project is then studied. A comparison of simulated reconstructed images obtained by the CACAO project and by a conventional gamma camera used in nuclear medicine follows. Imaging a radionuclide contaminant with a geometrical sensitivity of 10 -2 seems possible in the near future. (author)

  8. Molecular characterization of 93 genotypes of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. with random amplified microsatellites RAMs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yacenia Morillo C.

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Random amplified microsatellite (RAMs markers six were used to characterize 93 genotypes of cocoa in Tumaco (Colombia. Hundred twenty seven bands were generated. The number of polymorphic loci varied between 11 and 25 for the AG and TG primers, respectively. This study differentiated the 93 genotypes into six groups with a 0.53 similarity, 0.28 mean heterozygosity (He for the population, and 0.12±0.02 genetic differentiation coefficient or Fst. A significant level of genetic diversity was evident in the T. cacao genotypes. This resource would benefit selection programs of individual trees or plant breeding programs. The genotypes clustered in a large proportion in accordance with the collection zone. This characteristic was associated with collection zones and along the rivers in the municipality of Tumaco. The RAM technique proved to be a useful tool for the determination of genetic diversity in Theobroma species.

  9. Proteomic analysis during of spore germination of Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease in cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mares, Joise Hander; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Santos, Everton Cruz; da Silva Santiago, André; Santana, Juliano Oliveira; de Sousa, Aurizângela Oliveira; Alvim, Fátima Cerqueira; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2017-08-17

    Moniliophthora perniciosa is a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for witches' broom disease of cacao trees (Theobroma cacao L.). Understanding the molecular events during germination of the pathogen may enable the development of strategies for disease control in these economically important plants. In this study, we determined a comparative proteomic profile of M. perniciosa basidiospores during germination by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. A total of 316 proteins were identified. Molecular changes during the development of the germinative tube were identified by a hierarchical clustering analysis based on the differential accumulation of proteins. Proteins associated with fungal filamentation, such as septin and kinesin, were detected only 4 h after germination (hag). A transcription factor related to biosynthesis of the secondary metabolite fumagillin, which can form hybrids with polyketides, was induced 2 hag, and polyketide synthase was observed 4 hag. The accumulation of ATP synthase, binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP), and catalase was validated by western blotting. In this study, we showed variations in protein expression during the early germination stages of fungus M. perniciosa. Proteins associated with fungal filamentation, and consequently with virulence, were detected in basidiospores 4 hag., for example, septin and kinesin. We discuss these results and propose a model of the germination of fungus M. perniciosa. This research can help elucidate the mechanisms underlying basic processes of host invasion and to develop strategies for control of the disease.

  10. Effects of habitat management on different feeding guilds of herbivorous insects in cacao agroforestry systems

    OpenAIRE

    Novais, Samuel M. A.; Macedo-Reis, Luiz E.; DaRocha, Wesley D.; Neves, Frederico S.

    2016-01-01

    AbstractHuman pressure on natural habitats increases the importance of agroforests for biodiversity conservation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of cacao traditional cultivation system (CTCS) on the conservation of the herbivorous insect community when compared with a monodominant rubber agroforest, a type of agricultural system for cacao cultivation. The insects were sampled in three habitats in Southeastern Bahia, Brazil: native forests, CTCS and rubber agroforests. In...

  11. El mercado mundial del cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Quintero R, María Liliana; Díaz Morales, Katty Marisabel

    2004-01-01

    Los cambios que ha experimentado la economía mundial en los últimos años han afectado significativamente las relaciones de intercambio de los países productores de materias primas, implicando transformaciones en su economía. Bajo este escenario el presente artículo tiene como objetivo caracterizar el comercio mundial de cacao en grano. Para ello se plantea inicialmente la descripción y evolución de las principales variables que afectan el comercio mundial de este rubro, así como los cambios e...

  12. Modified pectin from Theobroma cacao induces potent pro-inflammatory activity in murine peritoneal macrophage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amorim, Juliana C; Vriesmann, Lucia Cristina; Petkowicz, Carmen L O; Martinez, Glaucia Regina; Noleto, Guilhermina R

    2016-11-01

    In vitro effects of acetylated pectin (OP) isolated from cacao pod husks (Theobroma cacao L.), its partially deacetylated and de-esterified form (MOP), and a commercial homogalacturonan (PG) were investigated on murine peritoneal macrophages. MOP stood out among the studied pectins. After 48h of incubation, compared with the control group, it was able to promote significant macrophage morphological differentiation from resident to activated stage and also stimulated nitric oxide production, which reached a level of 85% of that of LPS stimulus. In the presence of the highest tested concentration of MOP (200μg·mL -1 ), the levels of the cytokines TNF-α (6h) and IL-12 and IL-10 (48h) increased substantially in relation to untreated cells. Our results show that the partial deacetylation and de-esterification of pectin extracted from cacao pod husks (T. cacao L.) produced a polymer with greater ability than its native form to activate macrophages to a cytotoxic phenotype. Like this, they provide the possibility of a therapeutic application to MOP, which could lead to a decreased susceptibility to microbial infection besides antitumor activity. Additionally, the present results also corroborate with the proposition of that the chemical modifications of the biopolymers can result in an improved molecule with new possibilities of application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of a tomographic system adapted to 3D measurement of contaminated wounds based on the Cacao concept (Computer aided collimation Gamma Camera)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Douiri, A.

    2002-03-01

    The computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO in French) is a gamma camera using a collimator with large holes, a supplementary linear scanning motion during the acquisition and a dedicated reconstruction program taking full account of the source depth. The CACAO system was introduced to improve both the sensitivity and the resolution in nuclear medicine. This thesis focuses on the design of a fast and robust reconstruction algorithm in the CACAO project. We start by an overview of tomographic imaging techniques in nuclear medicine. After modelling the physical CACAO system, we present the complete reconstruction program which involves three steps: 1) shift and sum 2) deconvolution and filtering 3) rotation and sum. The deconvolution is the critical step that decreases the signal to noise ratio of the reconstructed images. We propose a regularized multi-channel algorithm to solve the deconvolution problem. We also present a fast algorithm based on Splines functions and preserving the high quality of the reconstructed images for the shift and the rotation steps. Comparisons of simulated reconstructed images in 2D and 3D for the conventional system (CPHC) and CACAO demonstrate the ability of CACAO system to increase the quality of the SPECT images. Finally, this study concludes with an experimental approach with a pixellated detector conceived for a 3D measurement of contaminated wounds. This experimentation proves the possible advantages of coupling the CACAO project with pixellated detectors. Moreover, a variety of applications could fully benefit from the CACAO system, such as low activity imaging, the use of high-energy gamma isotopes and the visualization of deep organs. Moreover the combination of the CACAO system with a pixels detector may open up further possibilities for the future of nuclear medicine. (author)

  14. The genome sequence of the most widely cultivated cacao type and its use to identify candidate genes regulating pod color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motamayor, Juan C; Mockaitis, Keithanne; Schmutz, Jeremy; Haiminen, Niina; Livingstone, Donald; Cornejo, Omar; Findley, Seth D; Zheng, Ping; Utro, Filippo; Royaert, Stefan; Saski, Christopher; Jenkins, Jerry; Podicheti, Ram; Zhao, Meixia; Scheffler, Brian E; Stack, Joseph C; Feltus, Frank A; Mustiga, Guiliana M; Amores, Freddy; Phillips, Wilbert; Marelli, Jean Philippe; May, Gregory D; Shapiro, Howard; Ma, Jianxin; Bustamante, Carlos D; Schnell, Raymond J; Main, Dorrie; Gilbert, Don; Parida, Laxmi; Kuhn, David N

    2013-06-03

    Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina 1-6 belongs to the most cultivated cacao type. The availability of its genome sequence and methods for identifying genes responsible for important cacao traits will aid cacao researchers and breeders. We describe the sequencing and assembly of the genome of Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina 1-6. The genome of the Matina 1-6 cultivar is 445 Mbp, which is significantly larger than a sequenced Criollo cultivar, and more typical of other cultivars. The chromosome-scale assembly, version 1.1, contains 711 scaffolds covering 346.0 Mbp, with a contig N50 of 84.4 kbp, a scaffold N50 of 34.4 Mbp, and an evidence-based gene set of 29,408 loci. Version 1.1 has 10x the scaffold N50 and 4x the contig N50 as Criollo, and includes 111 Mb more anchored sequence. The version 1.1 assembly has 4.4% gap sequence, while Criollo has 10.9%. Through a combination of haplotype, association mapping and gene expression analyses, we leverage this robust reference genome to identify a promising candidate gene responsible for pod color variation. We demonstrate that green/red pod color in cacao is likely regulated by the R2R3 MYB transcription factor TcMYB113, homologs of which determine pigmentation in Rosaceae, Solanaceae, and Brassicaceae. One SNP within the target site for a highly conserved trans-acting siRNA in dicots, found within TcMYB113, seems to affect transcript levels of this gene and therefore pod color variation. We report a high-quality sequence and annotation of Theobroma cacao L. and demonstrate its utility in identifying candidate genes regulating traits.

  15. Theobroma cacao extract attenuates the development of Dermatophagoides farinae-induced atopic dermatitis-like symptoms in NC/Nga mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Heerim; Lee, Chang Hyung; Kim, Jong Rhan; Kwon, Jung Yeon; Son, Myoung-Jin; Kim, Jong-Eun; Lee, Ki Won

    2017-02-01

    Cacao beans from Theobroma cacao are an abundant source of polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. Previous studies demonstrated that cacao flavanols decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting in the alleviation of allergic symptoms. We sought to investigate the effects of cacao extract (CE) on Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like symptoms. CE attenuated DFE-induced AD-like symptoms as assessed by skin lesion analyses, dermatitis score, and skin thickness. Histopathological analysis revealed that CE suppressed DFE-induced immune cell infiltration into the skin. These observations occurred concomitantly with the downregulation of inflammatory markers including serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E, chemokine; thymus and activation-regulated chemokine and macrophage-derived chemokine as well as the skin-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and interferon-γ. CE also significantly alleviated transepidermal water loss and increased skin hydration. These results suggest that CE, a natural phytochemical-rich food, has potential therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of AD. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Competitividad de las organizaciones productoras de cacao (Theobroma cacao l en el sureste de Nicaragua

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norman Javier Saballos

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Se identificó los factores relacionados a la competitividad de las organizaciones de productores que comercializaron cacao durante el 2014, en la región sureste de Nicaragua. Para identificar los factores relacionados a la competitividad, se estudiaron a través de la “Cadena de Valor” cada una de las actividades primarias y de apoyo, así los indicadores de la competitividad; la productividad, calidad del producto, costos, cuota de mercado, permanencia en el mercado y la rentabilidad. El estudio se realizó mediante encuestas a representantes de siete organizaciones.

  17. Diallel Analysis and Growth Parameters as Selection Tools for Drought Tolerance in Young Theobroma cacao Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Santos, Emerson Alves; Almeida, Alex-Alan Furtado de; Ahnert, Dario; Branco, Marcia Christina da Silva; Valle, Raúl René; Baligar, Virupax C

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to estimate the combining ability, of T. cacao genotypes preselected for drought tolerance through diallel crosses. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at the Cacao Research Center (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, in a completely randomized block design, in an experimental arrangement 21 x 2 [21 complete diallel crosses and two water regimes (control and stressed)]. In the control, soil moisture was kept close to field capacity, with predawn leaf water potential (ΨWL) ranging from -0.1 to -0.5 MPa. In the drought regime, the soil moisture was reduced gradually by decreasing the amount of water application until ΨWL reached -2.0 to -2.5 MPa. Significant differences (p cacao crosses, except for SCA-6 x IMC-67, Catongo x SCA, MOC-01 x Catongo, Catongo x IMC-67 and RB-40 x Catongo. Multivariate analysis showed that stem diameter (CD), total leaf area (TLA), leaf dry biomass (LDB), stem dry biomass (SDB), root dry biomass (RDB), total dry biomass (TDB), root length (RL), root volume (RV), root diameter (RD) cacao genotypes in to tolerant and intolerant to soil water deficit.

  18. Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in elite clones of Theobroma cacao Embriogênese somática e regeneração in vitro de clones elite de Theobroma cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago Édson Ribeiro da Silva

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluated a procedure for somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of cacao (Theobroma cacao L. elite clones. Petal explants from cacao clones TSH 565 and TSH 1188 were cultured on PCG and SCG-2 media, for calli growth. Somatic embryos were formed on the surface of embryogenic calli after transfer to embryo development (ED medium. Clone TSH 565 showed a higher embryogenic potential than TSH 1188. The best combination of carbon source for embryo induction in ED medium was genotype-specific. Embryogenic callus formations increased in micropore tape-sealed Petri dishes, irrespective of cacao genotype. Mature somatic embryos were successfully converted into plantlets.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar um procedimento para embriogênese somática e regeneração de clones elite de cacau. Pétalas dos clones de cacau TSH 565 e TSH 1188 foram cultivadas em meios PCG e SCG-2 para o crescimento de calos. Embriões somáticos desenvolveram-se na superfície dos calos embriogênicos, após a transferência para o meio ED. O clone TSH 565 apresentou maior potencial embriogênico do que o TSH 1188. A melhor combinação de fonte de carbono quanto à indução de embriões em meio ED foi específica do genótipo. A formação de calos embriogênicos foi superior em placas de Petri seladas com fita hipoalergênica, independentemente do genótipo. Embriões maduros de ambos os genótipos foram convertidos em plântulas.

  19. Characterization of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. Farming Systems in the Norte de Santander Department and Assessment Their Sustainability / Caracterización de los Sistemas de Producción de Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en el Departamento de Norte de Santander

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Arturo Ramírez Sulvarán

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. based economyhas been considered a valid alternative to support sustainable development in northeastern Colombia. However, there is a lack of information about the cocoa production systems in the region which is needed for the implementation of effective plans to improve their performance and sustainability. Four of the main cocoa producing municipalities in the Norte de Santanderdepartment were considered for this study: Teorama, Bucarasica, Cúcuta and San Calixto. These entities were selected due to their adequate security conditions, availability of field assistants and departmental representativeness in cocoa production. The objective was to obtain basic information for local, specific and participatory actions for the sustainability of the cocoa production systems and to improve the living conditions of farmers. The methodology used was based on the farming system approach, considering the socioeconomic, technological and agro-ecologicalcomponents, and their relationships, and evaluating themaccording to the principles of sustainable agriculture. The phases covered were: (1 analysis of secondary data, (2 formulation and evaluation of sustainability indicators, (3 design, implementation and analysis of survey data and (4 validation by the farmers of the obtained information and the prioritization of problems. The results indicate that there is only one cocoa production system of a family-mercantile type, with low technology. Most farmers havelow incomes and basic needs such as health, education and public services are not met. They do not employ the agronomic and postharvest practices recommended by specialists. The water and soil resources are being degraded. In general, the farming system leans towards unsustainability and it is vital that integrative actions be taken to change this situation. / Se considera que el desarrollo de una economía basada en el cacao (Theobroma cacao L

  20. Dynamic changes in pod and fungal physiology associated with the shift from biotrophy to necrotrophy during the infection of Theobroma cacao by Moniliophthora roreri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Where it occurs in South and Central America, M. roreri (Mr) causes a destructive pod disease (frosty pod rot) on Theobroma cacao (cacao). Hand pollinated cacao pods were inoculated with Mr spores in the field and assessed for disease symptoms over a 90 day period. On average, pods showed symptoms o...

  1. ZEOLITAS EN LA FERTILIZACIÓN QUÍMICA DEL CACAO CCN-51 ASOCIADO CON CUATRO ESPECIES MADERABLES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando David Sánchez Mora

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Se evaluó el efecto de dos zeolitas comerciales del tipo clinoptilolita: Roca Mágica® (RM y Zeolite C® (ZC, incluidas en la fertilización química sobre la producción y rentabilidad del cacao “CCN-51”, de origen sexual, asociado con cuatro especies maderables [Caoba de montaña (Colubrina arborescens (Mill. Sarg, fernánsanchez (Triplaris cumingiana F., guayacán blanco (Cybistax donell-smithii Rose y laurel prieto (Cordia macrantha Chadat]. En la fertilización fueron utilizados los dos tipos de zeolita (RM y ZC y dos niveles (25 y 30%, más un testigo (sin zeolita. La fertilización se fraccionó en tres partes aplicándose urea, MgSO4, K2O y P2O5. Se empleó un diseño de parcelas divididas con cuatro especies maderables, cinco subtratamientos (tipos y niveles de zeolita y un testigo, en cuatro repeticiones. Se utilizó la prueba de Tukey al 5% de probabilidad. Se midió la fenología del cacao (brotación, floración, fructificación, cherelles wilt, número de mazorcas sanas y producción de cacao en kg ha-1. El mayor número de brotes los emitieron las plantas de cacao asociadas con fernánsanchez en la época lluviosa, posiblemente por la menor cobertura aérea de esta especie. El cacao alcanzó su mayor fructificación en la época lluviosa con las asociaciones fernánsanchez y guayacán y, 30% de ZC. El mayor número de mazorcas sanas, y producción de cacao fue obtenido con la asociación fernánsanchez en la época seca. La mayor rentabilidad se encontró con fernánsanchez y 25% de RM.

  2. Trichoderma martiale sp. nov., a new endophyte from sapwood of Theobroma cacao with a potential for biological control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanada, Rogério E; de Jorge Souza, T; Pomella, Alan W V; Hebbar, K Prakash; Pereira, José O; Ismaiel, Adnan; Samuels, Gary J

    2008-11-01

    The new species Trichoderma martiale was isolated as an endophyte from sapwood in trunks of Theobroma cacao (cacao, Malvaceae) in Brazil. Based on sequences of translation-elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) and RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) T. martiale is a close relative of, and morphologically similar to, T. viride, but differs in the production of discrete pustules on corn meal-dextrose agar (CMD) and SNA, in having a faster rate of growth, and in being a tropical endophyte. This new species was shown, in small-scale, in situ field assays, to limit black pod rot of cacao caused by Phytophthora palmivora, the cause of black pod disease.

  3. High-Resolution Transcript Profiling of the Atypical Biotrophic Interaction between Theobroma cacao and the Fungal Pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa[C][W][OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, Paulo José Pereira Lima; Thomazella, Daniela Paula de Toledo; Reis, Osvaldo; do Prado, Paula Favoretti Vital; do Rio, Maria Carolina Scatolin; Fiorin, Gabriel Lorencini; José, Juliana; Costa, Gustavo Gilson Lacerda; Negri, Victor Augusti; Mondego, Jorge Maurício Costa; Mieczkowski, Piotr; Pereira, Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães

    2014-01-01

    Witches’ broom disease (WBD), caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, is one of the most devastating diseases of Theobroma cacao, the chocolate tree. In contrast to other hemibiotrophic interactions, the WBD biotrophic stage lasts for months and is responsible for the most distinctive symptoms of the disease, which comprise drastic morphological changes in the infected shoots. Here, we used the dual RNA-seq approach to simultaneously assess the transcriptomes of cacao and M. perniciosa during their peculiar biotrophic interaction. Infection with M. perniciosa triggers massive metabolic reprogramming in the diseased tissues. Although apparently vigorous, the infected shoots are energetically expensive structures characterized by the induction of ineffective defense responses and by a clear carbon deprivation signature. Remarkably, the infection culminates in the establishment of a senescence process in the host, which signals the end of the WBD biotrophic stage. We analyzed the pathogen’s transcriptome in unprecedented detail and thereby characterized the fungal nutritional and infection strategies during WBD and identified putative virulence effectors. Interestingly, M. perniciosa biotrophic mycelia develop as long-term parasites that orchestrate changes in plant metabolism to increase the availability of soluble nutrients before plant death. Collectively, our results provide unique insight into an intriguing tropical disease and advance our understanding of the development of (hemi)biotrophic plant-pathogen interactions. PMID:25371547

  4. Application of glycerol as a foliar spray activates the defence response and enhances disease resistance of Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yufan; Smith, Philip; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2015-01-01

    Previous work has implicated glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) as a mobile inducer of systemic immunity in plants. We tested the hypothesis that the exogenous application of glycerol as a foliar spray might enhance the disease resistance of Theobroma cacao through the modulation of endogenous G3P levels. We found that exogenous application of glycerol to cacao leaves over a period of 4 days increased the endogenous level of G3P and decreased the level of oleic acid (18:1). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced (a marker of defence activation) and the expression of many pathogenesis-related genes was induced. Notably, the effects of glycerol application on G3P and 18:1 fatty acid content, and gene expression levels, in cacao leaves were dosage dependent. A 100 mm glycerol spray application was sufficient to stimulate the defence response without causing any observable damage, and resulted in a significantly decreased lesion formation by the cacao pathogen Phytophthora capsici; however, a 500 mm glycerol treatment led to chlorosis and cell death. The effects of glycerol treatment on the level of 18:1 and ROS were constrained to the locally treated leaves without affecting distal tissues. The mechanism of the glycerol-mediated defence response in cacao and its potential use as part of a sustainable farming system are discussed. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  5. Effect of selective logging on genetic diversity and gene flow in Cariniana legalis sampled from a cacao agroforestry system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leal, J B; Santos, R P; Gaiotto, F A

    2014-01-28

    The fragments of the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia have a long history of intense logging and selective cutting. Some tree species, such as jequitibá rosa (Cariniana legalis), have experienced a reduction in their populations with respect to both area and density. To evaluate the possible effects of selective logging on genetic diversity, gene flow, and spatial genetic structure, 51 C. legalis individuals were sampled, representing the total remaining population from the cacao agroforestry system. A total of 120 alleles were observed from the 11 microsatellite loci analyzed. The average observed heterozygosity (0.486) was less than the expected heterozygosity (0.721), indicating a loss of genetic diversity in this population. A high fixation index (FIS = 0.325) was found, which is possibly due to a reduction in population size, resulting in increased mating among relatives. The maximum (1055 m) and minimum (0.095 m) distances traveled by pollen or seeds were inferred based on paternity tests. We found 36.84% of unique parents among all sampled seedlings. The progenitors of the remaining seedlings (63.16%) were most likely out of the sampled area. Positive and significant spatial genetic structure was identified in this population among classes 10 to 30 m away with an average coancestry coefficient between pairs of individuals of 0.12. These results suggest that the agroforestry system of cacao cultivation is contributing to maintaining levels of diversity and gene flow in the studied population, thus minimizing the effects of selective logging.

  6. The genome sequence of the most widely cultivated cacao type and its use to identify candidate genes regulating pod color

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina 1-6 belongs to the most cultivated cacao type. The availability of its genome sequence and methods for identifying genes responsible for important cacao traits will aid cacao researchers and breeders. Results We describe the sequencing and assembly of the genome of Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina 1-6. The genome of the Matina 1-6 cultivar is 445 Mbp, which is significantly larger than a sequenced Criollo cultivar, and more typical of other cultivars. The chromosome-scale assembly, version 1.1, contains 711 scaffolds covering 346.0 Mbp, with a contig N50 of 84.4 kbp, a scaffold N50 of 34.4 Mbp, and an evidence-based gene set of 29,408 loci. Version 1.1 has 10x the scaffold N50 and 4x the contig N50 as Criollo, and includes 111 Mb more anchored sequence. The version 1.1 assembly has 4.4% gap sequence, while Criollo has 10.9%. Through a combination of haplotype, association mapping and gene expression analyses, we leverage this robust reference genome to identify a promising candidate gene responsible for pod color variation. We demonstrate that green/red pod color in cacao is likely regulated by the R2R3 MYB transcription factor TcMYB113, homologs of which determine pigmentation in Rosaceae, Solanaceae, and Brassicaceae. One SNP within the target site for a highly conserved trans-acting siRNA in dicots, found within TcMYB113, seems to affect transcript levels of this gene and therefore pod color variation. Conclusions We report a high-quality sequence and annotation of Theobroma cacao L. and demonstrate its utility in identifying candidate genes regulating traits. PMID:23731509

  7. Assessing genetic diversity in java fine-flavor cocoa (theobroma cacao l.) Germplasm by simple sequence repeat (ssr) markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Indonesia is the 3rd largest cocoa producing countries in the world, with an annual cacao bean production of 572,000 tons. The currently cultivated cacao varieties in Indonesia were inter-hybrids of various clones introduced from the Americas since the 16th century. Among them, “Java cocoa” is a wel...

  8. Radionuclides in coffee, cacao and chocolate in Serbia during 2006-2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mraovic, T.; Jankovic-Mandic, Lj; Mraovic, T.)

    2007-01-01

    The object of this work was monitoring radioactivity in 88 products of coffee, cacao and chocolate in Serbia during 2006-2007. The each product contained legal criterion for radionuclide safety. (author) [sr

  9. Phytophthora megakarya and P. palmivora, closely related causal agents of cacao black pod rot, underwent increases in genome sizes and gene numbers by different mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phytophthora megakarya (Pmeg) and P. palmivora (Ppal) are closely related species causing black pod rot of cacao. While Ppal is a cosmopolitan plant pathogen, cacao is the only known host of importance for Pmeg. Pmeg is more virulent on cacao than Ppal. Therefore, we have sequenced both the Pmeg and...

  10. Incorporation du coprah et des cuticules de cacao et d'arachide ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Incorporation du coprah et des cuticules de cacao et d'arachide dans l'aliment du ( tilapia du nil( ( Oreohromis niloticus , linné, 1758) eleve en etang : Effet sur la croissance et la composition biochimique.

  11. Cacao diseases: A history of old enemies and new encounters

    Science.gov (United States)

    This book reviews the current knowledge of cacao pathogens and their management methods. Topics discussed include the history, biology, and genetic diversity of Moniliophthora (causing witches’ broom and frosty pod rot) and Phytophthora species (causing black pod rot) that cause diseases resulting i...

  12. Parasitisme des champs semenciers de cacaoyers par les ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    30 janv. 2015 ... J. Appl. Biosci. Parasitisme des champs semenciers de cacaoyers par les loranthaceae dans la localité de Nkoemvone (sud Cameroun). 7795 to the various clones, Phragmanthera capitata was the most abundant Loranthaceae; the level of parasitism of cacao trees is more important at the cacao trees of ...

  13. Genetic variation in bioaccumulation and partitioning of cadmium in Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Caleb; Lennon, Adrian M; Eudoxie, Gaius; Umaharan, Pathmanathan

    2018-06-02

    Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential heavy metal that is toxic to both plants and animals and chocolates have been identified as a contributor to the human dietary Cd intake. One hundred accessions representing the various genetic groups and hybrid populations in Theobroma cacao L. held at the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad were evaluated for leaf and bean cadmium levels with three tree replications. Representative samples of soil from the drip zone around each tree were evaluated for bioavailable cadmium. Although there were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among genetic groups for leaf and bean Cd much of the variation was between accessions. There was a 13-fold variation in bean Cd and a 7-fold variation in leaf Cd between accessions despite the bioavailable Cd in the soil being uniform. There were differences in the level of partitioning into beans evident by significant variation (P ≤ 0.05) in bean Cd as a percentage of the cumulative leaf and bean Cd concentration (15-52%) between accessions. Although in general there was a higher concentration of cadmium in the testa than the cotyledon of the cocoa bean there was considerable genetic variation. These results point to the potential of using a genetic strategy to mitigate cadmium within cocoa beans either through breeding or through the use of low cadmium uptake rootstocks in grafting. The results will fuel further work into the understanding of mechanisms and genetics of cadmium uptake and partitioning in cocoa. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Study on the presence and influence of phenolic compounds in callogenesis and somatic embryo development of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L..

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sulistyani Pancaningtyas

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. like most tropical trees is recalcitrant in tissue culture. Somatic embryogenesis is generally efficient micropropagation technique to multiply elite material. However, Somatic embryogenesis in cocoa is difficult and this species is considered as recalcitrant. One of the factors often considered as a component of in vitro recalsitrance is a high phenolic content and oxidation of these compounds. In cocoa tissue culture accumulate large amounts of poliphenolics compounds which probably impair further development. This study was conducted to investigate the composition of phenolic compounds in cocoa flower and leaves, and their changes troughout the somatic embryogenesis process. Calli were induced in cacao floral and leaves explants on a half-strenght Murashige and Skoog medium containing 30 g/L Glucose and combination of 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D with kinetin (kin. Total polyphenol content was observed on Sulawesi 1 cocoa clone. Embryogenic and non-embryogenic callus were also compared. The percentage of callus production from flower tissue is 85%, percentage of embryogenic callus 40 %, although the percentage of somatic embryo production from embryogenic callus callus is 70%. The conservation of callus into somatic embryos followed by decline in phenol content and an increase in peroxidase. The synthesis kinetics for these compounds in calli, under different somatic embryogenesis conditions, revealed a higher concentration under non-embryogenic conditions. So that, phenolic compound can influence the production of calli and an absence the phenolic compound can enhance production of somatic embryo.

  15. Variación de las propiedades físicas de la grasa de cacao con la temperatura

    OpenAIRE

    de Dios Alvarado, Juan

    1994-01-01

    Values of physical properties determined at different temperatures in fat extracted from fresh cacao seeds (Theobroma cacao) are presented. Linear relationships define the effect of temperature on the refraction index, density and surface tension, a logarithmic function was established for viscosity. The values of density and viscosity are used to determine the coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion and activation energy, respectively. Data of specific heat, thermal diffusivity and therm...

  16. pH relationship and nutrient availability for cacao in an Entisol from the Colombian Amazon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gelber Rosas-Patiño

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Liming is a common practice in acid soil manage-ment; however, the information on liming in cacao soils of the Colombian Amazon region is precarious. Incubation curves were built in a highly acid Typic Udorthents cultivated with cacao (Theobroma cacao L. - Malvaceae, for which increasing doses (0 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 -11 Mg/ha of dolomite lime (Ca M g (CO32 and calcium carbonate (CaCO3 were used, in order to establish the type and amount of liming material (ME with better reactivity, and the one that is better favored with the acidity changes: pH, Al3+, H+, total acidity. Models to estimate the ME dose needed to manage the soil in order to obtain the desired pH (≥5.5 were generated. Sub-sequently, the soil was then limed under field conditions and pH, Al3+, Al in solution (Alsol, aluminum saturation (SAI, cation exchange capacity (CEC and N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, B, Fe and Mn availability were evaluated. The results show that the greatest reaction of liming materials in these soils occurs after 60 days; applications of 7 Mg/ha allowed to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.0 and decreases Al and Fe levels. These changes improved the CECand nutrient availability (Ca, Mg, P, Zn for cacao without affecting other nutrients such as N and K.

  17. Computer aided collimation gamma (Cacao): a new approach in measuring and visualizing the distribution of X and gamma ray emitters in contaminate wounds; Cacao (camera a collimation assistee par ordinateur): une nouvelle approche pour reconstruire et visualiser des contaminations d'emetteurs X et gamma dans les blessures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Douiri, A. [Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere (LENA), 75 - Paris (France); Jeanguillaume, C. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Larrey, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, 49 - Angers (France); Franck, D.; Carlan, L. de [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, IRSN, Dept. de Protection de la Sante de l' Homme et de Dosimetrie, 92 - Fontenay aux Roses (France); Quartuccio, M.; Begot, S. [Faculte des Sciences d' Orsay (LPS), 91 - Orsay (France)

    2003-07-01

    The treatment of contaminated wounds can be greatly improved by visualizing the distribution of the radioactivity that is present. The low sensitivity of the conventional Anger camera means that it can only be used where there is a high level of activity. Moreover, these gamma cameras cannot make full use of the recent progress made in high spatial resolution semi-conductor detectors. In order to increase sensitivity while at the same time maintaining a sufficient resolution of the reconstructed image, the principle of the Computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO in French) was proposed as a possible means of using gamma cameras in intern dosimetry. This principle is based on the combined use of collimators with holes that are wider- than the intrinsic resolution of the detector, circular and linear scanning movements, a detector sensitive to the source depth and a specific reconstruction algorithm. This article presents the recent developments of the CACAO system and illustrates by a theoretical and experimental study, its performances compared with the classic tomography system. We start with a general overview of the CACAO system and its reconstruction algorithm. First of all, the superiority of the CACAO system is demonstrated by a simulation ,study. Then, an experimental bench was developed using an implanted silicon pixel detector specifically designed to allow the visualization of a subject contaminated with low energy X and gamma emitters. The study presented here shows images obtained from a phantom composed of three sources of Americium {sup 341}Am. Although the comparison between the conventional and CACAO approaches were not carried out with optimal parameters, especially for CACAO, the initial results show that CACAO has an improved sensitivity and a superior resolution. Finally, the transposition of this system to the practical study of contaminated wounds is discussed. (authors)

  18. Determination of theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine in by-products of cupuacu and cacao seeds by high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo Coco, F; Lanuzza, F; Micali, G; Cappellano, G

    2007-01-01

    Theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine are determined simultaneously by a rapid and selective reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection in by-products of cupuacu and cacao seeds. The determination is carried out in the raw and roasted ground cupuacu seeds and in the corresponding powders obtained after pressure treatment. The by-products of both cupuacu seeds and cacao seeds are obtained under the same technological conditions. The HPLC method uses isocratic elution with a mobile phase of methanol-water-acetic acid (80:19:1) (v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and UV absorbance detection at 275 nm. Total elution time for these analytes is less than 10 min, and the detection limit for all analytes is 0.1 mg/g. The amounts of theobromine and caffeine found in all the cupuacu samples are one or more orders of magnitude lower than those from cacao. Theophylline is found in all cacao samples except for the roasted ground paste, and it is only found in the roasted ground paste in the cupuacu samples.

  19. Extracción de nutrientes por los frutos de cacao en dos localidades en Costa Rica.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parménides Furcal Beriguete

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de la presente investigación fue analizar la extracción de nutrientes en frutos de clones de cacao (Theobroma cacao. El estudio se hizo en plantaciones de cacao de siete años, en las localidades de Katira, Guatuso y el Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, entre los meses de marzo a agosto del año 2014. El diseño experimental utilizado fue completamente al azar con tres repeticiones; para el análisis se mezclaron por separado las semillas y la cáscara de tres frutos, para formar una repetición de cada uno de los siete clones de cacao seleccionados por el CATIE por su tolerancia a moniliasis (Moniliophthora roreri, calidad y altos rendimientos. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que de una tonelada de semillas secas de estos clones, incluyendo la cáscara del fruto, se extraen entre 33,45 a 37,80 kg de nitrógeno (N, entre 40,35 y 50,64 kg de potasio (K, y de fósforo (P en un rango de 7,33 a 8,37 kg. El orden de extracción de los nutrientes fue: K>N>P>Mg>Ca>Mn>Fe>Zn>B=Cu.

  20. Variación de las propiedades físicas de la grasa de cacao con la temperatura

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    de Dios Alvarado, Juan

    1994-10-01

    Full Text Available Values of physical properties determined at different temperatures in fat extracted from fresh cacao seeds (Theobroma cacao are presented. Linear relationships define the effect of temperature on the refraction index, density and surface tension, a logarithmic function was established for viscosity. The values of density and viscosity are used to determine the coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion and activation energy, respectively. Data of specific heat, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity are included. In addition a melting and solidification points. The information can be used at ambient temperatures or greater current in the elaboration of chocolate and other cocoa products.

    Se presentan los valores experimentales de varias propiedades físicas determinadas en grasa obtenida de semillas de cacao (Theobroma cacao a diferentes temperaturas. El efecto de la temperatura sobre el índice de refracción, la densidad y la tensión superficial, es descrito en forma satisfactoria por ecuaciones lineales, en el caso de la viscosidad esta relación inversa es logarítmica. Los datos de la densidad se utilizan para determinar el coeficiente volumétrico de expansión térmica y los de la viscosidad para cuantificar la energía de activación.
    Se incluyen los datos del calor específico, de la difusividad térmica y de la conductividad térmica, conjuntamente con los puntos de fusión y de solidificación.
    Estos datos técnicos pueden ser utilizados a temperaturas ambientales y superiores que son comunes durante la elaboración de chocolates u otras tecnologías que utilizan cacao.

  1. LA CADENA DE VALOR DEL CACAO EN PERÚ Y SU OPORTUNIDAD EN EL MERCADO MUNDIAL

    OpenAIRE

    Barrientos Felipa, Pedro

    2015-01-01

    El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las características de la cadena de valor del cacao en Perú. Para ello se realiza un estudio de tipo documental que relata el desempeño de los mercados de comodities agrarios, la comercialización de estos, el funcionamiento de la cadena en el País y la explicación de la estrategia nacional para este producto. Como resultado se plantea que el contexto en que se desarrolla el cacao peruano presenta ventajas debido a los problemas que tienen los productor...

  2. Escoba de bruja en Cacao, ciencia y tecnología

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tovar Rodríguez Germán

    1986-12-01

    Full Text Available El Comité Científico de la Asociación Colombiana de Fltopatologla ha tenido a bien, para esta sexta reunión de nuestra sociedad, dedicar una parte Importante de ésta al examen y reflexión sobre dos problemas patológicos del cacao de amplia repercusión en el proceso productivo y en el progreso social del pals, como son "la Monlllasls" y la "Escoba de Bruja". Sobre esta base, es importante precisar claramente la intención del mensaje que quiero transmitir a este congreso de técnicos y científicos, que no es otro que el de propiciar y estimular un amplio debate sobre el problema de la "Escoba de Bruja" del cacao, dentro de un marco, donde la perspectiva del componente tecnológico se conjugue con los aspectos de política agraria, institucionales, económicos, sociales y administrativos, indispensables para tomar y sustentar posiciones objetivas acerca de este problema.

  3. Differential gene expression by Moniliophthora roreri while overcoming cacao tolerance in the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Bryan A; Melnick, Rachel L; Strem, Mary D; Crozier, Jayne; Shao, Jonathan; Sicher, Richard; Phillips-Mora, Wilberth; Ali, Shahin S; Zhang, Dapeng; Meinhardt, Lyndel

    2014-09-01

    Frosty pod rot (FPR) of Theobroma cacao (cacao) is caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Moniliophthora roreri. Cacao clones tolerant to FPR are being planted throughout Central America. To determine whether M. roreri shows a differential molecular response during successful infections of tolerant clones, we collected field-infected pods at all stages of symptomatology for two highly susceptible clones (Pound-7 and CATIE-1000) and three tolerant clones (UF-273, CATIE-R7 and CATIE-R4). Metabolite analysis was carried out on clones Pound-7, CATIE-1000, CATIE-R7 and CATIE-R4. As FPR progressed, the concentrations of sugars in pods dropped, whereas the levels of trehalose and mannitol increased. Associations between symptoms and fungal loads and some organic and amino acid concentrations varied depending on the clone. RNA-Seq analysis identified 873 M. roreri genes that were differentially expressed between clones, with the primary difference being whether the clone was susceptible or tolerant. Genes encoding transcription factors, heat shock proteins, transporters, enzymes modifying membranes or cell walls and metabolic enzymes, such as malate synthase and alternative oxidase, were differentially expressed. The differential expression between clones of 43 M. roreri genes was validated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression profiles of some genes were similar in susceptible and tolerant clones (other than CATIE-R4) and varied with the biotrophic/necrotropic shift. Moniliophthora roreri genes associated with stress metabolism and responses to heat shock and anoxia were induced early in tolerant clones, their expression profiles resembling that of the necrotrophic phase. Moniliophthora roreri stress response genes, induced during the infection of tolerant clones, may benefit the fungus in overcoming cacao defense mechanisms. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  4. Genome-wide identification and characterization of cacao WRKY transcription factors and analysis of their expression in response to witches' broom disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva Monteiro de Almeida, Dayanne; Oliveira Jordão do Amaral, Daniel; Del-Bem, Luiz-Eduardo; Bronze Dos Santos, Emily; Santana Silva, Raner José; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Vincentz, Michel; Micheli, Fabienne

    2017-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation, led by transcription factors (TFs) such as those of the WRKY family, is a mechanism used by the organism to enhance or repress gene expression in response to stimuli. Here, we report on the genome-wide analysis of the Theobroma cacao WRKY TF family and also investigate the expression of WRKY genes in cacao infected by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa. In the cacao genome, 61 non-redundant WRKY sequences were found and classified in three groups (I to III) according to the WRKY and zinc-finger motif types. The 61 putative WRKY sequences were distributed on the 10 cacao chromosomes and 24 of them came from duplication events. The sequences were phylogenetically organized according to the general WRKY groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that subgroups IIa and IIb are sister groups and share a common ancestor, as well as subgroups IId and IIe. The most divergent groups according to the plant origin were IIc and III. According to the phylogenetic analysis, 7 TcWRKY genes were selected and analyzed by RT-qPCR in susceptible and resistant cacao plants infected (or not) with M. perniciosa. Some TcWRKY genes presented interesting responses to M. perniciosa such as Tc01_p014750/Tc06_p013130/AtWRKY28, Tc09_p001530/Tc06_p004420/AtWRKY40, Tc04_p016130/AtWRKY54 and Tc10_p016570/ AtWRKY70. Our results can help to select appropriate candidate genes for further characterization in cacao or in other Theobroma species.

  5. Genome-wide identification and characterization of cacao WRKY transcription factors and analysis of their expression in response to witches' broom disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva Monteiro de Almeida, Dayanne; Oliveira Jordão do Amaral, Daniel; Del-Bem, Luiz-Eduardo; Bronze dos Santos, Emily; Santana Silva, Raner José; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Vincentz, Michel

    2017-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation, led by transcription factors (TFs) such as those of the WRKY family, is a mechanism used by the organism to enhance or repress gene expression in response to stimuli. Here, we report on the genome-wide analysis of the Theobroma cacao WRKY TF family and also investigate the expression of WRKY genes in cacao infected by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa. In the cacao genome, 61 non-redundant WRKY sequences were found and classified in three groups (I to III) according to the WRKY and zinc-finger motif types. The 61 putative WRKY sequences were distributed on the 10 cacao chromosomes and 24 of them came from duplication events. The sequences were phylogenetically organized according to the general WRKY groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that subgroups IIa and IIb are sister groups and share a common ancestor, as well as subgroups IId and IIe. The most divergent groups according to the plant origin were IIc and III. According to the phylogenetic analysis, 7 TcWRKY genes were selected and analyzed by RT-qPCR in susceptible and resistant cacao plants infected (or not) with M. perniciosa. Some TcWRKY genes presented interesting responses to M. perniciosa such as Tc01_p014750/Tc06_p013130/AtWRKY28, Tc09_p001530/Tc06_p004420/AtWRKY40, Tc04_p016130/AtWRKY54 and Tc10_p016570/ AtWRKY70. Our results can help to select appropriate candidate genes for further characterization in cacao or in other Theobroma species. PMID:29084273

  6. Two Theobroma cacao genotypes with contrasting pathogen tolerance show aberrant transcriptional and ROS responses after salicylic acid treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fister, Andrew S; O'Neil, Shawn T; Shi, Zi; Zhang, Yufan; Tyler, Brett M; Guiltinan, Mark J; Maximova, Siela N

    2015-10-01

    Understanding the genetic basis of pathogen susceptibility in various crop plants is crucial to increasing the stability of food, feed, and fuel production. Varietal differences in defence responses provide insights into the mechanisms of resistance and are a key resource for plant breeders. To explore the role of salicylic acid in the regulation of defence in cacao, we demonstrated that SA treatment decreased susceptibility to a pod rot pathogen, Phytophthora tropicalis in two genotypes, Scavina 6 and Imperial College Selection 1, which differ in their resistance to several agriculturally important pathogens. Transient overexpression of TcNPR1, a major transcriptional regulator of the SA-dependent plant immune system, also increased pathogen tolerance in cacao leaves. To explore further the genetic basis of resistance in cacao, we used microarrays to measure gene expression profiles after salicylic acid (SA) treatment in these two cacao genotypes. The two genotypes displayed distinct transcriptional responses to SA. Unexpectedly, the expression profile of the susceptible genotype ICS1 included a larger number of pathogenesis-related genes that were induced by SA at 24h after treatment, whereas genes encoding many chloroplast and mitochondrial proteins implicated in reactive oxygen species production were up-regulated in the resistant genotype, Sca6. Sca6 accumulated significantly more superoxide at 24h after treatment of leaves with SA. These experiments revealed critical insights regarding the molecular differences between cacao varieties, which will allow a better understanding of defence mechanisms to help guide breeding programmes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  7. Variabilidad genética de Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel Aime y Phillips-Mora, comb. nov. (Agaricales - Marasmiaceae en variedades de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. Genetic variability of Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel Aime & Phillips-Mora, comb. nov. (Agaricales - Marasmiaceae in varieties of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Osorio-Solano

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Moniliophthora perniciosa, agente causante de la ‘escoba de bruja’ en cacao (Theobroma cacao, presenta una elevada variabilidad genética y discrepancias en su taxonomía y es una de las enfermedades más importantes en plantaciones cacaoteras que ocasiona pérdidas económicas a nivel mundial cercanas a 70%, y de 40% a nivel nacional. La caracterización de la diversidad genética de los biotipos es importante para la ejecución de proyectos encaminados al manejo de este patógeno y el desarrollo de materiales resistentes de cacao. En este estudio se analizaron 12 aislamientos del hongo obtenidos de diferentes materiales de cacao. Cada una de las muestras se evaluó con marcadores moleculares que tienen como blanco una región del ADN ribosomal (ADNr nuclear conocida como ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer, una región intergénica (IGS-1 y cinco secuencias simples repetidas (SSR. El marcador IGS-1 permitió la determinación del biotipo C, no obstante se encontró una variabilidad genética evidente dentro de este biotipo, aún no registrada. El análisis de la diversidad genética de M. perniciosa por medio de marcadores microsatélite arrojó un valor total de 0.4260, una heterocigosidad total de 0.6143 y un índice de información polimórfica (PIC de 0.3407, valores considerados de rango medio a alto para los aislamientos estudiados y que estiman la variabilidad genética presente en M. perniciosa.Moniliophthora perniciosa, the founder agent of the ‘witch’s broom’ on cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. is one of the most important diseases in cocoa plantations, causing economic losses close to 70% worldwide and 40% nationwide. It shows a high genetic variability and discrepancies in its taxonomy. Characterization of the genetic diversity of biotypes is important for projects aimed towards the handling of this pathogen and the development of resistant cocoa materials. Twelve isolations of the fungus were analyzed in this study from different

  8. Optimization of the general acceptability though affective tests and response surface methodology of a dry cacao powder mixture based beverage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Chau Loo Kung

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This research work had as main objective optimizing the general acceptability though affective tests and response surface methodology of a dry cacao powder mixture based beverage. We obtained formulations of mixtures of cacao powder with different concentrations of 15%, 17.5% and 20%, as well as lecithin concentrations of 0.1%; 0.3%; and 0.5% maintaining a constant content of sugar (25 %, Vanillin (1% that included cacao powder with different pH values: natural (pH 5 and alkalinized (pH 6.5 and pH 8 and water by difference to 100%, generating a total of fifteen treatments to be evaluated, according to the Box-Behnen design for three factors. The treatments underwent satisfaction level tests to establish the general acceptability. The treatment that included cacao powder with a concentration of 17.5 %, pH 6.5 and lecithin concentration of 0.3 % obtained the best levels of acceptability. The software Statgraphics Plus 5.1 was used to obtain the treatment with maximum acceptability that corresponded to cacao powder with pH 6.81, with a concentration of 18.24 % and soy lecithin in 0.28% with a tendency to what was obtained in the satisfaction levels tests. Finally we characterized in a physical-chemistry and microbiological way the optimum formulation as well as evaluated sensitively obtaining an acceptability of 6.17.

  9. Independent Origins of Yeast Associated with Coffee and Cacao Fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludlow, Catherine L; Cromie, Gareth A; Garmendia-Torres, Cecilia; Sirr, Amy; Hays, Michelle; Field, Colburn; Jeffery, Eric W; Fay, Justin C; Dudley, Aimée M

    2016-04-04

    Modern transportation networks have facilitated the migration and mingling of previously isolated populations of plants, animals, and insects. Human activities can also influence the global distribution of microorganisms. The best-understood example is yeasts associated with winemaking. Humans began making wine in the Middle East over 9,000 years ago [1, 2]. Selecting favorable fermentation products created specialized strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae [3, 4] that were transported along with grapevines. Today, S. cerevisiae strains residing in vineyards around the world are genetically similar, and their population structure suggests a common origin that followed the path of human migration [3-7]. Like wine, coffee and cacao depend on microbial fermentation [8, 9] and have been globally dispersed by humans. Theobroma cacao originated in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of Colombia and Venezuela [10], was cultivated in Central America by Mesoamerican peoples, and was introduced to Europeans by Hernán Cortés in 1530 [11]. Coffea, native to Ethiopia, was disseminated by Arab traders throughout the Middle East and North Africa in the 6(th) century and was introduced to European consumers in the 17(th) century [12]. Here, we tested whether the yeasts associated with coffee and cacao are genetically similar, crop-specific populations or genetically diverse, geography-specific populations. Our results uncovered populations that, while defined by niche and geography, also bear signatures of admixture between major populations in events independent of the transport of the plants. Thus, human-associated fermentation and migration may have affected the distribution of yeast involved in the production of coffee and chocolate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Genome analysis methods: Theobroma cacao [PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link and Genome analysis methods[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Theobroma cacao ... 2n=20 ... 2011 Sanger (WGS), Roche/454 , Illumina 26 Gb 326 Mb 16.7x... Newbler 4,792 25,912 EUGene following specific training for T. cacao 28,798 CIRAD; http://cocoagendb.cirad.fr Dec2010 Dec2010 10.1038/ng.736 21186351 ...

  11. Computer aided collimation gamma (Cacao): a new approach in measuring and visualizing the distribution of X and gamma ray emitters in contaminate wounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Douiri, A.; Jeanguillaume, C.; Franck, D.; Carlan, L. de; Quartuccio, M.; Begot, S.

    2003-01-01

    The treatment of contaminated wounds can be greatly improved by visualizing the distribution of the radioactivity that is present. The low sensitivity of the conventional Anger camera means that it can only be used where there is a high level of activity. Moreover, these gamma cameras cannot make full use of the recent progress made in high spatial resolution semi-conductor detectors. In order to increase sensitivity while at the same time maintaining a sufficient resolution of the reconstructed image, the principle of the Computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO in French) was proposed as a possible means of using gamma cameras in intern dosimetry. This principle is based on the combined use of collimators with holes that are wider- than the intrinsic resolution of the detector, circular and linear scanning movements, a detector sensitive to the source depth and a specific reconstruction algorithm. This article presents the recent developments of the CACAO system and illustrates by a theoretical and experimental study, its performances compared with the classic tomography system. We start with a general overview of the CACAO system and its reconstruction algorithm. First of all, the superiority of the CACAO system is demonstrated by a simulation ,study. Then, an experimental bench was developed using an implanted silicon pixel detector specifically designed to allow the visualization of a subject contaminated with low energy X and gamma emitters. The study presented here shows images obtained from a phantom composed of three sources of Americium 341 Am. Although the comparison between the conventional and CACAO approaches were not carried out with optimal parameters, especially for CACAO, the initial results show that CACAO has an improved sensitivity and a superior resolution. Finally, the transposition of this system to the practical study of contaminated wounds is discussed. (authors)

  12. La cadena de valor del cacao en Perú y su oportunidad en el mercado mundial

    OpenAIRE

    Barrientos Felipa, Pedro; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos

    2015-01-01

    El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las características de la cadena de valor del cacao en Perú. Para ello se realiza un estudio de tipo documental que relata el desempeño de los mercados de comodities agrarios, la comercialización de estos, el funcionamiento de la cadena en el País y la explicación de la estrategia nacional para este producto. Como resultado se plantea que el contexto en que se desarrolla el cacao peruano presenta ventajas debido a los problemas que tienen los productor...

  13. Dynamic immobilization of simulated radionuclide 133Cs in soil by thermal treatment/vitrification with nanometallic Ca/CaO composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mallampati, Srinivasa Reddy; Mitoma, Yoshiharu; Okuda, Tetsuji; Simion, Cristian; Lee, Byeong Kyu

    2015-01-01

    Although direct radiation induced health impacts were considered benign, soil contamination with 137 Cs, due to its long-term radiological impact (30 years half-life) and its high biological availability is of a major concern in Japan in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Therefore 137 Cs reduction and immobilization in contaminated soil are recognized as important problems to be solved using suitable and effective technologies. One such thermal treatment/vitrification with nanometallic Ca/CaO amendments is a promising treatment for the ultimate immobilization of simulated radionuclide 133 Cs in soil, showing low leachability and zero evaporation. Immobilization efficiencies were 88%, 95% and 96% when the 133 Cs soil was treated at 1200 °C with activated carbon, fly ash and nanometallic Ca/CaO additives. In addition, the combination of nanometallic Ca/CaO and fly ash (1:1) enhanced the immobilization efficiency to 99%, while no evaporation of 133 Cs was observed. At lower temperatures (800 °C) the leachable fraction of Cs was only 6% (94% immobilization). Through the SEM–EDS analysis, decrease in the amount of Cs mass percent detectable on soil particle surface was observed after soil vitrified with nCa/CaO + FA. The 133 Cs soil was subjected to vitrified with nCa/CaO + FA peaks related to Ca, crystalline phases (CaCO 3 /Ca(OH) 2 ), wollastonite, pollucite and hematite appeared in addition to quartz, kaolinite and bentonite, which probably indicates that the main fraction of enclosed/bound materials includes Ca-associated complexes. Thus, the thermal treatment with the addition of nanometallic Ca/CaO and fly ash may be considered potentially applicable for the remediation of radioactive Cs contaminated soil at zero evaporation, relatively at low temperature. - Graphical abstract: SEM–EDS element maps of 133 Cs contaminated soil before and after thermal treatment at 1200 °C with different addictives. Color intensity for Cs is from 0

  14. Impact of drought on morphological, physiological and nutrient use efficiency of elite cacao genotypes from Bahia-Brazil, Tarapoto-Peru and Puerto Rico-USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worldwide, drought is considered one of the most limiting abiotic stress factors for cacao growth, development and production. A series of greenhouse and growth chamber experiments were undertaken to assess drought effects on early cacao morphological and physiological traits and nutrient use effici...

  15. Altered physiology, cell structure, and gene expression of Theobroma cacao seedlings subjected to Cu toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Vânia L; de Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Souza, Jadiel de S; Mangabeira, Pedro A O; de Jesus, Raildo M; Pirovani, Carlos P; Ahnert, Dário; Baligar, Virupax C; Loguercio, Leandro L

    2014-01-01

    Seedlings of Theobroma cacao CCN 51 genotype were grown under greenhouse conditions and exposed to increasing concentrations of Cu (0.005, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg Cu L(-1)) in nutrient solution. When doses were equal or higher than 8 mg Cu L(-1), after 24 h of treatment application, leaf gas exchange was highly affected and changes in chloroplasts thylakoids of leaf mesophyll cells and plasmolysis of cells from the root cortical region were observed. In addition, cell membranes of roots and leaves were damaged. In leaves, 96 h after treatments started, increases in the percentage of electrolyte leakage through membranes were observed with increases of Cu in the nutrient solution. Moreover, there was an increase in the concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in roots due to lipid peroxidation of membranes. Chemical analysis showed that increases in Cu concentrations in vegetative organs of T. cacao increased with the increase of the metal in the nutrient solution, but there was a greater accumulation of Cu in roots than in shoots. The excess of Cu interfered in the levels of Mn, Zn, Fe, Mg, K, and Ca in different organs of T. cacao. Analysis of gene expression via RTq-PCR showed increased levels of MT2b, SODCyt, and PER-1 expression in roots and of MT2b, PSBA, PSBO, SODCyt, and SODChI in leaves. Hence, it was concluded that Cu in nutrient solution at doses equal or above 8 mg L(-1) significantly affected leaf gas exchange, cell ultrastructure, and transport of mineral nutrients in seedlings of this T. cacao genotype.

  16. Molecular genetic diversity in a core of cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study aimed to assess the genetic variability in groups of 11 clones of Theobroma cacao L., from different geographical regions, based on microsatellite markers, with the interest to characterize germplasm for breeding. The products of the amplification of these materials with 15 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers ...

  17. Soil microorganisms and plant diseases associated to cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. genotypes in the Ecuadorian Amazon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Antonio Freile Almeida

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de la presente investigación fue analizar la relación de los microorganismos del suelo y las principales enfermedades que afectan los clones promisorios de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana. Se evaluaron los clones EET-95, EET-96, EET-103 y CCN-51, respectivamente, éste último utilizado como control, para ello, se determinó la cantidad de bacterias, hongos y actinomicetos totales, expresados en unidades formadoras de colonias (UFC por gramo de suelo, presentes en la rizósfera de los tres clones de cacao, así como la aparición de las principales enfermedades que atacan al cultivo del cacao. Los datos fueron analizados estadísticamente mediante ANOVA de un factor y prueba HSD de Tukey p≤0,05. Las bacterias fueron los microorganismos de mayor asociación a los clones en este estudio, seguido de actinomicetos y hongos. El clon CCN-51 presentó la mayor cantidad de bacterias, los clones EET-96 y EET-103, presentaron mayor incidencia de actinomicetos y el clon EET-103, la mayor presencia de hongos. La enfermedad escoba de bruja, cuyo agente causal es Cripinellis perniciosa Sthael Singer., afectó en menor medida a los clones EET-103 y CCN-51, mientras que la moniliasis causada por el hongo Moniliophthora roreri (Cif & Par Evans et al., puso en evidencia al clon EET-103 con la mayor incidencia de esta enfermedad y conversivamente al clon CCN-51 con la menor incidencia del patógeno.

  18. Comparison of chocolate to cacao-free white chocolate in Parkinson's disease: a single-dose, investigator-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolz, Martin; Schleiffer, Christine; Klingelhöfer, Lisa; Schneider, Christine; Proft, Florian; Schwanebeck, Uta; Reichmann, Heinz; Riederer, Peter; Storch, Alexander

    2012-11-01

    A previous questionnaire study suggests an increased chocolate consumption in Parkinson's disease (PD). The cacao ingredient contains caffeine analogues and biogenic amines, such as β-phenylethylamine, with assumed antiparkinsonian effects. We thus tested the effects of 200 g of chocolate containing 80 % of cacao on UPDRS motor score after 1 and 3 h in 26 subjects with moderate non-fluctuating PD in a mono-center, single-dose, investigator-blinded crossover study using cacao-free white chocolate as placebo comparator. At 1 h after chocolate intake, mean UPDRS motor scores were mildly decreased compared to baseline in both treatments with significant results only for dark chocolate [-1.3 (95 % CI 0.18-2.52, RMANOVA F = 4.783, p = 0.013¸ Bonferroni p = 0.021 for 1 h values)]. A 2 × 2-cross-over analysis revealed no significant differences between both treatments [-0.54 ± 0.47 (95 % CI -1.50 to 0.42), p = 0.258]. Similar results were obtained at 3 h after intake. β-phenylethylamine blood levels were unaltered. Together, chocolate did not show significant improvement over white cacao-free chocolate in PD motor function.

  19. Cambios de las propiedades físico-químicas y perfil de ácidos grasos en cacao de Chuao, durante el beneficio

    OpenAIRE

    Lares Amaiz, Mary; Pérez Sira, Elevina; Álvarez Fernández, Clímaco; Perozo González, José; El Khori, Sandra

    2013-01-01

    El beneficio del cacao Theobroma cacao, en Venezuela, cambia de una región a otra y está influenciado por las condiciones ambientales de la región, lo cual trae consigo variaciones en la calidad de los productos finales y poco se ha reportado en relación a esto. Es por ello, que el objetivo del presente trabajo fue caracterizar las propiedades fisicoquímicas y el perfil de ácidos grasos de los granos de cacao de la cosecha denominada “San Juanera” en la región de Chuao y en diferentes etapas ...

  20. Evaluación del desempeño de un secador solar directo sobre semillas de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Romero Frasca

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Se desarrolló un secador solar directo con un diseño basado en dispositivos deshidratadores rudimentarios de uso regular, en granjas cacaoteras de Tabasco; con el objetivo de evaluar su desempeño en la obtención de cacao seco con- forme a la NMX-F-352-S-1980, mediante una exposición a luz solar durante cuatro días. Re- sultados: disminución paulatina del contenido de humedad hasta en un 7.50%, en promedio, en un producto con valor comercial a insertarse en el mercado.

  1. El consumo de cacao en Venezuela y en el Mundo desde una perspectiva sostenible (1960-2014)

    OpenAIRE

    Quintero Rizzuto, Liliana; Anido R., José Daniel; Azuaje, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    Con origen probable en la cuenca amazónica, el consumo del Theobroma cacao L. se difundió rápidamente al resto de América, de Europa y del mundo. A partir de estadísticas oficiales y otras fuentes bibliográficas y hemerográficas, el objetivo de este artículo es caracterizar el consumo de cacao y de sus productos derivados, tanto al nivel mundial (a partir de la década de 1960) como de Venezuela (a partir de 1949), desde una perspectiva sostenible. Es una investigación documental, ...

  2. Genetic identity and diversity of Nigerian cacao genebank collections verified by Single Nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): A guide to field genebank management and utilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nigeria is the fourth largest cacao producer in the world. Field performance and quality of cacao hybrid families is largely dependent on the genetic integrity of parental clones obtained from field genebank collections. However, information on the impact of mislabeling on seed garden output and ger...

  3. A protocol for large scale genomic DNA isolation for cacao genetics ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Advances in DNA technology, such as marker assisted selection, detection of quantitative trait loci and genomic selection also require the isolation of DNA from a large number of samples and the preservation of tissue samples for future use in cacao genome studies. The present study proposes a method for the ...

  4. Chemical composition on cacao leaves infected by viruses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mustafa, M.; Delilah, M.; Syafrul, L.; Suryadi.

    1980-01-01

    Chemical analysis on cacao leaves that have chlorosis spots caused by cocoa swollen shoot viruses were carried out. It can be shown that leaves with chlorosis spots contain less chlorophyl and lipides than those without, but both do not show any significant difference in the concentration of water, glucose, saccharides, amino acid and proteins. It can be concluded that transport systems in the infected leaves are good so that the water and saccharides distribution in them are not disturbed. (author tr.)

  5. A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondego, Jorge M C; Carazzolle, Marcelo F; Costa, Gustavo G L; Formighieri, Eduardo F; Parizzi, Lucas P; Rincones, Johana; Cotomacci, Carolina; Carraro, Dirce M; Cunha, Anderson F; Carrer, Helaine; Vidal, Ramon O; Estrela, Raíssa C; García, Odalys; Thomazella, Daniela P T; de Oliveira, Bruno V; Pires, Acássia Bl; Rio, Maria Carolina S; Araújo, Marcos Renato R; de Moraes, Marcos H; Castro, Luis A B; Gramacho, Karina P; Gonçalves, Marilda S; Neto, José P Moura; Neto, Aristóteles Góes; Barbosa, Luciana V; Guiltinan, Mark J; Bailey, Bryan A; Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Cascardo, Julio Cm; Pereira, Gonçalo A G

    2008-11-18

    The basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of Witches' Broom Disease (WBD) in cacao (Theobroma cacao). It is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that colonizes the apoplast of cacao's meristematic tissues as a biotrophic pathogen, switching to a saprotrophic lifestyle during later stages of infection. M. perniciosa, together with the related species M. roreri, are pathogens of aerial parts of the plant, an uncommon characteristic in the order Agaricales. A genome survey (1.9x coverage) of M. perniciosa was analyzed to evaluate the overall gene content of this phytopathogen. Genes encoding proteins involved in retrotransposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) resistance, drug efflux transport and cell wall degradation were identified. The great number of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (1.15% of gene models) indicates that M. perniciosa has a great potential for detoxification, production of toxins and hormones; which may confer a high adaptive ability to the fungus. We have also discovered new genes encoding putative secreted polypeptides rich in cysteine, as well as genes related to methylotrophy and plant hormone biosynthesis (gibberellin and auxin). Analysis of gene families indicated that M. perniciosa have similar amounts of carboxylesterases and repertoires of plant cell wall degrading enzymes as other hemibiotrophic fungi. In addition, an approach for normalization of gene family data using incomplete genome data was developed and applied in M. perniciosa genome survey. This genome survey gives an overview of the M. perniciosa genome, and reveals that a significant portion is involved in stress adaptation and plant necrosis, two necessary characteristics for a hemibiotrophic fungus to fulfill its infection cycle. Our analysis provides new evidence revealing potential adaptive traits that may play major roles in the mechanisms of pathogenicity in the M. perniciosa/cacao pathosystem.

  6. A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bailey Bryan A

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of Witches' Broom Disease (WBD in cacao (Theobroma cacao. It is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that colonizes the apoplast of cacao's meristematic tissues as a biotrophic pathogen, switching to a saprotrophic lifestyle during later stages of infection. M. perniciosa, together with the related species M. roreri, are pathogens of aerial parts of the plant, an uncommon characteristic in the order Agaricales. A genome survey (1.9× coverage of M. perniciosa was analyzed to evaluate the overall gene content of this phytopathogen. Results Genes encoding proteins involved in retrotransposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS resistance, drug efflux transport and cell wall degradation were identified. The great number of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (1.15% of gene models indicates that M. perniciosa has a great potential for detoxification, production of toxins and hormones; which may confer a high adaptive ability to the fungus. We have also discovered new genes encoding putative secreted polypeptides rich in cysteine, as well as genes related to methylotrophy and plant hormone biosynthesis (gibberellin and auxin. Analysis of gene families indicated that M. perniciosa have similar amounts of carboxylesterases and repertoires of plant cell wall degrading enzymes as other hemibiotrophic fungi. In addition, an approach for normalization of gene family data using incomplete genome data was developed and applied in M. perniciosa genome survey. Conclusion This genome survey gives an overview of the M. perniciosa genome, and reveals that a significant portion is involved in stress adaptation and plant necrosis, two necessary characteristics for a hemibiotrophic fungus to fulfill its infection cycle. Our analysis provides new evidence revealing potential adaptive traits that may play major roles in the mechanisms of pathogenicity in the M. perniciosa/cacao

  7. Almacenamiento del carbono en varios suelos cultivados con cacao en la provincia El Oro-Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. C. Salomón Barrezueta-Unda

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Con el objetivo de estimar la variabilidad de carbono almacenado en suelos cultivados de cacao en la parte baja de la provincia El Oro, fueron seleccionadas al azar 30 parcelas cultivadas con cacao del tipo Nacional (n=12 tomado como modelo agrofestal y del clon de cacao CCN51 (n=18 como modelo en monocultivo, para lo cual se conformaron transeptos de 30 x 15 metros en el centro de cada parcela de donde se tomaron muestras de suelo a una profundidad de 0-30 cm a las que realizaron análisis de arena, limo y arcilla por Bouyucos, densidad aparente (Da por el método del cilindro, pH relación 1:25 con lectura en potenciómetro en laboratorio, Capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC con acetato de amonio pH 7, nitrógeno (N y carbono (C en un analizador elemental. Para cuantificar la cantidad de C almacenado se utilizó la profundidad del muestreo, la Da para determinar el volumen del suelo, el cual se multiplica por el C orgánico. Los resultados mostraron un predominio de la arena (>39% y el limo (>30%, con poca variabilidad en la Da con medias de 1,37 g-1 m3. La CIC fue superior en los cultivares de Nacional con 35,25 cmol (+ kg-1 al determinado en CCN51 (27,34 cmol (+ kg-1, al igual que el C orgánico (2,2% y N (0,20%. Los niveles de C almacenados fueron de 33,096 Mg de C ha-1 en CCN51 y 45,555 Mg de C ha-1 en Nacional, sin existir diferencias significativas (p=0,117. Palabras clave: Cacao Nacional, CCN51, carbono orgánico, densidad aparente.

  8. PCR-based identification of cacao black pod causal agents and identification of biological factors possibly contributing to Phytophthora megakarya's field dominance in West Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Among the Phytophthora species that cause black pod of cacao, P. megakarya is the most virulent, posing a serious threat to cacao production in Africa. Correct identification of the species causing the black pod and understanding the virulence factors involved are important for developing sustainabl...

  9. EFFISIENSI INHIBISI KOROSI BAJA LUNAK DALAM MEDIA ASAM DENGAN INHIBITOR EKSTRAK KULIT BUAH KAKAO (Theobroma cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuli Yetri

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Efek inhibisi korosi dan sifat-sifat adsorpsi oleh ekstrak kulit buah kakao (Theobroma cacao  pada baja lunak (mild steel dalam larutan asam 1,5M HCl telah dipelajari menggunakan teknik konvensional metode berat hilang pada variasi waktu, konsentrasi dan suhu. Parameter-parameter termodinamika seperti energi aktivasi, entalpi, entropi dan perubahan energi bebas dihitung. Polarisasi elektrokimia telah dievaluasi untuk memastikan jenis inhibitor. Spektra infrared dan GCMS dilakukan untuk mengetahui senyawa ekstrak yang berperan  dalam proses inhibisi. Morfologi permukaan sampel diamati dengan menggunakan scanning electro microscopy dengan  energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX . Keseluruhan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak polar kulit buah coklat  dapat digunakan sebagai inhibitor korosi yang efektif pada baja karbon di lingkungan 1,5M HCl dengan pencapaian efisiensi  inhibisi   terkorosi sebesar 96.26% (weight loss dan 92.08% (Tafel pada konsentrasi ekstrak 2,5% selama768 jam. Mekanisme inhibisi adalah  adsorpsi chemiadsorpsi berdasar tingginya nilai entalpi dan energi bebas.Effisiensi Inhibisi diketahui meningkat dengan peningkatan konsentrasi dari ekstrak serta menurun dengan peningkatan suhu. Kurva polarisasi menunjukkan inhibitor ini berperilaku sebagai inhibitor campuran dengan dominan pada inhibisi katodik. Ekstrak diadsorpsi oleh permukaan mild steel  mengikuti model adsorpsi isotherm Langmuir. Kondisi permukaan mild steel menunjukan terjadinya adsorpsi di permukaan membentuk lapisan tipis di permukaan logam. Penambahan ekstrak kulit buah kakao ke dalam larutan HCl sangat efektif untuk mengurangi serangan korosi di permukaan mild steel.  Kata kunci: Korosi, Inhibitor, Theobroma cacao, Mild steel, Potensiodinamik Corrosion Inhibition Efficiency Mild Steel in Acid Media with Inhibitor Peels Extract of Cacao (Theobroma cacaoABSTRACT Inhibition and adsorption properties of Theobroma cacao peel polar extract

  10. Moniliophthora roreri (Cif y Par Evans et al. en el cultivo de cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando David Sánchez Mora

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Más de un siglo, el cacao (Theobroma cacaoL. en el Ecuador ha sido fuente importante de ingresos para losagricultoresy de divisas para el país, llegando a ser uno de los exportadores más grandes a nivel mundial.Posteriormente, perdió paulatinamente ese estatus debido al ataque de enfermedades, entre ellas la moniliasiscausada por [Moniliophthoraroreri(Cif y ParEvanset al.]. Esta enfermedad puede causar daños hasta del80% en la producción. Actualmente no existe mucha información actualizada y científica, sobre su ocurrencia,sintomatología, etiología, epidemiología, ciclo de vida y manejo o estrategias de controlde la mencionadaenfermedad, por la tanto se realiza esta revisión con estos tópicos importantes, aportando con esto a esta áreadel conocimiento.

  11. Apoplastic and intracellular plant sugars regulate developmental transitions in witches’ broom disease of cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barau, Joan; Grandis, Adriana; Carvalho, Vinicius Miessler de Andrade; Teixeira, Gleidson Silva; Zaparoli, Gustavo Henrique Alcalá; do Rio, Maria Carolina Scatolin; Rincones, Johana; Buckeridge, Marcos Silveira; Pereira, Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães

    2015-01-01

    Witches’ broom disease (WBD) of cacao differs from other typical hemibiotrophic plant diseases by its unusually long biotrophic phase. Plant carbon sources have been proposed to regulate WBD developmental transitions; however, nothing is known about their availability at the plant–fungus interface, the apoplastic fluid of cacao. Data are provided supporting a role for the dynamics of soluble carbon in the apoplastic fluid in prompting the end of the biotrophic phase of infection. Carbon depletion and the consequent fungal sensing of starvation were identified as key signalling factors at the apoplast. MpNEP2, a fungal effector of host necrosis, was found to be up-regulated in an autophagic-like response to carbon starvation in vitro. In addition, the in vivo artificial manipulation of carbon availability in the apoplastic fluid considerably modulated both its expression and plant necrosis rate. Strikingly, infected cacao tissues accumulated intracellular hexoses, and showed stunted photosynthesis and the up-regulation of senescence markers immediately prior to the transition to the necrotrophic phase. These opposite findings of carbon depletion and accumulation in different host cell compartments are discussed within the frame of WBD development. A model is suggested to explain phase transition as a synergic outcome of fungal-related factors released upon sensing of extracellular carbon starvation, and an early senescence of infected tissues probably triggered by intracellular sugar accumulation. PMID:25540440

  12. In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of methanolic plant part extracts of Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baharum, Zainal; Akim, Abdah Md; Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin; Hamid, Roslida Abdul; Kasran, Rosmin

    2014-11-10

    The aims of this study were to determine the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of the following Theobroma cacao plant part methanolic extracts: leaf, bark, husk, fermented and unfermented shell, pith, root, and cherelle. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and Folin-Ciocalteu assays; the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to determine antiproliferative activity. The root extract had the highest antioxidant activity; its median effective dose (EC50) was 358.3±7.0 µg/mL and total phenolic content was 22.0±1.1 g GAE/100 g extract as compared to the other methanolic plant part extracts. Only the cherelle extract demonstrated 10.4%±1.1% inhibition activity in the lipid peroxidation assay. The MTT assay revealed that the leaf extract had the highest antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells [median inhibitory concentration (IC50)=41.4±3.3 µg/mL]. Given the overall high IC50 for the normal liver cell line WRL-68, this study indicates that T. cacao methanolic extracts have a cytotoxic effect in cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Planned future investigations will involve the purification, identification, determination of the mechanisms of action, and molecular assay of T. cacao plant extracts.

  13. In Vitro Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Methanolic Plant Part Extracts of Theobroma cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zainal Baharum

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study were to determine the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of the following Theobroma cacao plant part methanolic extracts: leaf, bark, husk, fermented and unfermented shell, pith, root, and cherelle. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS, and Folin-Ciocalteu assays; the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT assay was used to determine antiproliferative activity. The root extract had the highest antioxidant activity; its median effective dose (EC50 was 358.3 ± 7.0 µg/mL and total phenolic content was 22.0 ± 1.1 g GAE/100 g extract as compared to the other methanolic plant part extracts. Only the cherelle extract demonstrated 10.4% ± 1.1% inhibition activity in the lipid peroxidation assay. The MTT assay revealed that the leaf extract had the highest antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells [median inhibitory concentration (IC50 = 41.4 ± 3.3 µg/mL]. Given the overall high IC50 for the normal liver cell line WRL-68, this study indicates that T. cacao methanolic extracts have a cytotoxic effect in cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Planned future investigations will involve the purification, identification, determination of the mechanisms of action, and molecular assay of T. cacao plant extracts.

  14. Diversity of chloroplast genome among local clones of cocoa (Theobroma cacao, L.) from Central Sulawesi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suwastika, I. Nengah; Pakawaru, Nurul Aisyah; Rifka, Rahmansyah, Muslimin, Ishizaki, Yoko; Cruz, André Freire; Basri, Zainuddin; Shiina, Takashi

    2017-02-01

    Chloroplast genomes typically range in size from 120 to 170 kilo base pairs (kb), which relatively conserved among plant species. Recent evaluation on several species, certain unique regions showed high variability which can be utilized in the phylogenetic analysis. Many fragments of coding regions, introns, and intergenic spacers, such as atpB-rbcL, ndhF, rbcL, rpl16, trnH-psbA, trnL-F, trnS-G, etc., have been used for phylogenetic reconstructions at various taxonomic levels. Based on that status, we would like to analysis the diversity of chloroplast genome within species of local cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) from Central Sulawesi. Our recent data showed, there were more than 20 clones from local farming in Central Sulawesi, and it can be detected based on phenotypic and nuclear-genome-based characterization (RAPD- Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA and SSR- Simple Sequences Repeat) markers. In developing DNA marker for this local cacao, here we also included analysis based on the variation of chloroplast genome. At least several regions such as rpl32-TurnL, it can be considered as chloroplast markers on our local clone of cocoa. Furthermore, we could develop phylogenetic analysis in between clones of cocoa.

  15. Register of new fruit and nut cultivars list 48. Banana, cacao, plantain

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties 48 is a compilation of descriptions of new fruit and nut cultivars from around the world. In this edition, newly released banana, plantain, and cacao cultivars are described in terms of their origins, important fruit traits and yield. ...

  16. Antimicrobial properties of two novel peptides derived from Theobroma cacao osmotin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falcao, Loeni L; Silva-Werneck, Joseilde O; Ramos, Alessandra de R; Martins, Natalia F; Bresso, Emmanuel; Rodrigues, Magali A; Bemquerer, Marcelo P; Marcellino, Lucilia H

    2016-05-01

    The osmotin proteins of several plants display antifungal activity, which can play an important role in plant defense against diseases. Thus, this protein can be useful as a source for biotechnological strategies aiming to combat fungal diseases. In this work, we analyzed the antifungal activity of a cacao osmotin-like protein (TcOsm1) and of two osmotin-derived synthetic peptides with antimicrobial features, differing by five amino acids residues at the N-terminus. Antimicrobial tests showed that TcOsm1 expressed in Escherichia coli inhibits the growth of Moniliophthora perniciosa mycelium and Pichia pastoris X-33 in vitro. The TcOsm1-derived peptides, named Osm-pepA (H-RRLDRGGVWNLNVNPGTTGARVWARTK-NH2), located at R23-K49, and Osm-pepB (H-GGVWNLNVNPGTTGARVWARTK-NH2), located at G28-K49, inhibited growth of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C and Pichia pastoris X-33) and spore germination of the phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium f. sp. glycines and Colletotrichum gossypi. Osm-pepA was more efficient than Osm-pepB for S. cerevisiae (MIC=40μM and MIC=127μM, respectively), as well as for P. pastoris (MIC=20μM and MIC=127μM, respectively). Furthermore, the peptides presented a biphasic performance, promoting S. cerevisiae growth in doses around 5μM and inhibiting it at higher doses. The structural model for these peptides showed that the five amino acids residues, RRLDR at Osm-pepA N-terminus, significantly affect the tertiary structure, indicating that this structure is important for the peptide antimicrobial potency. This is the first report of development of antimicrobial peptides from T. cacao. Taken together, the results indicate that the cacao osmotin and its derived peptides, herein studied, are good candidates for developing biotechnological tools aiming to control phytopathogenic fungi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. EFECTO DE UN GEL DE THEOBROMA CACAO EN EL CONTROL DE CARIES VESTIBULAR EN PACIENTES CON TRATAMIENTO DE ORTODONCIA. CONSULTA PRIVADA. AREQUIPA. 2014

    OpenAIRE

    SALAS LINARES, MARY JULISSA

    2015-01-01

    THEOBROMA CACAO GENERALIDADES DESCRIPCIÓN ORIGEN Y EXTENSIÓN CLASIFICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA VARIEDADES DEL CACAO DISTRIBUCIÓN USOS MEDICINALES EFECTO ANTICARIOGÉNICO GEL CARIES DENTAL FACTORES DE RIESGO MICROORGANISMOS IMPLICADOS EN LA CARIES DENTAL CARIES EN EL ESMALTE CLASIFICACIÓN DE LA CARIES MÉTODOS DE DETECCIÓN DE CARIES CRITERIOS ICDAS

  18. Impact of fermentation, drying, roasting, and Dutch processing on epicatechin and catechin content of cacao beans and cocoa ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, Mark J; Hurst, W Jeffrey; Miller, Kenneth B; Rank, Craig; Stuart, David A

    2010-10-13

    Low molecular weight flavan-3-ols are thought to be responsible, in part, for the cardiovascular benefits associated with cocoa powder and dark chocolate. The levels of epicatechin and catechin were determined in raw and conventionally fermented cacao beans and during conventional processing, which included drying, roasting, and Dutch (alkali) processing. Unripe cacao beans had 29% higher levels of epicatechin and the same level of catechin compared to fully ripe beans. Drying had minimal effect on the epicatechin and catechin levels. Substantial decreases (>80%) in catechin and epicatechin levels were observed in fermented versus unfermented beans. When both Ivory Coast and Papua New Guinea beans were subjected to roasting under controlled conditions, there was a distinct loss of epicatechin when bean temperatures exceeded 70 °C. When cacao beans were roasted to 120 °C, the catechin level in beans increased by 696% in unfermented beans, by 650% in Ivory Coast beans, and by 640% in Papua New Guinea fermented beans compared to the same unroasted beans. These results suggest that roasting in excess of 70 °C generates significant amounts of (-)-catechin, probably due to epimerization of (-)-epicatechin. Compared to natural cocoa powders, Dutch processing caused a loss in both epicatechin (up to 98%) and catechin (up to 80%). The epicatechin/catechin ratio is proposed as a useful and sensitive indicator for the processing history of cacao beans.

  19. Caracterización de cultivares de cacao (Theobroma cacao L) por su respuesta de defensa a Moniliophthora roreri y su polimorfismo de SSRs

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez Botello, Darwin Hernando

    2015-01-01

    La moniliasis del Cacao producida por Moniliophthora roreri, es un hongo basidiomiceto considerado como la enfermedad potencial más limitante de la producción en el cultivo en Colombia. La respuesta de defensa frente a su infección actualmente es considerada como susceptible en todos los materiales comerciales utilizados para el cultivo en el mundo. En Colombia, recientemente se han identificado algunos materiales regionales con un comportamiento fitosanitario en campo favorabl...

  20. Embriogénesis somática secundaria en el genotipo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. inifap 1 y su descripción histológica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Alejandro-Lázaro

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available La embriogénesis somática aplicada para la propagación clonal de plantas de cacao, aun es de baja eficiencia, por lo que el objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la respuesta de los cotiledones procedentes de embriones somáticos primarios como fuente de explante para inducir embriogénesis somática secundaria (ESS en presencia de fitohormonas y sin estas en el genotipo de cacao inifap 1, asi como describir los eventos de la ESS desde los 30 hasta los 240 días de cultivo. El uso de las fitohormonas ácido 2,4-Diclorofenoxiácetico (2,4-D y thidiazuron (TDZ son importantes para inducir la embriogénesis somática (ES primaria en cacao. Adicionalmente para generar la ESS se han utilizado fitohormonas. En la presente investigación, fueron establecidos cuatro tratamientos con fregmentos de cotiledón, con 2,4-D y TDZ en forma combinada e independiente, incluyendo un testigo sin fitohormonas. Los resultados mostraron, que los fragmentos de cotiledón cultivados sin fitohormonas favorece la ESS, obteniendo un promedio de seis embriones somáticos secundarios (ESs a los 210 días de cultivo contra uno para el tratamiento suplementado con TDZ. El meristemo apical y radicular se presentó en un periodo de 240 días, se observaron embriones somáticos con estructuras externas como: cotiledones, ápices y raíces. Los resultados mostraron que la exclusión del 2,4-D y el thidiazuron no son importantes para inducir la ESS. El mayor número de ESs se encontró en un medio desprovisto de fitohormonas por lo que esta información es relevante, debido a que los explantes de cotiledones procedentes de embriones somáticos primarios, generan mayor número de ESs en esta especie. Estos resultados constituyen el primer reporte de la inducción de la ESs sin fitohormonas.

  1. Phytophthora megakarya and P. palmivora, Causal Agents of Black Pod Rot, Induce Similar Plant Defense Responses Late during Infection of Susceptible Cacao Pods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Shahin S.; Shao, Jonathan; Lary, David J.; Strem, Mary D.; Meinhardt, Lyndel W.; Bailey, Bryan A.

    2017-01-01

    Phytophthora megakarya (Pmeg) and Phytophthora palmivora (Ppal) cause black pod rot of Theobroma cacao L. (cacao). Of these two clade 4 species, Pmeg is more virulent and is displacing Ppal in many cacao production areas in Africa. Symptoms and species specific sporangia production were compared when the two species were co-inoculated onto pod pieces in staggered 24 h time intervals. Pmeg sporangia were predominantly recovered from pod pieces with unwounded surfaces even when inoculated 24 h after Ppal. On wounded surfaces, sporangia of Ppal were predominantly recovered if the two species were simultaneously applied or Ppal was applied first but not if Pmeg was applied first. Pmeg demonstrated an advantage over Ppal when infecting un-wounded surfaces while Ppal had the advantage when infecting wounded surfaces. RNA-Seq was carried out on RNA isolated from control and Pmeg and Ppal infected pod pieces 3 days post inoculation to assess their abilities to alter/suppress cacao defense. Expression of 4,482 and 5,264 cacao genes was altered after Pmeg and Ppal infection, respectively, with most genes responding to both species. Neural network self-organizing map analyses separated the cacao RNA-Seq gene expression profiles into 24 classes, 6 of which were largely induced in response to infection. Using KEGG analysis, subsets of genes composing interrelated pathways leading to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, ethylene and jasmonic acid biosynthesis and action, plant defense signal transduction, and endocytosis showed induction in response to infection. A large subset of genes encoding putative Pr-proteins also showed differential expression in response to infection. A subset of 36 cacao genes was used to validate the RNA-Seq expression data and compare infection induced gene expression patterns in leaves and wounded and unwounded pod husks. Expression patterns between RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR were generally reproducible. The level and timing of altered gene expression was

  2. ANÁLISIS DE LA ESTRUCTURA ARBÓREA DEL SISTEMA AGROFORESTAL DE CACAO (Theobroma cacao L. EN EL SOCONUSCO, CHIAPAS - MÉXICO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo Alexander Roa Romero

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Se determinó la abundancia, riqueza, importancia, equidad y diversidad de los árboles encontrados en sistemas agroforestales de cacao, del Soconusco, Chiapas, México. La presente investigación, se desarrolló en la región costera del Soconusco, ubicada al sur del estado de Chiapas; se muestrearon los municipios de Huehuetán, Tapachula y Tuxtla Chico, por ser los más representativos en área sembrada de cacao. En cada municipio, se establecieron al azar siete parcelas temporales de 50 x 50 m cada una, lo que suma en total 5,25 hectáreas, en las cuales se registraron variables como el diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP: 1,3 m sobre el nivel del suelo, área basal, y sombrío en el cacaotal. Se encontraron 46 especies agrupadas en 21 familias, las especies con el mayor valor de importancia fueron Mangifera indica y Pouteria sapota, convirtiéndose en las especies de sombra más frecuentemente encontradas. La composición florística denotó una mayor similitud en los municipios de Tapachula y Huehuetán, como lo muestra el mayor porcentaje del índice de Jaccard y en lo que respecta a diversidad, el municipio de Tuxtla Chico presentó el mayor valor según el índice de Shannon. Este estudio determina la existencia de una cobertura definitiva de preferencia asociada a los árboles frutales.

  3. La escoba de bruja del cacao [Crinipellis perniciosa (Stahel Singer] : descripción de síntomas de la enfermedad

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    Tovar Germán

    1991-06-01

    Full Text Available La descripción de síntomas de la enfermedad es un compendia de las observaciones sobre las diversas manifestaciones de la enfermedad en yemas vegetativas, cojines florales, frutos y plántulas procedentes de semillas infectadas, derivado de estudios sistemáticos sobre la infección de C  perniciosa en el cacao (Tlieobroma cacao L con el fin de contribuir al reconocimiento y diagnóstico de la enfermedad.

  4. Tc-MYBPA an Arabidopsis TT2-like transcription factor and functions in the regulation of proanthocyanidin synthesis in Theobroma cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Shi, Zi; Maximova, Siela N; Payne, Mark J; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2015-06-25

    The flavan-3-ols catechin and epicatechin, and their polymerized oligomers, the proanthocyanidins (PAs, also called condensed tannins), accumulate to levels of up to 15 % of the total weight of dry seeds of Theobroma cacao L. These compounds have been associated with several health benefits in humans. They also play important roles in pest and disease defense throughout the plant. In Arabidopsis, the R2R3 type MYB transcription factor TT2 regulates the major genes leading to the synthesis of PA. To explore the transcriptional regulation of the PA synthesis pathway in cacao, we isolated and characterized an R2R3 type MYB transcription factor MYBPA from cacao. We examined the spatial and temporal gene expression patterns of the Tc-MYBPA gene and found it to be developmentally expressed in a manner consistent with its involvement in PAs and anthocyanin synthesis. Functional complementation of an Arabidopsis tt2 mutant with Tc-MYBPA suggested that it can functionally substitute the Arabidopsis TT2 gene. Interestingly, in addition to PA accumulation in seeds of the Tc-MYBPA expressing plants, we also observed an obvious increase of anthocyanidin accumulation in hypocotyls. We observed that overexpression of the Tc-MYBPA gene resulted in increased expression of several key genes encoding the major structural enzymes of the PA and anthocyanidin pathway, including DFR (dihydroflavanol reductase), LDOX (leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase) and BAN (ANR, anthocyanidin reductase). We conclude that the Tc-MYBPA gene that encodes an R2R3 type MYB transcription factor is an Arabidopsis TT2 like transcription factor, and may be involved in the regulation of both anthocyanin and PA synthesis in cacao. This research may provide molecular tools for breeding of cacao varieties with improved disease resistance and enhanced flavonoid profiles for nutritional and pharmaceutical applications.

  5. Energy and water fluxes above a cacao agroforestry system in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, indicate effects of land-use change on local climate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Falk, U.; Ibrom, A.; Oltchev, A.; Kreilein, H.; Merklein, J.; Gravenhorst, G. [Inst. of Bioclimatology, Univ. Goettingen (Germany); June, T. [Inst. Pertanian Bogor, BIOTROP-ICSEA, Bogor (Indonesia); Rauf, A. [Univ. Tadulako, Palu (Indonesia)

    2005-04-01

    Rapid conversion of tropical rainforests to agricultural land-use types occurs throughout Indonesia and South-East Asia. We hypothesize that these changes in land-use affect the turbulent heat exchange processes between vegetation and the atmosphere, and the radiative properties of the surface, and therefore, induce an impact on local climate and water flows. As part of the international research project (SFB 552, Stability of Rainforest Margins in Indonesia, STORMA) the turbulent heat fluxes over a cacao agroforestry system (AFS) were investigated, using the eddy covariance technique. These first heat flux observations above a cacao AFS showed an unexpectedly large contribution of the sensible heat flux to the total turbulent heat transport, resulting in an averaged day-time Bowen ratio of {beta} = H/{lambda}E {approx} 1. Seasonality of {beta} did mainly coincide with the seasonal course of precipitation, which amounted to 1970 mm yr{sup -1} during the investigated period. The findings are compared to investigations at four neotropical rain forests where daytime {beta} were substantially smaller than 1. All discussed sites received similar incident short wave radiation, however, precipitation at the neotropical sites was much higher. Our first observations in a nearby Indonesian upland rain forest where precipitation was comparable to that at the cacao AFS showed an intermediate behaviour. Differences in {beta} between the cacao AFS and the tropical forests are discussed as a consequence of differing precipitation amounts, and albedo. From these comparisons we conclude that conversion from tropical forests to cacao AFS affects the energy fluxes towards increased heating of the day-time convective boundary-layer. (orig.)

  6. Solidification and Immobilization of Heavy metals in Soil using with nano-metallic Ca/CaO Dispersion Mixture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mallampati S. R.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available In the present work, the use of nano-metallic calcium (Ca and calcium oxide (CaO dispersion mixture for the immobilization of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr and Pb in soil was investigated. With simple grinding, 85-90% of heavy metals immobilization could be achieved, while it could be enhanced to 98-100% by grinding with the addition of nano-metallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture. By SEM-EDS elemental maps as well as semi-quantitative analysis observed that the amount of As, Cd, Cr and Pb measurable on soil particle surface decreases after nano-metallic Ca/CaO treatment. The leachable heavy metals concentrations were reduced, to the concentration lower than the Japan soil elution standard regulatory threshold, i. e., < 0.01 mg/l for As, Cd and Pb and 0.05mg/l for Cr. Whereas, the effect of soil moisture and pH on heavy metals immobilization was not much influenced. The results suggest that nano-metallic Ca/CaO mixture is suitable to be used for the gentle immobilization of heavy metals contaminated soil at normal moisture conditions.

  7. Apoplastic and intracellular plant sugars regulate developmental transitions in witches' broom disease of cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barau, Joan; Grandis, Adriana; Carvalho, Vinicius Miessler de Andrade; Teixeira, Gleidson Silva; Zaparoli, Gustavo Henrique Alcalá; do Rio, Maria Carolina Scatolin; Rincones, Johana; Buckeridge, Marcos Silveira; Pereira, Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães

    2015-03-01

    Witches' broom disease (WBD) of cacao differs from other typical hemibiotrophic plant diseases by its unusually long biotrophic phase. Plant carbon sources have been proposed to regulate WBD developmental transitions; however, nothing is known about their availability at the plant-fungus interface, the apoplastic fluid of cacao. Data are provided supporting a role for the dynamics of soluble carbon in the apoplastic fluid in prompting the end of the biotrophic phase of infection. Carbon depletion and the consequent fungal sensing of starvation were identified as key signalling factors at the apoplast. MpNEP2, a fungal effector of host necrosis, was found to be up-regulated in an autophagic-like response to carbon starvation in vitro. In addition, the in vivo artificial manipulation of carbon availability in the apoplastic fluid considerably modulated both its expression and plant necrosis rate. Strikingly, infected cacao tissues accumulated intracellular hexoses, and showed stunted photosynthesis and the up-regulation of senescence markers immediately prior to the transition to the necrotrophic phase. These opposite findings of carbon depletion and accumulation in different host cell compartments are discussed within the frame of WBD development. A model is suggested to explain phase transition as a synergic outcome of fungal-related factors released upon sensing of extracellular carbon starvation, and an early senescence of infected tissues probably triggered by intracellular sugar accumulation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  8. System level analysis of cacao seed ripening reveals a sequential interplay of primary and secondary metabolism leading to polyphenol accumulation and preparation of stress resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Nägele, Thomas; Doerfler, Hannes; Fragner, Lena; Chaturvedi, Palak; Nukarinen, Ella; Bellaire, Anke; Huber, Werner; Weiszmann, Jakob; Engelmeier, Doris; Ramsak, Ziva; Gruden, Kristina; Weckwerth, Wolfram

    2016-08-01

    Theobroma cacao and its popular product, chocolate, are attracting attention due to potential health benefits including antioxidative effects by polyphenols, anti-depressant effects by high serotonin levels, inhibition of platelet aggregation and prevention of obesity-dependent insulin resistance. The development of cacao seeds during fruit ripening is the most crucial process for the accumulation of these compounds. In this study, we analyzed the primary and the secondary metabolome as well as the proteome during Theobroma cacao cv. Forastero seed development by applying an integrative extraction protocol. The combination of multivariate statistics and mathematical modelling revealed a complex consecutive coordination of primary and secondary metabolism and corresponding pathways. Tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and aromatic amino acid metabolism dominated during the early developmental stages (stages 1 and 2; cell division and expansion phase). This was accompanied with a significant shift of proteins from phenylpropanoid metabolism to flavonoid biosynthesis. At stage 3 (reserve accumulation phase), metabolism of sucrose switched from hydrolysis into raffinose synthesis. Lipids as well as proteins involved in lipid metabolism increased whereas amino acids and N-phenylpropenoyl amino acids decreased. Purine alkaloids, polyphenols, and raffinose as well as proteins involved in abiotic and biotic stress accumulated at stage 4 (maturation phase) endowing cacao seeds the characteristic astringent taste and resistance to stress. In summary, metabolic key points of cacao seed development comprise the sequential coordination of primary metabolites, phenylpropanoid, N-phenylpropenoyl amino acid, serotonin, lipid and polyphenol metabolism thereby covering the major compound classes involved in cacao aroma and health benefits. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Evaluation of soil amendments as a remediation alternative for cadmium-contaminated soils under cacao plantations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavez, E; He, Z L; Stoffella, P J; Mylavarapu, R; Li, Y; Baligar, V C

    2016-09-01

    Elevated plant-available cadmium (Cd) in soils results in contamination to cacao (Theobroma cacao L) beans. Effectiveness of vermicompost and zeolite in reducing available Cd in three cacao-growing soils was studied under laboratory conditions. Sorption-desorption experiments were conducted in soils and amendments. Cadmium was added at 0 or 5 mg kg(-1) (spiked), then, amendments were incorporated at 0, 0.5, or 2 %. Amended soils were incubated at room temperature for 28 days. Plant-available Cd was determined using 0.01 M CaCl2 (WSE) and Mehlich 3 (M3) extraction procedures in subsamples taken from individual bags at six time intervals. Soils and amendments displayed different sorption characteristics and a better fit was attained with Freundlich model (R (2) > 0.82). Amendments were ineffective in reducing extractable Cd in non-spiked soils. In Cd-spiked soils, vermicompost at 2 % significantly reduced WSE-Cd (P soils and significantly diminished M3-extractable Cd (P soil. Vermicompost at 0.5 % significantly decreased WSE-Cd (P soils with low sorption capacity for Cd. In contrast, zeolite failed to reduce WSE- or M3-extractable Cd in all studied soils. A negative correlation occurred between soil pH and WSE-Cd (r > -0.89, P soils.

  10. Soil classification and carbon storage in cacao agroforestry farming systems of Bahia, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Information concerning the classification of soils and their properties under cacao agroforestry systems of the Atlantic rain forest biome region in the Southeast of Bahia Brazil is largely unknown. Soil and climatic conditions in this region are favorable for high soil carbon storage. This study is...

  11. Preparative separation of cacao bean procyanidins by high-speed counter-current chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lingxi; Zhang, Shuting; Cui, Yan; Li, Yuanyuan; Luo, Lanxin; Zhou, Peiyu; Sun, Baoshan

    2016-11-15

    In this work, an efficient method for preparative separation of procyanidins from raw cacao bean extract by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was developed. Under the optimized solvent system of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-water (1:50:50, v/v/v) with a combination of head-tail and tail-head elution modes, various procyanidins fractions with different polymerization degrees were successfully separated. UPLC, QTOF-MS and 1 H NMR analysis verified that these fractions contained monomer up to pentamer respectively. Dimeric procyanidin B2 (purity>86%) could be isolated by HSCCC in a single run. Other individual procyanidins in these fractions could be further isolated and purified by preparative HPLC. The developed HSCCC together with preparative HPLC techniques appeared to be a useful tool for large preparation of different procyanidins from cacao beans. Furthermore, by antioxidant activity assays, it was proved that both fractions and individual procyanidins possessed greater antioxidant activities compared to standard trolox. The antioxidant activities of procyanidins increase as the increase of their polymerization degree. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Packaging of Post Acclimatized Somatic Embryogenesis Cocoa Plantlet (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soedarsianto Soedarsianto

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Clonal plants that produced by somatic embryogenesis technique is one of the best choice to produce supperior clonal cacao (Theobroma cacao L. planting materials. The somatic embryogenesis technique is a possible way for massive propagation, the outcome is true to type plants, the architecture similarity that the seedlings but there is not segregation like seedlings plants. At present mass production started of plantlets production until post-acclimatized plantlets of somatic embryogenesis cocoa was done at Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute. Distribution system of the planting materials to whole areas in form of as up-rooted post-acclimatized plantlet. Some problems identified to reduce probability of decreasing viability of up-rooted post-acclimatized plantlets and one of them is extreme internal water deficit. This research investigate of the influece storage condition (air tight and non-air tight and box storage (mica plastic and cardboardbox. The first experiment result show, there is no significant different between mica plastic and cardboard box usage for storage of post-acclimatized cocoa pantlet. Viability of up-rooted post acclimatized cocoa plantlet influenced exactly by air tight and non-air tight storage condition. Air tight storage condition have better viability of up-rooted post acclimatised (81,58% than non-air tight storage condition (65,00%. Leaf sanasence on air tight storage condition (10,33% lower than non-air tight storage (32,58%. There is not significantly on volume storage per plantlet between 4.416 cm3 and 12.600 cm3. Relationship between fallen leaves and cocoa planlet viability follow negative linear correlation y = -1,4719x + 104,88 (R2 = 0,9772. The second experiment treatment showed that maximal storage periode of post cclimatized cocoa plantlet just until 6 days stored (97% and not significant with 3 days one. Viability of post acclimatized cocoa plantlet decreased after 6 days storage period

  13. Efficient method of protein extraction from Theobroma cacao L. roots for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertolde, F Z; Almeida, A-A F; Silva, F A C; Oliveira, T M; Pirovani, C P

    2014-07-04

    Theobroma cacao is a woody and recalcitrant plant with a very high level of interfering compounds. Standard protocols for protein extraction were proposed for various types of samples, but the presence of interfering compounds in many samples prevented the isolation of proteins suitable for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). An efficient method to extract root proteins for 2-DE was established to overcome these problems. The main features of this protocol are: i) precipitation with trichloroacetic acid/acetone overnight to prepare the acetone dry powder (ADP), ii) several additional steps of sonication in the ADP preparation and extractions with dense sodium dodecyl sulfate and phenol, and iii) adding two stages of phenol extractions. Proteins were extracted from roots using this new protocol (Method B) and a protocol described in the literature for T. cacao leaves and meristems (Method A). Using these methods, we obtained a protein yield of about 0.7 and 2.5 mg per 1.0 g lyophilized root, and a total of 60 and 400 spots could be separated, respectively. Through Method B, it was possible to isolate high-quality protein and a high yield of roots from T. cacao for high-quality 2-DE gels. To demonstrate the quality of the extracted proteins from roots of T. cacao using Method B, several protein spots were cut from the 2-DE gels, analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry, and identified. Method B was further tested on Citrus roots, with a protein yield of about 2.7 mg per 1.0 g lyophilized root and 800 detected spots.

  14. Cacao pod husks as a source of low-methoxyl, highly acetylated pectins able to gel in acidic media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vriesmann, Lúcia Cristina; de Oliveira Petkowicz, Carmen Lúcia

    2017-08-01

    Cacao pod husks, the main by-product from cocoa production, have been investigated for pectin isolation. In the present study, the rheological properties of two low-methoxyl (LM) pectins isolated from cacao pod husks using different extraction conditions were evaluated. One pectin was obtained from optimized conditions employing aqueous nitric acid as an extractant, and the other one was extracted with boiling water. Pectin gels (0.99% galacturonic acid equivalent, w/w) were prepared at pH 2.5-3.0 in the presence of 60% sucrose (w/w) and subjected to rheological analysis. Dynamic oscillatory experiments at 25°C indicated that better gels were obtained at the lowest pH (2.5). Steady shear measurements revealed a shear-thinning behavior. The apparent viscosities of the samples increased as pH decreased. Gelation with calcium ions was not observed for either of the highly acetylated LM pectins analyzed. The rheological analysis results showed that despite their high acetyl content, LM pectins extracted by different methods from cacao pod husks were able to form gels at low pH under reduced water activity, suggesting a possible application in acidic products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Organic cacao chain for development: The case of the Talamanca small-farmers association

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Slingerland, M.A.; Díaz Gonzalez, E.

    2006-01-01

    In de Talamanca region in Costa Rica cocoa production was abandoned in the late 1970s when yields dropped to zero due to Monilia. In the early 1990s, the Talamanca Small-Farmers association (APPTA) gained success in promoting its revival. By creating contacts with buyers of organic cacao in the

  16. Microsatellite-aided detection of genetic redundancy improves management of the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), the tree from which cocoa butter and chocolate is derived, is conserved in field genebanks. The largest of these ex situ collections in the public domain is the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad (ICG,T). Reduction of genetic redundancy is essential to improve the acc...

  17. The Theobroma cacao B3 domain transcription factor TcLEC2 plays a duel role in control of embryo development and maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yufan; Clemens, Adam; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

    2014-04-24

    The Arabidopsis thaliana LEC2 gene encodes a B3 domain transcription factor, which plays critical roles during both zygotic and somatic embryogenesis. LEC2 exerts significant impacts on determining embryogenic potential and various metabolic processes through a complicated genetic regulatory network. An ortholog of the Arabidopsis Leafy Cotyledon 2 gene (AtLEC2) was characterized in Theobroma cacao (TcLEC2). TcLEC2 encodes a B3 domain transcription factor preferentially expressed during early and late zygotic embryo development. The expression of TcLEC2 was higher in dedifferentiated cells competent for somatic embryogenesis (embryogenic calli), compared to non-embryogenic calli. Transient overexpression of TcLEC2 in immature zygotic embryos resulted in changes in gene expression profiles and fatty acid composition. Ectopic expression of TcLEC2 in cacao leaves changed the expression levels of several seed related genes. The overexpression of TcLEC2 in cacao explants greatly increased the frequency of regeneration of stably transformed somatic embryos. TcLEC2 overexpressing cotyledon explants exhibited a very high level of embryogenic competency and when cultured on hormone free medium, exhibited an iterative embryogenic chain-reaction. Our study revealed essential roles of TcLEC2 during both zygotic and somatic embryo development. Collectively, our evidence supports the conclusion that TcLEC2 is a functional ortholog of AtLEC2 and that it is involved in similar genetic regulatory networks during cacao somatic embryogenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of the functional analysis of a LEC2 ortholog in a species other then Arabidopsis. TcLEC2 could potentially be used as a biomarker for the improvement of the SE process and screen for elite varieties in cacao germplasm.

  18. Biotechnology for cocoa pod borer resistance in cocoa

    OpenAIRE

    Chaidamsari, T.

    2005-01-01

    The cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao L.) produces the beans that are the source of cacao, the basis for chocolate production, and an important commodity crop in South America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB,( Conopomorpha cramerella)has been the single most important limiting factor for cacao production in Southeast Asia.So far, there has been no single cost effective and environmentally safe way to control this pest.This thesis describes the first steps in a biotechnologica...

  19. The systematic description of cacao clones and its significance for taxonomy and plant breeding

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Engels, J.M.M.

    1986-01-01

    The value of germplasm collections depends to a large extent on the data accompanying the individual accessions. In order to facilitate the selection of the most useful characters for the systematic description of a cacao germplasm collection methods were developed to measure and to compare

  20. Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 45. Banana, cacao, Spanish lime, plantain

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties 45 is a compilation of descriptions of new fruit and nut cultivars from around the world. In this edition, newly released cacao, banana, plantain, and genip cultivars are described in terms of their origins, important fruit traits and yield....

  1. Responses of seedlings of tropical woody plants to environmental stresses with emphasis on Theobroma cacao and Hevea brasiliensis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sena Gomes, A.R.

    1987-01-01

    Relative humidity, flooding, temperature, wind, and SO/sub 2/ variously influenced physiological processes and growth of tropical woody plants, with emphasis on three Theobroma cacao varieties and three Hevea brasiliensis families. Stomata were smaller and more numerous in Theobroma than in Hevea. In Theobroma, but not Heavea, stomatal frequency decreased from the leaf base to the apex and from the midrib outward. Stomata of Theobroma cacao var. Catongo opened in high relative humidity (RH) and closed in low RH. The more open stomata in high RH were associated with high rates of photosynthesis, low leaf water potential, high water use efficiency (WUE), and low transpiration rate (TR). Variations in TR and WUE were correlated with changes in vapor pressure deficit. Other responses included stomatal closure, decreased chlorophyll content, leaf epinasty, production of hypertrophied lenticels and adventitious roots, and acceleration of ethylene production. Responses to flooding varied with species, Theobroma varieties and Hevea families. Effects of temperature regimes on growth varied with species, varieties and families, plant parts, growth parameters, and time of harvesting. Optimal temperatures for dry weight increase of stems or roots of Theobroma cacao var. Comum were 22.2 C; and 33.3 C for dry weight increase or relative growth rates of leaves or seedlings. Optimal temperatures for growth varied for Hevea families. Wind injured leaves of Theobroma cacao, with more injury by wind of 6.0 than 3.0 m s/sup -1/. Stomata were more open on windy than on calm days, but tended to close at high wind speeds. Wind lowered transpiration rate but the reduction was not correlated with leaf dehydration. SO/sub 2/ at 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 ppm for 24 h did not injure Theobroma leaves but reduced dry weight increment of leaves of var. Catongo but not Catongo/Sial.

  2. Biosynthesis, accumulation and degradation of theobromine in developing Theobroma cacao fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xin-Qiang; Koyama, Yoko; Nagai, Chifumi; Ashihara, Hiroshi

    2004-04-01

    We have studied the purine alkaloid content and purine metabolism in Theobroma cacao fruits at differing growth stages: Stage A (young small fruit, fresh weight, ca. 2 g); stage B (medium size fruit, fresh weight, ca. 100 g) and stage C (large size, fresh weight, ca. 500 g). The major purine alkaloid in stage A fruits (mainly pericarp) was theobromine (0.7 micromol g(-1) fresh weight), followed by caffeine (0.09 micromol g(-1) fresh weight). The theobromine content of the pericarp decreased sharply with tissue age, and the caffeine content decreased gradually. A large amount of theobromine (22 micromol g(-1) fresh weight) had accumulated in seeds (mainly cotyledons) of stage C fruits. Theobromine was found also in the seed coat and placenta. Tracer experiments with [8-(14)C]adenine show that the major sites of theobromine synthesis are the young pericarp and cotyledons of T. cacao fruits. Limited amounts of purine alkaloids may be transported from the pericarp to seed tissue, but most purine alkaloids that accumulated in seeds appeared to be synthesised in cotyledons. Degradation of [8-(14)C]theobromine and [8-(14)C]caffeine to CO2 via 3-methylxanthine and ureides (allantoin and allantoic acid) was detected only in the pericarp of stage C fruits.

  3. Physiological responses of Theobroma cacao L. to water soil available in nursery stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jairo Garcia Lozano

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In the locality of El Espinal, Tolima, the effect of water stress on leaf water potential and gas exchange of plants three clones of cacao (Theobroma cacao L was evaluated. The experiment was established in a split plot design in randomized block arrangement. The main plot was four levels of available soil water, subplot grafted seedlings to three months of three clones with five repetitions. The results showed highly significant differences (P <0.01 in content of soil water, but no differences between the materials evaluated. The loss of water in the soil decreases leaf water potential (Ψf and causes stomatal closure altering gas exchange and vapor pressure deficit (DPV accentuates mainly at noon with increasing evapotranspiration. The magnitude of impact of water deficit depends on climatic variations throughout the day. The climatic variables that affect plant development, are temperature and relative humidity in the form of DPV. Net photosynthesis and growth of cocoa seedlings are physiological variables very sensitive to excess and especially to water deficit.

  4. Biotechnology for cocoa pod borer resistance in cocoa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chaidamsari, T.

    2005-01-01

    The cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao L.) produces the beans that are the source of cacao, the basis for chocolate production, and an important commodity crop in South America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.Cocoa Pod

  5. Combination of RNAseq and SNP nanofluidic array reveals the center of genetic diversity of cacao pathogen Moniliophthora roreri in the upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia and its clonality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moniliophthora roreri is the fungal pathogen that causes frosty pod rot (FPR) disease of Theobroma cacao L., the source of chocolate. FPR occurs in most of the cacao producing countries in the Western Hemisphere, causing yield losses up to 80%. Genetic diversity within the FPR pathogen population ma...

  6. Eficiencia fisiológica de uso de NPK en clones autoincompatible y autocompatible de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yina Jazbleidi Puentes-Páramo

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available La investigación tuvo como objetivo evaluar la eficiencia fisiológica de N-P-K en clones de cacao de sabor y aroma autocompatible (CCN-51, ICS-95 y autoincompatible: (TSH-565, ICS-39, con la finalidad de determinar la capacidad de producción de grano seco por unidad de nutriente absorbido. Se utilizó un diseño en bloques completos al azar con cinco tratamientos y cuatro repeticiones, los tratamientos fueron diseñados a partir del nivel de fertilidad natural del suelo (TR-Tratamiento de referencia y sobre este el 25, 50, 75 y 100% más de Nitrógeno-Fósforo-Potasio (N-P-K, correspondiente al T1, T2, T3 y T4. Los resultados evidencian que hay diferencias altamente significativas entre clones para los nutrientes N-P-K absorbidos, exhibiendo mayor absorción de nitrógeno, seguido de potasio y por ultimo fósforo, en este sentido, el clon autocompatible CCN-51 mostro mayor habilidad de absorción para la mayoría de nutrientes, excepto fósforo, sin embargo, no es generalizada la mayor habilidad para clones autocompatibles con respecto a clones autoincompatibles.  La mayor eficiencia fisiológica de uso de nutrientes N-P-K se presentó en el tratamiento uno y la menor capacidad de producción de grano seco de cacao por unidad de nutriente se presentó con la dosis nutricional más alta en el tratamiento cuatro, lo cual sugiere que a mayor dosis disminuye la eficiencia fisiológica de uso de nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio de los clones.

  7. Recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase from Theobroma cacao impairs Moniliophthora perniciosa mycelial growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Britto, Dahyana Santos; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho; Andrade, Bruno Silva; Dos Santos, Tassiara Pereira; Pungartnik, Cristina; Cascardo, Júlio Cezar M; Micheli, Fabienne; Gesteira, Abelmon S

    2013-09-01

    In this work, we identified a gene from Theobroma cacao L. genome and cDNA libraries, named TcGlu2, that encodes a β-1,3-1,4-glucanase. The TcGlu2 ORF was 720 bp in length and encoded a polypeptide of 239 amino acids with a molecular mass of 25.58 kDa. TcGlu2 contains a conserved domain characteristic of β-1,3-1,4-glucanases and presented high protein identity with β-1,3-1,4-glucanases from other plant species. Molecular modeling of TcGlu2 showed an active site of 13 amino acids typical of glucanase with β-1,3 and 1,4 action mode. The recombinant cDNA TcGlu2 obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and whose sequence was confirmed by mass spectrometry, has a molecular mass of about 22 kDa (with His-Tag) and showed antifungal activity against the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, causal agent of the witches' broom disease in cacao. The integrity of the hyphae membranes of M. perniciosa, incubated with protein TcGlu2, was analyzed with propidium iodide. After 1 h of incubation, a strong fluorescence emitted by the hyphae indicating the hydrolysis of the membrane by TcGlu2, was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first study of a cacao β-1,3-1,4-glucanase expression in heterologous system and the first analysis showing the antifungal activity of a β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, in particular against M. perniciosa.

  8. Sodium-potassium synergism in Theobroma cacao: stimulation of photosynthesis, water-use efficiency and mineral nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gattward, James N; Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Souza, José O; Gomes, Fábio P; Kronzucker, Herbert J

    2012-11-01

    In ecological setting, sodium (Na(+)) can be beneficial or toxic, depending on plant species and the Na(+) level in the soil. While its effects are more frequently studied at high saline levels, Na(+) has also been shown to be of potential benefit to some species at lower levels of supply, especially in C4 species. Here, clonal plants of the major tropical C3 crop Theobroma cacao (cacao) were grown in soil where potassium (K(+)) was partially replaced (at six levels, up to 50% replacement) by Na(+), at two concentrations (2.5 and 4.0 mmol(c) dm(-3)). At both concentrations, net photosynthesis per unit leaf area (A) increased more than twofold with increasing substitution of K(+) by Na(+). Concomitantly, instantaneous (A/E) and intrinsic (A/g(s)) water-use efficiency (WUE) more than doubled. Stomatal conductance (g(s)) and transpiration rate (E) exhibited a decline at 2.5 mmol dm(-3), but remained unchanged at 4 mmol dm(-3). Leaf nitrogen content was not impacted by Na(+) supplementation, whereas sulfur (S), calcium (Ca(2+)), magnesium (Mg(2+)) and zinc (Zn(2+)) contents were maximized at 2.5 mmol dm(-3) and intermediate (30-40%) replacement levels. Leaf K(+) did not decline significantly. In contrast, leaf Na(+) content increased steadily. The resultant elevated Na(+)/K(+) ratios in tissue correlated with increased, not decreased, plant performance. The results show that Na(+) can partially replace K(+) in the nutrition of clonal cacao, with significant beneficial effects on photosynthesis, WUE and mineral nutrition in this major perennial C3 crop. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2012.

  9. Trigonalidae (Hymenoptera from cacao agroforestry systems in northeastern Brazil, with two new species of Trigonalys Westwood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernardo Santos

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available A survey of Trigonalidae from cacao (Theobroma cacao L. agroforestry systems in southern Bahia, northeastern Brazil, is conducted. A total of 65 specimens were studied, and three species are recognized. Trigonalys melanoleuca Westwood is diagnosed and illustrated. Two new species are described and illustrated. Trigonalys erythrocephala sp. n. has most of head reddish brown; metasomal armature in sternum III conspicuous, Y-shaped; supra-antennal elevation conspicuous; hind coxa with sharp lateral angles, its dorso-mesal portion strigate; legs entirely dark brown; and fore wing lightly infuscate, darker towards anterior margin. Trigonalys gotica sp. n. with body blackish or dark brown and with pale yellow marks; mesopleuron with an oblique mark; female armature absent; frons and vertex punctate-areolate; supra-antennal elevation subtle; propodeal foramen V-shaped; and fore wing vein M arising distinctly basad to 1cu-a.

  10. A fast algorithm for computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeanguillaume, C.; Begot, S.; Quartuccio, M.; Douiri, A.; Franck, D.; Pihet, P.; Ballongue, P.

    2000-08-01

    The computer aided collimation gamma camera is aimed at breaking down the resolution sensitivity trade-off of the conventional parallel hole collimator. It uses larger and longer holes, having an added linear movement at the acquisition sequence. A dedicated algorithm including shift and sum, deconvolution, parabolic filtering and rotation is described. Examples of reconstruction are given. This work shows that a simple and fast algorithm, based on a diagonal dominant approximation of the problem can be derived. Its gives a practical solution to the CACAO reconstruction problem.

  11. Impact of forest disturbance on the structure and composition of vegetation in tropical rainforest of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RAMADHANIL PITOPANG

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available We presented the structure and composition of vegetation in four (4 different land use types namely undisturbed primary forest, lightly disturbed primary forest, selectively logged forest, and cacao forest garden in tropical rainforest margin of the Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi Indonesia. Individually all big trees (dbh > 10 cm was numbered with tree tags and their position in the plot mapped, crown diameter and dbh measured, whereas trunk as well as total height measured by Vertex. Additionally, overstorey plants (dbh 2- 9.9 cm were also surveyed in all land use types. Identification of vouchers and additional herbarium specimens was done in the field as well as at Herbarium Celebense (CEB, Tadulako University, and Nationaal Herbarium of Netherland (L Leiden branch, the Netherland. The result showed that the structure and composition of vegetation in studied are was different. Tree species richness was decreased from primary undisturbed forest to cacao plantation, whereas tree diversity and its composition were significantly different among four (4 land use types. Palaquium obovatum, Chionanthus laxiflorus, Castanopsis acuminatissima, Lithocarpus celebicus, Canarium hirsutum, Eonymus acuminifolius and Sarcosperma paniculata being predominant in land use type A, B and C and Coffea robusta, Theobroma cacao, Erythrina subumbrans, Glyricidia sepium, Arenga pinnata, and Syzygium aromaticum in the cacao plantation. At the family level, undisturbed natural forest was dominated by Fagaceae and Sapotaceae disturbed forest by Moraceae, Sapotaceae, Rubiaceae, and agroforestry systems by Sterculiaceae and Fabaceae.

  12. Evaluación de fungicidas sistémicos y de contacto en el control de la moniliasis (Moniliophthora roreri) del cacao (Theobroma cacao).

    OpenAIRE

    Quevedo Damián, Isaí

    2012-01-01

    La moniliasis causada por Moniliophthora roreri, es una de las enfermedades más destructivas del cacao en América. Afecta exclusivamente al fruto en cualquier etapa de desarrollo, causando pérdidas de hasta el 100% de la producción. Las prácticas culturales han sido el método más aplicado para el combate de la enfermedad, por lo que la selección de fungicidas adecuados contra M. roreri que puedan ser incluidos en programas de manejo de la enfermedad. El objetivo de la presente investigación f...

  13. Preferential removal and immobilization of stable and radioactive cesium in contaminated fly ash with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mallampati, Srinivasa Reddy, E-mail: srireddys@ulsan.ac.kr [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680-749 (Korea, Republic of); Mitoma, Yoshiharu, E-mail: mitomay@pu-hiroshima.ac.jp [Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 562 Nanatsuka-Cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima 727-0023 (Japan); Okuda, Tetsuji [Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513 (Japan); Sakita, Shogo [Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 562 Nanatsuka-Cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima 727-0023 (Japan); Simion, Cristian [Politehnica University of Bucharest, Department of Organic Chemistry, Bucharest 060042 (Romania)

    2014-08-30

    Graphical abstract: Schematic representation of possible mechanisms determining the Cs extraction and immobilization in fly ash during water, methanol or n-MCaS extraction. - Highlights: • nMCaS suspension for cesium extraction and immobilization in fly ash was developed. • Enhanced cesium immobilization was done by nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension. • By SEM analysis the amount of cesium detectable on soil particle surface decreases. • Leachable cesium concentrations reduced, lower than the standard regulatory limit. • nMCaS unique and a highly potential amendment for the remediation of Cs. - Abstract: In this work, the capability of nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension in removing and/or immobilizing stable ({sup 133}Cs) and radioactive cesium species ({sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs) in contaminated fly ash was investigated. After a first methanol and second water washing yielded only 45% of {sup 133}Cs removal. While, after a first methanol washing, the second solvent with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension yielded simultaneous enhanced removal and immobilization about 99% of {sup 133}Cs. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the mass percent of detectable {sup 133}Cs on the fly ash surface recorded a 100% decrease. When real radioactive cesium contaminated fly ash (containing an initial 14,040 Bq kg{sup −1134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs cumulated concentration) obtained from burning wastes from Fukushima were reduced to 3583 Bq kg{sup −1} after treatment with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension. Elution test conducted on the treated fly ash gave 100 Bq L{sup −1} total {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs concentrations in eluted solution. Furthermore, both ash content and eluted solution concentrations of {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs were much lower than the Japanese Ministry of the Environment regulatory limit of 8000 Bq kg{sup −1} and 150 Bq L{sup −1} respectively. The results of this study suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension is

  14. How dark chocolate is processed

    Science.gov (United States)

    This month’s column will continue the theme of “How Is It Processed?” The column will focus on dark chocolate. The botanical name for the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao, which literally means “food of the Gods.” Dark chocolate is both delicious and nutritious. Production of dark chocolate will be des...

  15. Comparación de métodos preparativos de tejidos para la extracción de proteínas de la mazorca de cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.)

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez-Márquez, Ascensión; Morante-Carriel, Jaime Alfredo; Bru-Martínez, Roque

    2017-01-01

    Cocoa, Theobroma cacao L. is one of the main tropical industrial crops. Cocoa has a very high level of interfering substances, such as polysaccharides and phenolic compounds that could prevent the isolation of suitable protein. Efficient methods of protein extraction are a priority to successfully apply proteomic analyses. We compared and evaluated two methods (A and B) of tissue preparation for total protein extract by phenol/SDS extraction protocol. The difference in the application of the ...

  16. DAMPAK APLIKASI INSEKTISIDA PERMETRIN TERHADAP HAMA PENGISAP BIJAIJ HELOPELTIS SPP. (HEMIPTERA: MIRIDAE DAN ARTROPODA NON-TARGET PADA PERTANAMAN KAKAO (THEOBROMA CACAO L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosma Hasibuan

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Impact of Permethrin-Insecticide Application on Mirid Pest of Cocoa Helopeltis spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae and on Non-target  Arthropods in Cocoa Plantations (Theobroma cacao L.. Cocoa mirid bugs, Helopeltis spp., (Hemiptera: Miridae are the most important pest of cocoa in Indonesia. A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of permethrin on cocoa mirids and non-target arthropods at a cocoa plantation in specific place. A randomized complete block design was used in which each of four blocks consisted of 5 treatments (4 concentrations of permethrin; 50; 100; 200; and 250 ppm and control. The results indicated that the application of permethrin significantly increased the cocoa mirids mortaliiy throughout all sprayed cocoa trees (up to 100% 72 h after application. Even at 1 h after application, the percentage of Cocoa mirids mortality 29.2% - 53.9% on cocoa trees sprayed with permethrin at concentrations of 50 - 250 ppm was significantly higher than that on control plant (3.6%. At 72 h after treatments, application of permethrin at concentrations of 200 and 250 ppm caused a complete kill (mortalty of 100% in the test mirids. Meanwhile, ground cloths caught at least 22 fanilies of abore-ground arthropods that were found killed by permethrin applications. Moreover, the number of non-target arthropods killed by permethrin at concentrations of 100 - 250 ppm (27.3 - 85.3 individuals/ground cloth were signifcantly higher than that on control trees. These results demonstrated that despite high efficacy of permethrin in controlling of cocoa mirids (Hetopeltis spp., its application also had adverse effects on non-target arthropods incocoa plantations.

  17. IDENTIFICACIÓN DE HONGOS MICORRÍZICOS ARBUSCULARES EN SISTEMAS AGROFORESTALES CON CACAO EN EL TRÓPICO HÚMEDO ECUATORIANO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Oswaldo Prieto-Benavides

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue aislar e identificar hongos formadores de micorriza arbuscular asociados a sistemas agroforestales con cacao (Theobroma cacao L.. Se muestrearon cinco sistemas ubicados en fincas de la zona central del trópico húmedo ecuatoriano, en la provincia de Los Ríos, en los cantones Quevedo y Valencia: fincas La Represa, La Propiedad, La Unión, Fátima y Mi Recuerdo. Las muestras de suelo y raíces se recolectaron en la época seca entre los meses de junio y diciembre del 2009. Los géneros de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares encontrados fueron los siguientes: Gigaspora, Acaulospora, Glomus y Scutellospora. En todos los sitios muestreados el género con mayor representatividad en cantidad de esporas encontradas por gramo de suelo fue Glomus, mientras que para Gigaspora hubo la menor cantidad de esporas. También se evaluó el porcentaje de colonización micorrízica existente en T. cacao donde el mayor porcentaje de densidad de colonización se encontró en las muestras recolectadas de las fincas Mi Recuerdo y La Unión, y el menor porcentaje en la finca La Propiedad.

  18. Molecular and metabolic changes of cherelle wilt of cacao and its effect on Moniliophthora roreri

    Science.gov (United States)

    The seeds of Theobroma cacao L. pods are processed into cocoa products. Cherelle wilt is physiological thinning of young pods that result in loss of potential pods. Cherelle wilt first occurs 50 days after pollination (DAP) and a second thinning occurs around 70 DAP. Cherelles are also highly sus...

  19. Molecular, Biochemical and Ultrastructural Changes Induced by Pb Toxicity in Seedlings of Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Graciele Santos Monteiro; de Almeida, Alex-Alan Furtado; de Almeida, Nicolle Moreira; de Castro, Andressa Vieira; Mangabeira, Pedro Antonio Oliveira; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2015-01-01

    Pb is a metal which is highly toxic to plants and animals, including humans. High concentrations of Pb have been observed in beans of T. cacao, as well as in its products. In this work, we evaluated the molecular, biochemical, and ultrastructural alterations in mature leaves and primary roots of seedlings of two progenies of T. cacao, obtained from seed germination in different concentrations of Pb (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g L(-1)), in the form of Pb(NO3)2. The progenies resulted from self-fertilization of Catongo and a cross of CCN-10 x SCA-6. The Pb, supplied via seminal, caused alterations in the ultrastructures of the mesophyll cells and in the amount of starch grains in the chloroplasts. The dosage of substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid showed that Pb induced lipid peroxidation. The activity of guaiacol peroxidases and the expression of genes associated to synthetase of phytochelatin, SODcyt and PER increased in response to Pb. In addition, there was alteration in the expression of stress-related proteins. The progeny of CCN-10 x SCA-6 was more tolerant to Pb stress when compared to Catongo, since: (i) it accumulated more Pb in the roots, preventing its translocation to the shoot; (ii) it presented higher activity of peroxidases in the roots, which are enzymes involved in the elimination of excess of reactive oxygen species; and (iii) increased expression of the gene in the phytochelatin biosynthesis route. The results of the proteomic analysis were of paramount importance to differentiate the defense mechanisms used by both progenies of T. cacao.

  20. Molecular cloning and expression analysis of the sucrose transporter gene family from Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Fupeng; Wu, Baoduo; Qin, Xiaowei; Yan, Lin; Hao, Chaoyun; Tan, Lehe; Lai, Jianxiong

    2014-08-10

    In this study, we performed cloning and expression analysis of six putative sucrose transporter genes, designated TcSUT1, TcSUT2, TcSUT3, TcSUT4, TcSUT5 and TcSUT6, from the cacao genotype 'TAS-R8'. The combination of cDNA and genomic DNA sequences revealed that the cacao SUT genes contained exon numbers ranging from 1 to 14. The average molecular mass of all six deduced proteins was approximately 56 kDa (range 52 to 66 kDa). All six proteins were predicted to exhibit typical features of sucrose transporters with 12 trans-membrane spanning domains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that TcSUT2 and TcSUT4 belonged to Group 2 SUT and Group 4 SUT, respectively, and the other TcSUT proteins were belonging to Group 1 SUT. Real-time PCR was conducted to investigate the expression pattern of each member of the SUT family in cacao. Our experiment showed that TcSUT1 was expressed dominantly in pods and that, TcSUT3 and TcSUT4 were highly expressed in both pods and in bark with phloem. Within pods, TcSUT1 and TcSUT4 were expressed more in the seed coat and seed from the pod enlargement stage to the ripening stage. TcSUT5 expression sharply increased to its highest expression level in the seed coat during the ripening stage. Expression pattern analysis indicated that TcSUT genes may be associated with photoassimilate transport into developing seeds and may, therefore, have an impact on seed production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Characterization of the legumains encoded by the genome of Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santana, Juliano Oliveira; Freire, Laís; de Sousa, Aurizangela Oliveira; Fontes Soares, Virgínia Lúcia; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2016-01-01

    Legumains are cysteine proteases related to plant development, protein degradation, programmed cell death, and defense against pathogens. In this study, we have identified and characterized three legumains encoded by Theobroma cacao genome through in silico analyses, three-dimensional modeling, genetic expression pattern in different tissues and as a response to the inoculation of Moniliophthora perniciosa fungus. The three proteins were named TcLEG3, TcLEG6, and TcLEG9. Histidine and cysteine residue which are part of the catalytic site were conserved among the proteins, and they remained parallel in the loop region in the 3D modeling. Three-dimensional modeling showed that the propeptide, which is located in the terminal C region of legumains blocks the catalytic cleft. Comparing dendrogram data with the relative expression analysis, indicated that TcLEG3 is related to the seed legumain group, TcLEG6 is related with the group of embryogenesis activities, and protein TcLEG9, with processes regarding the vegetative group. Furthermore, the expression analyses proposes a significant role for the three legumains during the development of Theobroma cacao and in its interaction with M. perniciosa. Copyright © 2015 Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, CNPJ: 40738999/0001-95. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.

  2. Toward The identification Of candidate genes involved in black pod disease resistance in Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Increasing yield, quality and disease resistance are important objectives for cacao breeding programs. Some of the diseases, such as black pod rot (Phytophtora spp), frosty pod (Moniliophthora roreri) and witches’ broom (M. perniciosa), produce significant losses in all or in some of the various pro...

  3. Endophytic Association of Trichoderma asperellum within Theobroma cacao Suppresses Vascular Streak Dieback Incidence and Promotes Side Graft Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosmana, Ade; Nasaruddin, Nasaruddin; Hendarto, Hendarto; Hakkar, Andi Akbar; Agriansyah, Nursalim

    2016-09-01

    Trichoderma species are able to persist on living sapwood and leaves of cacao ( Theobroma cacao ) in an endophytic relationship. In this research, we evaluated the ability of Trichodema asperellum introduced at the incision site in the bark for side grafting with the concentration of 4 g/10 mL, 4 g/100 mL, and 4 g/1,000 mL (suspended in water) in suppressing vascular streak dieback (VSD) incidence and promoting growth of side grafts in the field. The incidence of VSD in two local clones of cacao, MCC1 and M04, without application of T. asperellum was 71.2% and 70.1% at 21 wk after grafting, respectively. However, when the two clones were treated with a concentration of 4 g/10 mL T. asperellum , the incidence was 20.6% and 21.7%, respectively, compared to 29.1% and 20.9% at 4 g/100 mL and 18.2% and 15.6% at 4 g/1,000 mL. By comparing to the control, the treatment with the same concentrations of T. asperellum listed above, the total number of stomata in MCC1 decreased by 41.9%, 30.2%, and 14.0% and in M04 by 30.5%, 21.9%, and -2.5% (exception), respectively. Otherwise, the total area of stomata opening increased by 91.4%, 99.7%, and 28.6% in MCC1 and by 203.8%, 253.5%, and 35.9% in M04, respectively. Furthermore, the number of buds and branches treated with a mixture concentration on the the two clones increased by 90.7% and 21.7%, respectively. These data showed that the application of T. asperellum to cacao scions while grafting can decrease VSD incidence in side grafts and increase growth of grafts in addition to decreasing total number of stomata, increasing total area of opened stomata, and increasing number of buds and branches.

  4. The pathogenesis-related protein PR-4b from Theobroma cacao presents RNase activity, Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) dependent-DNase activity and antifungal action on Moniliophthora perniciosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira Menezes, Sara; de Andrade Silva, Edson Mario; Matos Lima, Eline; Oliveira de Sousa, Aurizângela; Silva Andrade, Bruno; Santos Lima Lemos, Livia; Peres Gramacho, Karina; da Silva Gesteira, Abelmon; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho; Micheli, Fabienne

    2014-06-11

    The production and accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins) in plants in response to biotic or abiotic stresses is well known and is considered as a crucial mechanism for plant defense. A pathogenesis-related protein 4 cDNA was identified from a cacao-Moniliophthora perniciosa interaction cDNA library and named TcPR-4b. TcPR-4b presents a Barwin domain with six conserved cysteine residues, but lacks the chitin-binding site. Molecular modeling of TcPR-4b confirmed the importance of the cysteine residues to maintain the protein structure, and of several conserved amino acids for the catalytic activity. In the cacao genome, TcPR-4b belonged to a small multigene family organized mainly on chromosome 5. TcPR-4b RT-qPCR analysis in resistant and susceptible cacao plants infected by M. perniciosa showed an increase of expression at 48 hours after infection (hai) in both cacao genotypes. After the initial stage (24-72 hai), the TcPR-4b expression was observed at all times in the resistant genotypes, while in the susceptible one the expression was concentrated at the final stages of infection (45-90 days after infection). The recombinant TcPR-4b protein showed RNase, and bivalent ions dependent-DNase activity, but no chitinase activity. Moreover, TcPR-4b presented antifungal action against M. perniciosa, and the reduction of M. perniciosa survival was related to ROS production in fungal hyphae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a PR-4 showing simultaneously RNase, DNase and antifungal properties, but no chitinase activity. Moreover, we showed that the antifungal activity of TcPR-4b is directly related to RNase function. In cacao, TcPR-4b nuclease activities may be related to the establishment and maintenance of resistance, and to the PCD mechanism, in resistant and susceptible cacao genotypes, respectively.

  5. The pathogenesis-related protein PR-4b from Theobroma cacao presents RNase activity, Ca2+ and Mg2+ dependent-DNase activity and antifungal action on Moniliophthora perniciosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background The production and accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins) in plants in response to biotic or abiotic stresses is well known and is considered as a crucial mechanism for plant defense. A pathogenesis-related protein 4 cDNA was identified from a cacao-Moniliophthora perniciosa interaction cDNA library and named TcPR-4b. Results TcPR-4b presents a Barwin domain with six conserved cysteine residues, but lacks the chitin-binding site. Molecular modeling of TcPR-4b confirmed the importance of the cysteine residues to maintain the protein structure, and of several conserved amino acids for the catalytic activity. In the cacao genome, TcPR-4b belonged to a small multigene family organized mainly on chromosome 5. TcPR-4b RT-qPCR analysis in resistant and susceptible cacao plants infected by M. perniciosa showed an increase of expression at 48 hours after infection (hai) in both cacao genotypes. After the initial stage (24-72 hai), the TcPR-4b expression was observed at all times in the resistant genotypes, while in the susceptible one the expression was concentrated at the final stages of infection (45-90 days after infection). The recombinant TcPR-4b protein showed RNase, and bivalent ions dependent-DNase activity, but no chitinase activity. Moreover, TcPR-4b presented antifungal action against M. perniciosa, and the reduction of M. perniciosa survival was related to ROS production in fungal hyphae. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report of a PR-4 showing simultaneously RNase, DNase and antifungal properties, but no chitinase activity. Moreover, we showed that the antifungal activity of TcPR-4b is directly related to RNase function. In cacao, TcPR-4b nuclease activities may be related to the establishment and maintenance of resistance, and to the PCD mechanism, in resistant and susceptible cacao genotypes, respectively. PMID:24920373

  6. Protocol for isolation of Moniliophthora roreri (Cif and Par Evans et al. from cacao fruits cv. `National' in the Ecuadorian Amazonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina Carrera-Sánchez

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Moniliophthora roreri is a pathogen of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. that causes high economic losses in Ecuador. This paper is intended to present a protocol for the isolation of the pathogen from cocoa fruits cv. `National', showing signs and symptoms of disease. The fruits were collected on farms of Napo (Ecuador. By wet chamber, it was able to induce profusely, sporulation on the surface of selected lesions. The isolations were performed from conidia directly located on the surface of fruits with brown powdery appearance. Isolation procedures and suggested of possible applications are presented.   Key words: amazonia, basidiomycetes, fungi, moniliasis, Theobroma cacao L.

  7. EL CACAO: AYER, HOY Y SIEMPRE EN EL DESARROLLO SOCIOECONÓMICO Y CULTURAL DEL MUNDO, NORTE DE SANTANDER Y CÚCUTA

    OpenAIRE

    Pilar Eugenia Ramírez Villar

    2013-01-01

    Este artículo es un breve relato de la historia del cacao en el mundo, en Colombia y en Cúcuta, surge de un trabajo de investigación histórico y retoma historias de Venezuela, Colombia, Francia, África, Italia, entre otros países que protagonizaron o ayudaron a que el cacao surgiera en la región y se posicionara en el sector productivo. La conclusión de la investigación está basada en el recuento según la región de Norte de Santander y Cúcuta, mostrando datos curiosos de la evolución del caca...

  8. The impact of SNP fingerprinting and parentage analysis on the effectiveness of variety recommendations in cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evidence for the impact of mislabeling and/or pollen contamination on consistency of field performance has been lacking to reinforce the need for strict adherence to quality control protocols in cacao seed garden and germplasm plot management. The present study used SNP fingerprinting at 64 loci to ...

  9. Applying SNP marker technology in the cacao breeding program at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    In this investigation 45 parental cacao plants and five progeny derived from the parental stock studied were genotyped using six SNP markers to determine off-types or mislabeled clones and to authenticate crosses made in the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) breeding program. Investigation wa...

  10. The influence of formulation on Trichoderma biological activity and frosty pod rot disease management in Theobroma cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frosty pod rot (FPR), caused by Moniliophthora roreri is responsible for significant losses in Theobroma cacao. Due to the limited options for FPR management, biological control methods using Trichoderma are being studied. Combinations of three formulations and two Trichoderma isolates were studied ...

  11. Quantificação de biomassa e geração de certificados de emissões reduzidas no consórcio seringueira-cacau Biomass quantification and emisson reduction certificates for rubber-cocoa intercropping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Karina Cotta

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Os objetivos deste trabalho foram quantificar a biomassa vegetal e analisar o potencial de geração de Certificados de Emissões Reduzidas (CERs em um consórcio de seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis M. Arg. aos 34 anos de idade com cacaueiro (Theobroma cacao L. aos 6 anos de idade. O experimento foi realizado nas Fazendas Reunidas Vale do Juliana, em Igrapiúna, Bahia. A quantificação da biomassa arbórea foi feita utilizando-se o método direto e destrutivo de cinco seringueiras e 10 cacaueiros, selecionados em uma área de 2,2 ha. A biomassa da serapilheira foi quantificada por meio da coleta do material sobre o solo. O estoque de carbono no consórcio seringueira-cacau foi de 91,5 Mg C ha-1. Desse total, 84,7 Mg C ha-1 estavam estocados na seringueira, 5,2 Mg C ha-1 no cacaueiro e 1,6 Mg C ha-1 na serapilheira. O carbono contabilizado no consórcio correspondeu a 336 Mg CO2eq. ha-1, que equivalem à geração de 336 CERs ha-1. O consórcio seringueira-cacau apresentou capacidade para estocagem de carbono, podendo trazer grandes contribuições para a redução dos gases de efeito estufa na atmosfera, e isso o credencia como atividade promissora na geração de projetos candidatos ao recebimento de créditos de carbono.The objective of this work were to quantify plant biomass and analyze the potential for generating Emission Reduction Certificates (ERCs of 34-year-old rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis M.Arg intercropped with 6-year-old cacao (Theobroma cacao L.. The experiment was conducted on the farms Fazendas Reunidas Vale do Juliana, Igrapiúna, BA. Tree biomass quantification was carried out using the direct destructive method by harvesting five rubber trees and ten cocoa trees, in an area of 2.2 ha. Litter biomass was quantified by collecting material from the ground. Total carbon storage in rubber - cacao intercropping was 91.5 Mg C ha-1. Of this, 84.7 Mg C ha-1 were stored in rubber trees, 5.22 Mg C ha-1 in cacao trees and 1.67 Mg C ha

  12. Altered physiology, cell structure and gene expression of Theobroma cacao seedlings submitted to Cu toxicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theobroma cacao seedlings from the genotype CCN 51 were grown under greenhouse conditions and exposed to increasing concentrations of Cu (0.005, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mg Cu L-1) in nutrient solution. When doses were equal or higher than 8 mg Cu L-1, after 24 h of treatment application, leaf gas exch...

  13. Evaluación in vitro de Microorganismos Nativos por su Antagonismo contra Moniliophthora roreri Cif & Par en Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. In vitro evaluation of Native Microorganisms for their Antagonism against Moniliophthora roreri Cif & Parin Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Enrique Villamil Carvajal

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Resumen. La moniliasis, causada por Moniliophthora roreri Cif & Par, se ha convertido en la principal enfermedad limitante de la producción de cacao en Colombia y otros países. Con el objetivo de explorar alternativas para el biocontrol de esta enfermedad, hongos y bacterias aislados de frutos y suelo rizosférico de lotes plantados con cacao fueron evaluados por su antagonismo contra M. roreri. La evaluación se realizó en cajas Petri con PDA, para lo cual se colocó en el centro de las mismas, un disco de 5 mm de diámetro colonizado por el patógeno y a 3 cm del borde, sobre los ejes horizontal y vertical, cada uno de los aislamientos. Los microorganismos nativos que inicialmente mostraron antagonismo fueron posteriormente evaluados in vitro por su capacidad de restringir el crecimiento y esporulación de M. roreri. Los resultados indicaron que de 53 aislamientos de frutos y suelo rizosférico, 7 mostraron antagonismo contra M. roreri y entre ellos los más efectivos fueron los hongos H5 y H20 y la bacteria B3, los hongos para la restricción tanto del crecimiento como de la esporulación y la bacteria para el crecimiento. El hongo H20 inhibió en su totalidad el crecimiento de M. roreri. Estos resultados hacen posible que estos aislamientos sean promisorios para su incorporación al manejo de la enfermedad bajo condiciones de campo. De acuerdo con la caracterización morfológica y las pruebas bioquímicas los hongos pertenecen al género Trichoderma y la bacteria al género Bacillus.Abstract. The moniliasis, caused by Moniliophthora roreri Cif & Par, has become the principal disease limiting cocoa production in Colombia and other countries. With the objective of exploring alternatives for the biocontrol of this disease, fungi and bacteria isolated from cocoa fruits and rhizospheric soil from plots planted to cocoa trees were evaluated for their antagonism against M. roreri. The evaluation was conducted in Petri dishes containing PDA, by

  14. COMPARISON BETWEEN SOME PHYSICAL - CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CACAO MILK AND RAW MILK

    OpenAIRE

    Florin Roman

    2009-01-01

    The paper presents a comparison between some physical - chemical characteristics of the cacao milk and of the raw milk. For this comparison we made the following determinations for both types of milk: the determination of the dry substance using the drying oven with a 102 °C temperature, the determination of the proteic substance by titration with sodium hydroxide ( NaOH ) N/10, the milk pasteurization control by the starch and potassium iodide test and the pH determination using the indicato...

  15. Caractérisation des techniques de séchage du cacao dans les ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    25 avr. 2013 ... RÉSUMÉ. Objectifs: Le séchage constitue une étape très importante dans la préparation du cacao marchand. Cette étude vise à caractériser les techniques utilisées par les producteurs en Côte d'Ivoire et déterminer leur influence sur la qualité des fèves. Méthodologie et résultats: Une enquête a été ...

  16. Circulación y consumo de cacao en la ciudad de México en el siglo XVIII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enriqueta Quiroz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available La investigación se refiere a la importancia delconsumo de cacao en la ciudad de México en elsiglo XVIII; señala las dimensiones de su comercio, como también calcula los volúmenes decacao ingresados a la capital y menciona losprincipales circuitos a través de los cuales seabastecía. Del mismo modo percibe las fricciones que se generaron para surtir de cacao a la ciudad de México, al grado de entrar en competencia con la demanda de los mercados atlánticos. Se considera que el estudio permite tener un acercamiento a la integración que tuvo laciudad de México con el resto de los mercadoslocales y del ámbito centro y sudamericano. Deese modo, se considera que particularmente ladescripción de aquellas interconexiones permitevisualizar la integración de los mercados hispanoamericanos en función de la demanda degrandes centros urbanos, tales como la capitalnovohispana.

  17. The mitochondrial genome of Moniliophthora roreri, the frosty pod rot pathogen of cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Gustavo G L; Cabrera, Odalys G; Tiburcio, Ricardo A; Medrano, Francisco J; Carazzolle, Marcelo F; Thomazella, Daniela P T; Schuster, Stephen C; Carlson, John E; Guiltinan, Mark J; Bailey, Bryan A; Mieczkowski, Piotr; Pereira, Gonçalo A G; Meinhardt, Lyndel W

    2012-05-01

    In this study, we report the sequence of the mitochondrial (mt) genome of the Basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora roreri, which is the etiologic agent of frosty pod rot of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). We also compare it to the mtDNA from the closely-related species Moniliophthora perniciosa, which causes witches' broom disease of cacao. The 94 Kb mtDNA genome of M. roreri has a circular topology and codes for the typical 14 mt genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. It also codes for both rRNA genes, a ribosomal protein subunit, 13 intronic open reading frames (ORFs), and a full complement of 27 tRNA genes. The conserved genes of M. roreri mtDNA are completely syntenic with homologous genes of the 109 Kb mtDNA of M. perniciosa. As in M. perniciosa, M. roreri mtDNA contains a high number of hypothetical ORFs (28), a remarkable feature that make Moniliophthoras the largest reservoir of hypothetical ORFs among sequenced fungal mtDNA. Additionally, the mt genome of M. roreri has three free invertron-like linear mt plasmids, one of which is very similar to that previously described as integrated into the main M. perniciosa mtDNA molecule. Moniliophthora roreri mtDNA also has a region of suspected plasmid origin containing 15 hypothetical ORFs distributed in both strands. One of these ORFs is similar to an ORF in the mtDNA gene encoding DNA polymerase in Pleurotus ostreatus. The comparison to M. perniciosa showed that the 15 Kb difference in mtDNA sizes is mainly attributed to a lower abundance of repetitive regions in M. roreri (5.8 Kb vs 20.7 Kb). The most notable differences between M. roreri and M. perniciosa mtDNA are attributed to repeats and regions of plasmid origin. These elements might have contributed to the rapid evolution of mtDNA. Since M. roreri is the second species of the genus Moniliophthora whose mtDNA genome has been sequenced, the data presented here contribute valuable information for understanding the evolution of fungal mt genomes among

  18. Efecto del Tostado Sobre los Metabolitos Secundarios y la Actividad Antioxidante de Clones de Cacao Colombiano / Effect of Roasting on the Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Activity of Colombian Cocoa Clones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Zapata Bustamante

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Resumen. El tostado es una de las operaciones tecnológicas másimportantes en el procesamiento de los granos de cacao; esteproceso conduce a la formación de los productos de la reacciónde Maillard (RM los cuales son cruciales para el desarrollo dela calidad organoléptica de los granos de cacao y sus productosasociados. En el presente estudio se evaluó el efecto del tostadosobre el contenido de metabolitos secundarios y la actividadantioxidante en cinco clones de cacao cultivados en Colombia.En los extractos metanólicos de los diferentes clones de cacao sedeterminó el contenido de fenoles totales, taninos condensados,antocianinas totales, catequina y epicatequina, teobromina ycafeína. Además, se determinó la actividad antioxidante pormedio de la actividad atrapadora del radical ABTS•+, el métodoORAC y la capacidad atrapadora de radicales superóxido. Enconclusión, el efecto del tostado en los clones de cacao no tuvo uncomportamiento uniforme sobre los cambios en los contenidos delos diversos metabolitos secundarios y la actividad antioxidante. /  Abstract. Roasting is one of the most important technologicaloperations in the processing of cocoa beans; this process leads tothe formation of products of the Maillard reaction (RM, which arecrucial for the development of organoleptic quality of cocoa beansand its associated products. The aim of this study was to evaluatethe effect of roasting on the content of secondary metabolites andantioxidant activity in five Colombian cocoa clones, by differentmethodologies. The methanolic extracts of the cocoa beans wereanalyzed for total phenols content, condensed tannins, totalantiocianins, catechin and epicatechin, theobromine and caffeine.The antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS assay, ORACmethod and superoxide radical scavenging method. The effect ofroasting on cocoa clones did not have an unspecified behavior. Inconclusion, the effect of roasting of cacao clones was not uniformon the

  19. Temporal and spatial resource use by female three-toed sloths and their young in an agricultural landscape in Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Ramirez

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The information on ecological behavior of wild sloths is very scarce. In this study we determined the home ranges and resources used by three adult female three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus and their four young in an agricultural matrix of cacao (Theobroma cacao, pasture, riparian forests and living fencerows in Costa Rica. Births occurred during November-December and the young became independent at five to seven months of age. Initially, mothers remained fixed in one or a few trees, but expanded their use of resources as young sloths became independent from them. Mothers initially guided the young to preferred food and cover resources, but they gradually left their young in small nucleus areas and colonized new areas for themselves. Home range sizes for young sloths (up to seven months of age varied between 0.04-0.6 hectares, while home range sizes for mothers varied from 0.04-25.0 hectares. During the maternal care period, 22 tree species were used, with the most common being Cecropia obtusifolia (30.9%, Coussapoa villosa (25.6%, Nectandra salicifolia (12.1%, Pterocarpus officinalis (5.8% and Samanea saman (5.4%. However, young sloths used only 20 tree species, with the most common being C. villosa (18.4%, S. saman (18.5 % and N. salicifolia (16.7%. The cacao agroforest was used only by mother sloths and never by their young following separation. However, in the riparian forest, both mother sloths and young used the tree species. A total of 28 tree species were used by the mother sloth; including the food species: C. obtusifolia, C. villosa, N. salicifolia and P. officinalis. However, the young used 18 trees species in this habitat with N. salicifolia and S. saman most commonly used, although they rested and fed during the day in C. obtusifolia, C. villosa and O. sinnuata. The cacao agroforest with adjacent riparian forests and fencerows provides an important habitat type that links the smaller secondary forests and other patches. Rev

  20. Root activity patterns of some tree crops. Results of a five-year co-ordinated research programme of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Atomic Energy in Food and Agriculture. [32p; injection into banana trees, orange trees, cacao trees, coffee trees, and oil palms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1975-01-01

    A coordinated research program was followed using a soil injection method which employed /sup 32/P-labelled superphosphate solution. The technique was applied for determining the root activity distribution of various crops. Field experiments were carried out in Uganda on bananas, Spain and Taiwan on citrus, Ghana on cocoa, Columbia and Kenya on coffee, and Ivory Coast and Malaysia on oil palms, to study the patterns of root activity as a function of depth and distance from the tree base, soil type, tree age and season. A few weeks after injection, leaf samples of similar age were taken from well-defined morphological positions on the tree and analyzed for /sup 32/P. The activity of the label in the sample reflects the root activity at the various positions in the soil. Some preliminary experiments were also carried out using /sup 32/P-superphosphate to evaluate the efficiency of different methods of fertilizer placement in relation to phosphate uptake by the plantation as a whole.

  1. Combination of RNAseq and SNP nanofluidic array reveals the center of genetic diversity of cacao pathogen Moniliophthora roreri in the upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia and its clonality

    OpenAIRE

    Ali, Shahin S.; Shao, Jonathan; Strem, Mary D.; Phillips-Mora, Wilberth; Zhang, Dapeng; Meinhardt, Lyndel W.; Bailey, Bryan A.

    2015-01-01

    Moniliophthora roreri is the fungal pathogen that causes frosty pod rot (FPR) disease of Theobroma cacao L., the source of chocolate. FPR occurs in most of the cacao producing countries in the Western Hemisphere, causing yield losses up to 80%. Genetic diversity within the FPR pathogen population may allow the population to adapt to changing environmental conditions and adapt to enhanced resistance in the host plant. The present study developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers fro...

  2. Factors controlling phenol content on Theobroma cacao callus culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quiñones-Galvez, Janet; HernándezTorre, Martha de la; Quirós Molina, Yemeys; Capdesuñer Ruiz, Yanelis; Trujillo Sánchez, Reinaldo

    2016-01-01

    Theobroma cacao L. is known in folk medicine as an antiseptic, diuretic and antiparasitic. Foods derived from this plant are rich in natural products of high added value, including phenolic compounds. As in vitro cultivation handle is an alternative source for the production of these metabolites. The present study was conducted to obtain phenolic compounds from callus culture with embryogenic structures. Culture conditions (agitation, light and glucose) were established to increase the concentration of phenols in calluses and elicitors to achieve the increase in callus and excretion into the culture area. The accumulation of phenolic compounds was favored with the additional supplement of glucose, growth in agitation and darkness. The addition of random hydroxylated cyclodextrins allowed the increase in the specific yield of phenols and biomass. (author)

  3. Discovery and mapping of a new expressed sequence tag-single nucleotide polymorphism and simple sequence repeat panel for large-scale genetic studies and breeding of Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allegre, Mathilde; Argout, Xavier; Boccara, Michel; Fouet, Olivier; Roguet, Yolande; Bérard, Aurélie; Thévenin, Jean Marc; Chauveau, Aurélie; Rivallan, Ronan; Clement, Didier; Courtois, Brigitte; Gramacho, Karina; Boland-Augé, Anne; Tahi, Mathias; Umaharan, Pathmanathan; Brunel, Dominique; Lanaud, Claire

    2012-01-01

    Theobroma cacao is an economically important tree of several tropical countries. Its genetic improvement is essential to provide protection against major diseases and improve chocolate quality. We discovered and mapped new expressed sequence tag-single nucleotide polymorphism (EST-SNP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and constructed a high-density genetic map. By screening 149 650 ESTs, 5246 SNPs were detected in silico, of which 1536 corresponded to genes with a putative function, while 851 had a clear polymorphic pattern across a collection of genetic resources. In addition, 409 new SSR markers were detected on the Criollo genome. Lastly, 681 new EST-SNPs and 163 new SSRs were added to the pre-existing 418 co-dominant markers to construct a large consensus genetic map. This high-density map and the set of new genetic markers identified in this study are a milestone in cocoa genomics and for marker-assisted breeding. The data are available at http://tropgenedb.cirad.fr. PMID:22210604

  4. Differential expression of the lethal gene Luteus-Pa in cacao of the Parinari series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehem, B C; Almeida, A-A F; Figueiredo, G S F; Gesteira, A S; Santos, S C; Corrêa, R X; Yamada, M M; Valle, R R

    2016-02-22

    The recessive lethal character Luteus-Pa is found in cacao (Theobroma cacao) genotypes of the Parinari series (Pa) and is characterized by expression of leaf chlorosis and seedling death. Several genotypes of the Pa series are bearers of the gene responsible for the expression of the Luteus-Pa character, which can be used as a tool for determining relationships between genotypes of this group. To evaluate this phenomenon, we analyzed the differential expression of genes between mutant seedlings and wild-type hybrid Pa 30 x 169 seedlings, with the aim of elucidating the possible lethal mechanisms of the homozygous recessive character Luteus-Pa. Plant material was harvested from leaves of wild and mutant seedlings at different periods to construct a subtractive library and perform quantitative analysis using real-time PCR. The 649 sequences obtained from the subtractive library had an average length of 500 bp, forming 409 contigs. The probable proteins encoded were grouped into 10 functional categories. Data from ESTs identified genes associated with Rubisco, peroxidases, and other proteins and enzymes related to carbon assimilation, respiration, and photosystem 2. Mutant seedlings were characterized by synthesizing defective PsbO and PsbA proteins, which were overexpressed from 15 to 20 days after seedling emergence.

  5. Estado de la moniliasis del cacao causada por moniliophthora roreri en colombia

    OpenAIRE

    Correa Alvarez, Javier; Castro Martínez, Sergio; Coy, Jairo

    2014-01-01

    La Moniliasis es una enfermedad fúngica que ataca el cultivo de cacao, causada por el basidiomycete Mo-niliophthora roreri. Está presente en la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos y se adapta a diversidad de ambientes. En Colombia la enfermedad es devastadora y las estrategias de control tradicional han generado resultados colaterales como el fortalecimiento de la resistencia genética de cepas del hongo en algunas regiones. En esta revisión, se recopilan los aspectos biológicos y agronó...

  6. Physico-chemical properties of topsoil under indigenous and exotic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study evaluated selected physico-chemical properties of topsoil under monoculture plantation of an indigenous tree species - Nauclea diderrichii, and those of four exotic tree species – Theobroma cacao, Gmelina arborea, Pinus caribaea and Tectona grandis, located in Omo Biosphere Reserve, Ogun State, Nigeria.

  7. A potential role for an extracellular methanol oxidase secreted by Moniliophthora perniciosa in Witches' broom disease in cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    The hemibiotrophic basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causal agent of witches’ broom disease (WBD) of cacao, is able to grow in methanol as sole carbon source. In plants, one of the main sources of methanol is the pectin present in the structure of cell walls. Pectin is composed b...

  8. Efecto de las cepas nativas Paecilomyces sp. (Bainier y Lecanicillium sp. (Zimm en el control de Carmenta foraseminis Eichlin (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae en cultivos de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilmer Figueroa Medina

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available El pasador del fruto, Carmenta foraseminis Eichlin, es un insecto que ha acentuado su ataque en cultivos de cacao (Theobroma cacao L. en los últimos años en Norte de Santander (Colombia. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la patogenicidad de las cepas nativas Giav-3 Paecilomyces sp. y Giav-4 Lecanicillium sp. sobre larvas de C. foraseminis. Para el efecto, se realizaron aislamientos a partir de muestras de suelo recolectadas en el municipio de Tibú, Norte de Santander. Después de obtenidos los cultivos puros se procedió a la caracterización macroscópica y microscópica para la identificación del género de los aislados mediante claves taxonómicas. La infección fue realizada mediante inmersión de larvas en las suspensiones de los aislados en concentraciones de 0, 10(6, 10(7 y 10(8 conidios/ml. En ambos aislados se observó una tendencia lineal respecto a la mortalidad, la cual fue directamente proporcional a las concentraciones del inóculo. La CL50 y CL90 para Giav-3 fue de 10(6.95 y 10(8.70 conidios/ml y para Giav-4 de 10(6.6 y 10(8.04 conidios/ml, respectivamente. Lo cual indica que esta última requirió la menor concentración de inóculo para eliminar el 50% y 90% de la población tratada, lo que supone una mayor efectividad contra las larvas.

  9. PRENDIMIENTO DE DOS TIPOS DE INJERTOS EN CACAO EN DISTINTAS FASES LUNARES, SIUNA 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Reyes Martínez

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Sin duda, los productores saben de la influencia lunar y sobre el movimiento de la savia en las plantas en determinados momentos, debido a los conocimientos ancestrales y experiencias adquiridas. Sin embargo, en relación al prendimiento de injertos en cacao (Theobroma cacao, existen pocos estudios científicos que demuestren tales efectos. El objetivo principal del estudio fue comparar los efectos de las fases lunares en el prendimiento de dos tipos de injertos en cacao. Para ello se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar con arreglo bifactorial, con tres repeticiones por cada una de las fases y un universo de 576 plantas. La variable de medición únicamente fue el prendimiento de las plantas que se injertaron. Los datos fueron procesados en el programa Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS versión 21 y se sometieron al análisis de varianza ANDEVA con un nivel de confianza del 95%. Los análisis revelan que existen diferencias significativas para las técnicas de injertación (p=0.011<0.05 y se obtuvo mayores prendimientos en los injertos de yema sobre los de bisel. Con respecto al efecto de las fases lunares sobre los dos tipos de injertos no se encontró evidencia estadística (p=0.950>0.05. En base al análisis combinado de varianza no existen diferencias significativas para la interacción fases lunares y técnicas de injertación puesto que (p=0.761>0.05. Summary There is no doubt the producers know of the moon influence and the sap movement in plants at certain moments, due to the ancestral knowledge and experiences gained. However, in relation to the root taking of grafts in cocoa (Theobroma cacao, there are few scientific studies that demonstrate such effects. The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of moon phases in the root taking of two types of grafts in cocoa. To do this we used a complete randomized design with bifactorial order, with three replays for each of the phases and a universe of 576

  10. 1H NMR study of fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caligiani, Augusta; Acquotti, Domenico; Cirlini, Martina; Palla, Gerardo

    2010-12-08

    This study reports for the first time the metabolic profile of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans using the (1)H NMR technique applied to polar extracts of fermented cocoa beans. The simultaneous detection and quantification of amino acids, polyalcohols, organic acids, sugars, methylxanthines, catechins, and phenols were obtained by assigning the major signals of the spectra for different varieties of cocoa beans (Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario) from different countries (Ecuador, Ghana, Grenada, and Trinidad). The data set obtained, representative of all classes of soluble compounds of cocoa, was useful to characterize the fermented cocoa beans as a function of the variety and geographic origin.

  11. Utilization of Cacao Pod Husk Silage as Cattle Ration Mixture at Taluditi, Pohuwatu Regency, Gorontalo Province

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidayat, M.; Pratama, H. Y.; Martono, E.

    2018-02-01

    Cacao plantation produces cacao pod husks (CPHs) by-products during the harvest period. This research aimed to make benefits the CPH, preserved with silage technology as cattle ration mixture, investigate the adequacy of nutrient for the cattle after treated with addition of CPH silage, and investigate the quota of cattle treated with CPH silage addition. The research design was conducted by giving extension and field observation that was carried out at Taluditi on July to August 2015 during the activity of Student Community Service (KKN PPM UGM Unit Gorontalo 02). The secondary data was gathered from the Department of Agriculture and Plantation Pohuwatu Regency, and also supporting references. The number of respondents in each location was about 30 - 40 people. The research results showed that the silage preservation technology can be well received by the farmers. There was improvement of cattle ration nutrient supplemented with CPH compared to that of ration nutrient which was usually be used by the farmers or standard ration nutrient. The research also resulted in fresh CPH production 2,625.741 tons/year, CPH silage production 2,140.549 tons/year and load capacity + 575 heads/day weight 250-300 kg.

  12. Método Posible para la Comprobación de la Cáscara de Cacao en el Café Molido.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaramillo Madariaga G.

    1940-06-01

    Full Text Available Un café sobre todo si se halla finamente molido, puede contener hasta un 30% de cáscara de cacao, sin que su aspecto físico haga aparente la adulteración. La prueba cualitativa de dicha adulteración sólo puede obtenerse mediante el microscopio, lo cual requiere bastante experiencia. La adición al café de 20% de cáscara de cacao, causa en los componentes anotados, variaciones tan pequeñas que, por lo general, se hallan dentro de los límites aceptados para cafés de distintas procedencias. El punto de partida de nuestra investigación ha sido la separación de la cáscara por gravedad. Entre las diversas soluciones ensayadas con tal fin, hallamos la de hiposulfito de sodio más conveniente, por la gran solubilidad de esta sal y por ser el hiposulfito un producto barato, fácil de obtener en cualquier parte.

  13. Impact of fermentation, drying, roasting and Dutch processing on flavan-3-ol stereochemistry in cacao beans and cocoa ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, W Jeffrey; Krake, Susann H; Bergmeier, Stephen C; Payne, Mark J; Miller, Kenneth B; Stuart, David A

    2011-09-14

    This paper reports a systematic study of the level of flavan-3-ol monomers during typical processing steps as cacao beans are dried, fermented and roasted and the results of Dutch-processing. Methods have been used that resolve the stereoisomers of epicatechin and catechin. In beans harvested from unripe and ripe cacao pods, we find only (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin with (-)-epicatechin being by far the predominant isomer. When beans are fermented there is a large loss of both (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin, but also the formation of (-)-catechin. We hypothesize that the heat of fermentation may, in part, be responsible for the formation of this enantiomer. When beans are progressively roasted at conditions described as low, medium and high roast conditions, there is a progressive loss of (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin and an increase in (-)-catechin with the higher roast levels. When natural and Dutch-processed cacao powders are analyzed, there is progressive loss of both (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin with lesser losses of (-)-catechin. We thus observe that in even lightly Dutch-processed powder, the level of (-)-catechin exceeds the level of (-)-epicatechin. The results indicate that much of the increase in the level of (-)-catechin observed during various processing steps may be the result of heat-related epimerization from (-)-epicatechin. These results are discussed with reference to the reported preferred order of absorption of (-)-epicatechin > (+)-catechin > (-)-catechin. These results are also discussed with respect to the balance that must be struck between the beneficial impact of fermentation and roasting on chocolate flavor and the healthful benefits of chocolate and cocoa powder that result in part from the flavan-3-ol monomers.

  14. Impact of fermentation, drying, roasting and Dutch processing on flavan-3-ol stereochemistry in cacao beans and cocoa ingredients

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports a systematic study of the level of flavan-3-ol monomers during typical processing steps as cacao beans are dried, fermented and roasted and the results of Dutch-processing. Methods have been used that resolve the stereoisomers of epicatechin and catechin. In beans harvested from unripe and ripe cacao pods, we find only (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin with (-)-epicatechin being by far the predominant isomer. When beans are fermented there is a large loss of both (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin, but also the formation of (-)-catechin. We hypothesize that the heat of fermentation may, in part, be responsible for the formation of this enantiomer. When beans are progressively roasted at conditions described as low, medium and high roast conditions, there is a progressive loss of (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin and an increase in (-)-catechin with the higher roast levels. When natural and Dutch-processed cacao powders are analyzed, there is progressive loss of both (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin with lesser losses of (-)-catechin. We thus observe that in even lightly Dutch-processed powder, the level of (-)-catechin exceeds the level of (-)-epicatechin. The results indicate that much of the increase in the level of (-)-catechin observed during various processing steps may be the result of heat-related epimerization from (-)-epicatechin. These results are discussed with reference to the reported preferred order of absorption of (-)-epicatechin > (+)-catechin > (-)-catechin. These results are also discussed with respect to the balance that must be struck between the beneficial impact of fermentation and roasting on chocolate flavor and the healthful benefits of chocolate and cocoa powder that result in part from the flavan-3-ol monomers. PMID:21917164

  15. Optimización de la aceptabilidad general mediante pruebas afectivas y metodología de superficie de respuesta de una bebida a base de una mezcla seca de polvo de cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Chau Loo Kung

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo de investigación tuvo como objetivo principal optimizar la aceptabilidad general mediante pruebas afectivas y metodología de superficie de respuesta de una bebida a base de una mezcla seca de polvo de cacao. Se obtuvieron formulaciones de mezclas de polvo de cacao con diferentes concentraciones del 15%, 17,5% y 20%, así mismo con concentraciones de lecitina de 0,1%; 0,3%; y 0,5% manteniendo constante el contenido de azúcar (25%, vainillina (1% que incluyeron al polvo de cacao con diferente valor de pH: natural (pH 5 y alcalinizado (pH 6,5 y pH 8 y agua por diferencia al 100%, generándose un total de quince tratamientos a evaluar, según el diseño Box-Behnken para tres factores. Los tratamientos fueron sometidos a pruebas de grado de satisfacción para establecer la aceptabilidad en general. El tratamiento que incluía polvo de cacao al 17,5% de concentración, pH 6,5 y una concentración de lecitina de 0,3% obtuvo los mejores niveles de aceptabilidad. Se utilizó el programa Statgraphics Plus 5.1 para obtener el tratamiento con máxima aceptabilidad que correspondió a polvo de cacao a pH 6,81, con una concentración de 18,24% y lecitina de soya en un 0,28% con tendencia a lo obtenido en las pruebas de grado de satisfacción. Finalmente se caracterizó fisicoquímicamente y microbiológicamente a la formulación óptima así mismo se le evaluó sensorialmente obteniendo una aceptabilidad de 6,17.

  16. Isolation of dimeric, trimeric, tetrameric and pentameric procyanidins from unroasted cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) using countercurrent chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esatbeyoglu, Tuba; Wray, Victor; Winterhalter, Peter

    2015-07-15

    The main procyanidins, including dimeric B2 and B5, trimeric C1, tetrameric and pentameric procyanidins, were isolated from unroasted cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) using various techniques of countercurrent chromatography, such as high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC), low-speed rotary countercurrent chromatography (LSRCCC) and spiral-coil LSRCCC. Furthermore, dimeric procyanidins B1 and B7, which are not present naturally in the analysed cocoa beans, were obtained after semisynthesis of cocoa bean polymers with (+)-catechin as nucleophile and separated by countercurrent chromatography. In this way, the isolation of dimeric procyanidin B1 in considerable amounts (500mg, purity>97%) was possible in a single run. This is the first report concerning the isolation and semisynthesis of dimeric to pentameric procyanidins from T. cacao by countercurrent chromatography. Additionally, the chemical structures of tetrameric (cinnamtannin A2) and pentameric procyanidins (cinnamtannin A3) were elucidated on the basis of (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Interflavanoid linkage was determined by NOE-correlations, for the first time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Crystal Structure of MpPR-1i, a SCP/TAPS protein from Moniliophthora perniciosa, the fungus that causes Witches’ Broom Disease of Cacao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baroni, Renata M.; Luo, Zhipu; Darwiche, Rabih; Hudspeth, Elissa M.; Schneiter, Roger; Pereira, Gonçalo A.G.; Mondego, Jorge M.C.; Asojo, Oluwatoyin A. (Fribourg); (Baylor); (NCI); (IAC-- Brazil); (UNICAMP)

    2017-08-10

    The pathogenic fungi Moniliophthora perniciosa causes Witches’ Broom Disease (WBD) of cacao. The structure of MpPR-1i, a protein expressed by M. perniciosa when it infects cacao, are presented. This is the first reported de novo structure determined by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing upon soaking with selenourea. Each monomer has flexible loop regions linking the core alpha-beta-alpha sandwich topology that comprise ~50% of the structure, making it difficult to generate an accurate homology model of the protein. MpPR-1i is monomeric in solution but is packed as a high ~70% solvent content, crystallographic heptamer. The greatest conformational flexibility between monomers is found in loops exposed to the solvent channel that connect the two longest strands. MpPR-1i lacks the conserved CAP tetrad and is incapable of binding divalent cations. MpPR-1i has the ability to bind lipids, which may have roles in its infection of cacao. These lipids likely bind in the palmitate binding cavity as observed in tablysin-15, since MpPR-1i binds palmitate with comparable affinity as tablysin-15. Further studies are required to clarify the possible roles and underlying mechanisms of neutral lipid binding, as well as their effects on the pathogenesis of M. perniciosa so as to develop new interventions for WBD.

  18. Influencia del uso de la tierra con cultivos de cacao, chakras y bosque primario, sobre la diversidad, almacenamiento de carbono y productividad en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sumaco, Ecuador.

    OpenAIRE

    Jadán Maza, Ángel Oswaldo

    2013-01-01

    La investigación se realizó en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sumaco, en la provincia del Napo, Republica del Ecuador. Se estudiaron siete sistemas de uso de la tierra: Chakras con y sin sombra, cultivos de cacao propagados por semilla con y sin sombra, cacao injertado con y sin sombra y bosque primario. Se evaluaron tres variables de respuesta: diversidad arbórea y arbustiva, almacenamiento-acumulación de carbono (C) y productividad, en los diferentes sistemas de usos de la tierra.

  19. Chemical speciation of cadmium: An approach to evaluate plant-available cadmium in Ecuadorian soils under cacao production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavez, E; He, Z L; Stoffella, P J; Mylavarapu, R S; Li, Y C; Baligar, V C

    2016-05-01

    Elevated concentration of cadmium (Cd) in cacao beans has raised serious concerns about the chocolate consumption on human health. Accumulation of Cd in cacao bean in southern Ecuador has been related to soil contamination. In this study, soil fractionation approach was used to identify available Cd pools in the soils and to correlate these Cd pools with bean Cd concentration and soil test indexes. The distribution of soil Cd fractions decreased in the order: oxidizable > acid-soluble > residual > reducible > water-soluble (+exchangeable). Oxidizable and acid-soluble fractions accounted for 59 and 68% of the total recoverable Cd for the 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth, respectively. Acid-soluble fraction was closely related to bean-Cd, with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.70 and 0.81 (P soil depth, respectively. Acid-soluble Cd was significantly correlated with 0.01 M HCl- (r = 0.99, P soils is related to the acid-soluble fraction and bound to organic matter, remediation of the contaminated soils should consider to the dynamics of soil pH and organic matter content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L on the basic color stability of thermoplastic nylon resin dentures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amiyatun Naini

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Nylon thermoplastic resin is material of choice for the making of flexible. This denture do not use wire retention, but has the physical properties of water absorption. In the oral cavity, it will always be in contact with food and beverages consumed. One of the foods that are consumed by the public is chocolate. This study aimed to determine the effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L on color stability of the thermoplastic nylon denture base. The study sample was thermoplastic nylon (valplast with a size of 10x10x2 mm soaked in the chocolate solution for 7 and 14 days. As the control, the sample soaked with distilled water. The color testing stability used was densitometer. There were significant differences between the control group (distilled water and the chocolate solution. This was due to dissolved components/tannin having a capillary flow diffusion into thermoplastic nylons that causing discoloration. The conclusion of this study, there was the effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L against the color stability of the nylon thermoplastic denture base. The longer time of immersion of nylon thermoplastic the greater the change in color.

  1. The Oil of Matico (Piper aduncum L.) an Alternative for the Control of Cacao Frosty Pod Rot (Moniliophthora roreri) in Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    The cacao production in many Latin American countries is significantly reduced by frosty pod rot disease (Moniliophthora roreri) and yield reductions are to the extent of over 90% in many cases. The strategies of control includes: phytosanitation, genetic resistance, chemical and biological control....

  2. Cacao y encomienda en la Alcaldía Mayor de Sonsonate, siglo XVI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tous, Meritxell

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyzes the importance of cocoa in the Alcaldía Mayor of Sonsonate, particularly in the Izalco region, during the last pre-Columbian period and also its exploitation during the XVIth century. It is demonstrated that, during the first half of these century, despite of the development of the encomienda system, the natives significantly controlled the production and exchange of cocoa, and also the property of the land. Nevertheless, during the second half of this century, the increase of cocoa production induced serious perturbations in the Indian communities because of the demographic collapse, the usurpation of the lands and the ladinoization processes.

    Este estudio analiza la importancia del cacao en la Alcaldía Mayor de Sonsonate, especialmente en la región de los Izalcos, durante el último periodo prehispánico así como su explotación en el XVI. Se demuestra que, durante la primera mitad de este siglo, a pesar del desarrollo de la encomienda, la población indígena controló, en buena medida, la producción y el intercambio del cacao, así como la propiedad de la tierra. También se pone de manifiesto que, a partir de la segunda mitad de este mismo siglo, el incremento de la producción cacaotera provocó daños irreversibles en las comunidades indígenas debido al más que notable descenso demográfico, a la usurpación de sus tierras y a los procesos de ladinización.

  3. Isolation and identification of mycoparasitic isolates of Trichoderma asperellum with potential for suppression of black pod disease of cacao in Cameroon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alternative measures to chemical fungicides are needed to control Phytophthora megakarya, the main causal agent of black pod diseasein Central and West Africa. Precolonized plate and detached cacao pod assays were used to screen fungal isolates for mycoparasitismon P. megakarya. Of over 200 isolates...

  4. Sediment Enrichment Ratio and Nutrient Leached by Runoff and Soil Erosion on Cacao Plantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oteng Haridjaja

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Soil consevation management system is an activity for diminishing sediment enrichment ratio and nutrient leachedsby water run off and soil erosion processes. The research was aimed to study sediment enrichment ratio and nutrientleached by run off and soil erosion on cacao plantations. Arachis pintoi with strips parallel contour and multiplestrip cropping of upland rice or soybean (Glycine max were planted to improve soil physical characterictic oncacao plantation as a main plant. The expriment were conducted with treatments as 10-15% and 40-45% slopes, 5-7months and 25-27 months cacao ages (as main plants. As sub plots are T1 as a monoculture which to be cleaningunder the plant canopy, T2 as a multiple strip cropping of upland rice or soybean, T3 as a combination of T2 and A.Pintoi strip. The results showed that total N, P2O5, and K2O and organic-C contents in water run off and soilsediments indicated that T3 >T2 >T1 treatment, with the contents of each nutrient: T3 (total N 0.18%; 24.87 mg 100g-1 P2O5: K2O 15.16 mg 100 g-1, T1 (total N 0.16%, 22.39 mg 100g-1 P2O5, K2O 11.50 mg 100g-1. The total N, P2O5, K2Oand organic-C soil contents 1.

  5. Calidad físico química y sensorial de granos y licor de cacao (Theobroma Cacaol. Usando cinco métodos de fermentación

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MSc. José Nicasio Quevedo Guerrero

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available La investigación se realizó en la Granja Experimental Santa Inés de la Universidad Técnica de Machala, durante el segundo semestre del 2016. El objetivo de la investigación fue comparar la eficiencia los fermentadores más usados por los pequeños productores cacaoteros de El Oro, en el beneficio de los granos de cacao, con un nuevo método denominado rotor de madera, propuesto por los autores del presente trabajo, mediante el análisis de variables físico-químicas y la evaluación sensorial del licor de cacao. El ensayo constó de los tratamientos: saco de yute (T1, rotor de madera (T2, rumo o montón (T3, caja de madera (T4 y balde plástico (T5, los cuales se evaluaron bajo un diseño de bloques al azar con tres repeticiones. El secado se efectuó de forma natural en marquesinas bajo cubierta de plástico calibre 6. El análisis de variables químicas, físicas y sensoriales reveló diferencias significativas (p < 0.05 entre tratamientos. El T2 registró 96% de calidad física del grano y el mejor perfil sensorial con calificaciones altas en sabores cacao, floral, frutal, nuez y caramelo y calificaciones bajas en sabor astringente y amargo. La fermentación se desarrolló dentro de la plantación de cacao, esto permitió la presencia de Drosophila melanogaster M., vector de Saccharomyces cerevisiae y otras levaduras que pudieron haber inferido en la calidad de los granos. Palabras clave: Astringente, pizarrosas, Drosophila melanogaster M., levaduras.

  6. Utilization of Cacao Pod Husk (Theobroma cacao l.) as Activated Carbon and Catalyst in Biodiesel Production Process from Waste Cooking Oil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachmat, Devita; Johar Mawarani, Lizda; Dewi Risanti, Doty

    2018-01-01

    Cocoa pod husk (Theobroma cacao l.) is a waste from cocoa beans processing. In this research we employ cocoa pod husk as activated carbon to decrease the value of FFA (Free Fatty Acid) in waste cooking oil and as K2CO3 catalyst in biodiesel production process from waste cooking oil. Cocoa pod husk was crusched and grounded into powder that passed thorugh 60 mesh-screen. As activated carbon, cocoa pod husk was firstly carbonized at three variant temperatures i.e 250°C, 300°C and 350°C. The activation process was done using HCl 2M as activator. Based on the results of XRD and FTIR, the carbonization at all variant temperatures does not cause a significant changes in terms of crystallite structure and water content. The pore of activated carbon started to form in sample that was carbonized at 350°C resulting in pore diameter of 5.14644 nm. This result was supported by the fact that the ability of this activated carbon in reducing the FFA of waste cooking oil was the most pronounced one, i.e. up to 86.7% of FFA. It was found that the performance of cocoa pod husk’s activated carbon in reducing FFA is more effective than esterification using H2SO4 which can only decrease 80.8%. On the other hand, the utilization as K2CO3 catalyst was carried out by carbonization at temperature 650°C and extraction using aquadest solvent. The extraction of cocoa pod husk produced 7.067% K2CO3 catalyst. According to RD results the fraction of K2CO3 compound from the green catalysts is the same as the commercial (SAP, 99%) that is ≥ 60%. From the obtained results, the best yield percentage was obtained using K2CO3 catalyst from cacao pod husk extract, i.e. 73-85%. To cope with biodiesel conversion efficiency, a two-step process consisting pretreatment with activated carbon carbonized at 350°C and esterification with K2CO3 from cocoa pod husk catalyst was developed. This two-step process could reach a high conversion of 85%. From the results it was clear that the produced

  7. La moniliasis un desafio para lograr la sostenibilidad del sistema cacao en México

    OpenAIRE

    Ramírez González, Sandra Isabel

    2013-01-01

    Para México el cacao, más que un producto alimenticio, representa tradición, un gran legado cultural por preservar, una gran fuente de riquezas naturales y generador de empleos. Tiene sembradas 81 600 ha., una producción de 43 000 ha toneladas, y rendimiento de 597 kg/ha lo que le permite estar entre los 12 principales países productores, pero en el 11.º lugar por su bajo rendimiento. La actividad productiva está ejercida, principalmente, por pequeños productores quienes dependen de ella para...

  8. Verificación del método analítico de espectroscopia de absorción atómica con horno de grafito para la cuantificación de cadmio en almendra de cacao (Theobroma cacao).

    OpenAIRE

    Araujo Abad, Lourdes Salomé

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this work was to verify the performance parameters of the analytical method of atomic absorption spectroscopy with graphite furnace for quantification of cadmium in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) almond, for which a protocol was prepared, analyzes were performed on the certified reference material (MRC), the concentration of cadmium in dry cocoa beans four farms (Farm A, B, C and D) located in the cocoa zone of the country, Flavio Alfaro Manabí, was determined an...

  9. Atributos físicos do solo para a cultura do cacaueiro [Physical attributes of soil for the culture of cacao] (In Portuguese)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacao has achieved great importance due to its globally consumed products such as chocolate. In addition to the environmental benefits, since this culture is mainly managed in agroforestry systems, contributing to climate change mitigation. However, the assessment of soils physical attributes for ef...

  10. Tc-cAPX, a cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase of Theobroma cacao L. engaged in the interaction with Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causing agent of witches' broom disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camillo, Luciana Rodrigues; Filadelfo, Ciro Ribeiro; Monzani, Paulo Sérgio; Corrêa, Ronan Xavier; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Micheli, Fabienne; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2013-12-01

    The level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plants signalizes the induction of several genes, including that of ascorbate peroxidase (APX-EC 1.11.1.11). APX isoenzymes play a central role in the elimination of intracellular H2O2 and contribute to plant responses to diverse stresses. During the infection process in Theobroma cacao by Moniliophthora perniciosa oxidative stress is generated and the APX action recruited from the plant. The present work aimed to characterize the T. cacao APX involved in the molecular interaction of T. cacao-M. perniciosa. The peroxidase activity was analyzed in protein extracts from cocoa plants infected by M. perniciosa and showed the induction of peroxidases like APX in resistant cocoa plants. The cytosolic protein of T. cacao (GenBank: ABR68691.2) was phylogenetically analyzed in relation to other peroxidases from the cocoa genome and eight genes encoding APX proteins with conserved domains were also analyzed. The cDNA from cytosolic APX was cloned in pET28a and the recombinant protein expressed and purified (rTc-cAPX). The secondary structure of the protein was analyzed by Circular Dichroism (CD) displaying high proportion of α-helices when folded. The enzymatic assay shows stable activity using ascorbate and guaiacol as an electron donor for H2O2 reduction. The pH 7.5 is the optimum for enzyme activity. Chromatographic analysis suggests that rTc-cAPX is a homodimer in solution. Results indicate that the rTc-cAPX is correctly folded, stable and biochemically active. The purified rTc-cAPX presented biotechnological potential and is adequate for future structural and functional studies. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.

  11. Cadmium and cadmium-tolerant soil bacteria in cacao crops from northeastern Colombia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, D; Pardo-Díaz, S; Benavides-Erazo, J; Rengifo-Estrada, G; Braissant, O; Leon-Moreno, C

    2018-05-01

    This research aims to assess total-cadmium soil content and microbiological aspects to understand the dynamics of culturable cadmium-tolerant bacteria (CdtB) in cacao soils from northeastern Colombia. An integration of inverted dish plating, Cd determination and a microcalorimetry assay (IMC) was carried out. A farm in Boyacá showed the highest level of total soil Cd (3·74 mg kg -1 ) followed by farms in Santander and Arauca (2·76 and 1·16 mg kg -1 , respectively). Coefficient of determination between total soil Cd and CFU of CdtB was high (R 2  = 0·83) for the farm in Boyacá. Moreover, a pool of 129 CdtB was isolated, and phylogeny of 21 CdtB was discussed. Among CdtB strains isolated, Enterobacter sp. CdDB41 showed major Cd immobilization capacity (Q max of 2·21 and 2·32 J at 6 and 24 mg l -1 of CdCl 2 ), with an immobilization rate of 0·220 mg kg -1  h -1 . Among CdtB strains isolated, Enterobacter sp. CdDB41 showed major Cd immobilization capacity (Q max of 2·21 and 2·32 J at 6 and 24 mg l -1 of CdCl 2 ), with an immobilization rate of 0·220 mg kg -1  h -1 . Nothing is known about soil CdtB in cacao. Our data showed that CdtB such as Enterobacter sp. has high immobilization capacity. Furthermore, the otavite found in situ might be mineralized due to the bacterial metabolic activity of CdtB. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  12. Successful pod infections by Moniliophthora roreri result in differential Theobroma cacao gene expression depending on the clone’s level of tolerance

    Science.gov (United States)

    As many of the tolerant cacao clones are slowly losing the tolerance against Frosty pod rot (FPR) caused by Moniliophthora roreri, the knowledge of this tolerance at the molecular level can help to generate more stable tolerant clone against FPR. RNA-Seq analysis was carried out to obtain a comparat...

  13. Effects of land-use change on community composition of tropical amphibians and reptiles in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanger, Thomas C; Iskandar, Djoko T; Motzke, Iris; Brook, Barry W; Sodhi, Navjot S; Clough, Yann; Tscharntke, Teja

    2010-06-01

    Little is known about the effects of anthropogenic land-use change on the amphibians and reptiles of the biodiverse tropical forests of Southeast Asia. We studied a land-use modification gradient stretching from primary forest, secondary forest, natural-shade cacao agroforest, planted-shade cacao agroforest to open areas in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. We determined species richness, abundance, turnover, and community composition in all habitat types and related these to environmental correlates, such as canopy heterogeneity and thickness of leaf litter. Amphibian species richness decreased systematically along the land-use modification gradient, but reptile richness and abundance peaked in natural-shade cacao agroforests. Species richness and abundance patterns across the disturbance gradient were best explained by canopy cover and leaf-litter thickness in amphibians and by canopy heterogeneity and cover in reptiles. Amphibians were more severely affected by forest disturbance in Sulawesi than reptiles. Heterogeneous canopy cover and thick leaf litter should be maintained in cacao plantations to facilitate the conservation value for both groups. For long-term and sustainable use of plantations, pruned shade trees should be permanently kept to allow rejuvenation of cacao and, thus, to prevent repeated forest encroachment.

  14. Potential use of chicken egg shells and cacao pod husk as catalyst for biodiesel production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andherson, T.; Rachmat, D.; Risanti, Doty D.

    2018-04-01

    Chicken eggshells and cacao pod husk are known as waste materials that can be used to produce catalyst of CaO and K2CO3, respectively. Waste cooking oil (WCO) is an alternative raw material to produce economical and cheaper biodiesel. WCO first undergoes a pre-treatment process that aims to remove free fatty acid (FFA). Biodiesel was produced by transesterification between triglyceride and alcohol with the presence of a catalyst. To obtain the catalyst, eggshell was calcined in a furnace at temperatures of 600 °C, 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C for 6 hours. On the other hand, K2CO3 catalyst synthesis was carried out by carbonization cacao pod husk at temperature of 650°C and subsequently extracted using aquadest solvent. Catalysts were then characterized by XRD and FTIR. The biodiesel synthesis in this research was conducted at 65°C with molar ratio of 1: 6 WCO to methanol, reaction time for 1 and 2 hours, for K2CO3 and CaO, respectively. The optimum condition for the reaction using CaO was obtained for CaO that carbonized at 900°C. It produced 81.43% conversion of biodiesel. On the other hand, reaction using K2CO3 could reach a higher conversion of 85%. From the results it was clear that the biodiesel fuel production was within the recommended SNI 7182: 2015 standard.

  15. Algunos productos básicos de la agricultura venezolana: añil, cacao y tabaco

    OpenAIRE

    Zubiri Marín, Ma. Teresa

    1997-01-01

    El siglo XVIII es propicio a la economía venezolana, cuya base se encuentra en la agricultura, fundamentalmente en el cultivo y comercio del cacao y del tabaco, yen la ganadería. El trueque o intercambio de bienes y servicios ha sido sustituido en su mayor parte por un sistema monetario que facilita las operaciones comerciales y otorga al sistema económico una cierta estabilidad. Al mismo tiempo, la calidad inmejorable de los cultivos que produce un suelo fértil y bien regado por diversos río...

  16. PAISAJE NATURAL Y CULTURAL DEL CACAO FINO DE AROMA COMO OFERTA AGROTURÍSTICA EN MANABÍ

    OpenAIRE

    Luis Dionicio Andrade Alcívar; Henry Xavier Mendoza Ponce

    2015-01-01

    El objetivo de la investigación fue diagnosticar los recursos turísticos que conforman los paisajes naturales y culturales asociados al circuito cacao fino de aroma en Manabí. Se desarrolló una propuesta metodológica para la obtención de los resultados, y para la determinación del potencial de esos componentes en el diseño de ofertas agroturísticas en la misma provincia. El diagnóstico situacional como primera fase para el diseño de ofertas agroturísticas, considera antecedentes de estudio...

  17. Theobroma cacao increases cells viability and reduces IL-6 and sVCAM-1 level in endothelial cells induced by plasma from preeclamptic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahayu, Budi; Baktiyani, Siti Candra Windu; Nurdiana, Nurdiana

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to investigate whether an ethanolic extract of Theobroma cacao bean is able to increase cell viability and decrease IL-6 and sVCAM-1 in endothelial cells induced by plasma from preeclamptic patients. Endothelial cells were obtained from human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. At confluency, endothelial cells were divided into six groups, which included control (untreated), endothelial cells exposed to plasma from normal pregnancy, endothelial cells exposed to 2% plasma from preeclamptic patients (PP), endothelial cells exposed to PP in the presence of ethanolic extract of T. cacao (PP+TC) at the following three doses: 25, 50, and 100 ppm. The analysis was performed in silico using the Hex 8.0, LigPlus and LigandScout 3.1 software. Analysis on IL-6 and sVCAM-1 levels were done by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that seven of them could bind to the protein NFκB (catechin, leucoanthocyanidin, niacin, phenylethylamine, theobromine, theophylline, and thiamin). This increase in IL-6 was significantly (Pcacao extract. Plasma from PP significantly increased sVCAM-1 levels compared to untreated cells. This increase in sVCAM-1 was significantly attenuated by all doses of the extract. In conclusion, T. cacao extract prohibits the increase in IL-6 and sVCAM-1 in endothelial cells induced by plasma from preeclamptic patients. Therefore this may provide a herbal therapy for attenuating the endothelial dysfunction found in preeclampsia. Copyright © 2016 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. La moniliasis un desafio para lograr la sostenibilidad del sistema cacao en México

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Isabel Ramírez González

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Para México el cacao, más que un producto alimenticio, representa tradición, un gran legado cultural por preservar, una gran fuente de riquezas naturales y generador de empleos. Tiene sembradas 81 600 ha., una producción de 43 000 ha toneladas, y rendimiento de 597 kg/ha lo que le permite estar entre los 12 principales países productores, pero en el 11.º lugar por su bajo rendimiento. La actividad productiva está ejercida, principalmente, por pequeños productores quienes dependen de ella para su sustento.  El reciente ingreso de la moniliasis hace tambalear la producción ya que este hongo, ataca directamente a los frutos, ocasionando pérdidas totales en la producción. Aunque no hay reportes oficiales, se estima que la producción para el presente ciclo productivo disminuyó en un 50% y se considera que para el próximo sea del 70%, dado el avance acelerado de la enfermedad, con las consecuentes repercusiones económicas, sociales y ambientales. Esta enfermedad está presente en 11 países centro y suramericanos a los cuales ha afectado profundamente. No obstante, existen avances en su manejo, lo cual ha permitido a países como Ecuador, Bolivia y Colombia sobreponerse y llegar a una buena producción. De tal manera que la moniliasis es un gran desafío que permitirá lograr la sostenibilidad del sistema cacao en México, ya que existen diversas oportunidades para el sector, tales como la aceleración de su proceso de modernización en un contexto de sostenibilidad. La diversificación del sistema con maderas principalmente “preciosas”, frutales, especias y flores tropicales, renovación de las plantaciones con materiales mexicanos de altos rendimientos y calidad organoléptica bajo sistemas de producción orgánica, lo que le permitirá al productor acceder a mercados especializados, atraer turismo ecológico, buscar incentivos productivos, ecológicos y de captura de carbono, lo cual mejoraría la sostenibilidad del sistema. Las

  19. CARACTERIZACIÓN FISICOQUÍMICA DE MATERIALES REGIONALES DE CACAO COLOMBIANO CARACTERIZAÇÃO FISICOQUIMICA DE MATERIAIS REGIONAIS DO CACAO COLOMBIAN PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF REGIONAL MATERIALS OF COCOA COLOMBIAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JANETH AIDÉ PEREA

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available El cacao es un producto con grandes ventajas derivadas de la necesidad de suplir la demanda interna y de incrementar las exportaciones de productos de chocolatería; no obstante, la baja productividad de las plantaciones híbridas de cacao, ha afectado el desarrollo económico del sector, por lo cual, la investigación en el país está enfocada en la búsqueda de materiales productivos, resistentes a enfermedades y con calidades de grano aceptables en mercados nacionales e internacionales. En este proyecto se evaluaron dos materiales universales, un cacao criollo y nueve materiales clonales, seleccionados por Corpoica y Fedecacao, en cuanto a sus características fisicoquímicas. Se prevé que éstas pueden servir como parámetros diferenciadores. Se determinaron los principales macronutrientes (grasa y composición de ácidos grasos, proteína, ceniza y fibra y los microelementos potasio, magnesio, fósforo, hierro y zinc, además de los parámetros físicos cascarilla, pH y acidez. Se encontró que los doce materiales presentan diferencias significativas entre sí, pero destacan los materiales Selección Colombia Corpoica (SCC41 y Fedecacao El Carmen (FEC-2 por presentar niveles altos de todas las variables evaluadas. Respecto al contenido de micronutrientes, se confirma que el cacao es fuente significativa de potasio, magnesio y fósforo, pero es pobre en hierro y zinc.Cacau é um produto com grandes benefícios derivados da necessidade de atender à demanda doméstica e aumento das exportações de chocolate, no entanto, a baixa produtividade das plantações de cacau híbrido, tem afectado o desenvolvimento económico do sector, de modo que as pesquisas no país se concentra na busca por materiais de produção, resistência a doenças e qualidade de grãos aceitável mercados nacional e internacional. Este projeto avaliou dois materiais universal, um cacau criollo e nove material clonal, e FEDECACAO CORPOICA seleccionadas em termos de

  20. Efecto del ácido giberélico y la 6-bencilaminopurina sobre el desarrollo de yemas en injertos de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cárdenas-Hernández Julián F.

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available

    Gran parte de los cultivos de cacao en el país son viejos y necesitan ser renovados debido a sus bajos rendimientos. Por esta razón se aborda la producción masiva de plántulas injertadas con materiales de alta productividad, que sin embargo presentan problemas en el prendimiento y desarrollo de las yemas. En el Centro de Investigación Nataima-Corpoica (Espinal, Tolima, plántulas de cacao del clon IMC67 tratadas con desbrote apical fueron injertadas con yemas de los clones CCN51 e ICS95. El ensayo siguió un diseño completamente aleatorizado con siete tratamientos, tres de ellos correspondientes a concentraciones de 5, 10 y 15 mg L-1 de ácido giberélico (AG3, y otros tres aplicando 6-bencilaminopurina (6BAP en las mismas concentraciones, más un testigo sin aplicación de hormonas. Cada 3 días se midieron la altura, el diámetro, la longitud, el número de hojas y el área foliar del injerto, además de su masa fresca y seca al final del experimento, el cual duró 30 días. El AG3 permitió alcanzar los mayores valores en longitud, número de hojas, área foliar y masa fresca y seca del injerto. Para los mismos parámetros, los tratamientos con 6BAP alcanzaron valores similares a los obtenidos con AG3 (con diferencias estadísticas en algunos casos, además de los mayores diámetros del injerto. Dentro de las aplicaciones de AG3, la realizada a una concentración de 10 mg L-1 mostró los mejores resultados en ambos clones. Sin la aplicación de hormonas, las yemas del clon ICS95 desarrollaron una mayor área foliar y alcanzaron mayores valores de masa fresca y seca que las yemas del clon CCN51. Sin embargo, después de aplicar los tratamientos, los dos clones presentaron valores similares.

  1. Phytophthora megakarya and Phytophthora palmivora, Closely Related Causal Agents of Cacao Black Pod Rot, Underwent Increases in Genome Sizes and Gene Numbers by Different Mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Shahin S.; Shao, Jonathan; Lary, David J.; Kronmiller, Brent A.; Shen, Danyu; Strem, Mary D.; Amoako-Attah, Ishmael; Akrofi, Andrew Yaw; Begoude, B.A. Didier; ten Hoopen, G. Martijn; Coulibaly, Klotioloma; Kebe, Boubacar Ismaël; Melnick, Rachel L.; Guiltinan, Mark J.; Tyler, Brett M.; Meinhardt, Lyndel W.

    2017-01-01

    Phytophthora megakarya (Pmeg) and Phytophthora palmivora (Ppal) are closely related species causing cacao black pod rot. Although Ppal is a cosmopolitan pathogen, cacao is the only known host of economic importance for Pmeg. Pmeg is more virulent on cacao than Ppal. We sequenced and compared the Pmeg and Ppal genomes and identified virulence-related putative gene models (PGeneM) that may be responsible for their differences in host specificities and virulence. Pmeg and Ppal have estimated genome sizes of 126.88 and 151.23 Mb and PGeneM numbers of 42,036 and 44,327, respectively. The evolutionary histories of Pmeg and Ppal appear quite different. Postspeciation, Ppal underwent whole-genome duplication whereas Pmeg has undergone selective increases in PGeneM numbers, likely through accelerated transposable element-driven duplications. Many PGeneMs in both species failed to match transcripts and may represent pseudogenes or cryptic genetic reservoirs. Pmeg appears to have amplified specific gene families, some of which are virulence-related. Analysis of mycelium, zoospore, and in planta transcriptome expression profiles using neural network self-organizing map analysis generated 24 multivariate and nonlinear self-organizing map classes. Many members of the RxLR, necrosis-inducing phytophthora protein, and pectinase genes families were specifically induced in planta. Pmeg displays a diverse virulence-related gene complement similar in size to and potentially of greater diversity than Ppal but it remains likely that the specific functions of the genes determine each species’ unique characteristics as pathogens. PMID:28186564

  2. Spatial and temporal effects of drought on soil CO2 efflux in a cacao agroforestry system in Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Straaten, O.; Veldkamp, E.; Köhler, M.; Anas, I.

    2010-04-01

    Climate change induced droughts pose a serious threat to ecosystems across the tropics and sub-tropics, particularly to those areas not adapted to natural dry periods. In order to study the vulnerability of cacao (Theobroma cacao) - Gliricidia sepium agroforestry plantations to droughts a large scale throughfall displacement roof was built in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. In this 19-month experiment, we compared soil surface CO2 efflux (soil respiration) from three roof plots with three adjacent control plots. Soil respiration rates peaked at intermediate soil moisture conditions and decreased under increasingly dry conditions (drought induced), or increasingly wet conditions (as evidenced in control plots). The roof plots exhibited a slight decrease in soil respiration compared to the control plots (average 13% decrease). The strength of the drought effect was spatially variable - while some measurement chamber sites reacted strongly (responsive) to the decrease in soil water content (up to R2=0.70) (n=11), others did not react at all (non-responsive) (n=7). A significant correlation was measured between responsive soil respiration chamber sites and sap flux density ratios of cacao (R=0.61) and Gliricidia (R=0.65). Leaf litter CO2 respiration decreased as conditions became drier. The litter layer contributed approximately 3-4% of the total CO2 efflux during dry periods and up to 40% during wet periods. Within days of roof opening soil CO2 efflux rose to control plot levels. Thereafter, CO2 efflux remained comparable between roof and control plots. The cumulative effect on soil CO2 emissions over the duration of the experiment was not significantly different: the control plots respired 11.1±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, while roof plots respired 10.5±0.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. The relatively mild decrease measured in soil CO2 efflux indicates that this agroforestry ecosystem is capable of mitigating droughts with only minor stress symptoms.

  3. Spatial and temporal effects of drought on soil CO2 efflux in a cacao agroforestry system in Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Anas

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Climate change induced droughts pose a serious threat to ecosystems across the tropics and sub-tropics, particularly to those areas not adapted to natural dry periods. In order to study the vulnerability of cacao (Theobroma cacao – Gliricidia sepium agroforestry plantations to droughts a large scale throughfall displacement roof was built in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. In this 19-month experiment, we compared soil surface CO2 efflux (soil respiration from three roof plots with three adjacent control plots. Soil respiration rates peaked at intermediate soil moisture conditions and decreased under increasingly dry conditions (drought induced, or increasingly wet conditions (as evidenced in control plots. The roof plots exhibited a slight decrease in soil respiration compared to the control plots (average 13% decrease. The strength of the drought effect was spatially variable – while some measurement chamber sites reacted strongly (responsive to the decrease in soil water content (up to R2=0.70 (n=11, others did not react at all (non-responsive (n=7. A significant correlation was measured between responsive soil respiration chamber sites and sap flux density ratios of cacao (R=0.61 and Gliricidia (R=0.65. Leaf litter CO2 respiration decreased as conditions became drier. The litter layer contributed approximately 3–4% of the total CO2 efflux during dry periods and up to 40% during wet periods. Within days of roof opening soil CO2 efflux rose to control plot levels. Thereafter, CO2 efflux remained comparable between roof and control plots. The cumulative effect on soil CO2 emissions over the duration of the experiment was not significantly different: the control plots respired 11.1±0.5 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, while roof plots respired 10.5±0.5 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. The relatively mild decrease measured in soil CO2 efflux indicates that this agroforestry ecosystem is capable of mitigating droughts with only minor stress symptoms.

  4. Analise da influencia das fontes de carbono na patogenicidade do Moniliophthora perniciosa pathogenicity em Theobroma cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Fatima Cerqueira Alvim

    2009-01-01

    Resumo: O fungo basidiomiceto hemibiotrófico Moniliophthora perniciosa, agente causal da doença vassoura-de-bruxa (VB) em Theobroma cacao, é o principal patógeno da lavoura cacaueira nas Américas e no Caribe. O presente trabalho apresentou como objetivo primordial identificar proteínas relacionadas com a patogenicidade deste fungo. No primeiro capítulo desta tese foi demonstrado o efeito de diferentes fontes de carbono sobre a morfologia e fisiologia do M, perniciosa. O fungo foi crescido em ...

  5. Insight into the wild origin, migration and domestication history of the fine flavour Nacional Theobroma cacao L. variety from Ecuador.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loor Solorzano, Rey Gaston; Fouet, Olivier; Lemainque, Arnaud; Pavek, Sylvana; Boccara, Michel; Argout, Xavier; Amores, Freddy; Courtois, Brigitte; Risterucci, Ange Marie; Lanaud, Claire

    2012-01-01

    Ecuador's economic history has been closely linked to Theobroma cacao L cultivation, and specifically to the native fine flavour Nacional cocoa variety. The original Nacional cocoa trees are presently in danger of extinction due to foreign germplasm introductions. In a previous work, a few non-introgressed Nacional types were identified as potential founders of the modern Ecuadorian cocoa population, but so far their origin could not be formally identified. In order to determine the putative centre of origin of Nacional and trace its domestication history, we used 80 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to analyse the relationships between these potential Nacional founders and 169 wild and cultivated cocoa accessions from South and Central America. The highest genetic similarity was observed between the Nacional pool and some wild genotypes from the southern Amazonian region of Ecuador, sampled along the Yacuambi, Nangaritza and Zamora rivers in Zamora Chinchipe province. This result was confirmed by a parentage analysis. Based on our results and on data about pre-Columbian civilization and Spanish colonization history of Ecuador, we determined, for the first time, the possible centre of origin and migration events of the Nacional variety from the Amazonian area until its arrival in the coastal provinces. As large unexplored forest areas still exist in the southern part of the Ecuadorian Amazonian region, our findings could provide clues as to where precious new genetic resources could be collected, and subsequently used to improve the flavour and disease resistance of modern Ecuadorian cocoa varieties.

  6. Characterization of the Proteome of Theobroma cacao Beans by Nano-UHPLC-ESI MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scollo, Emanuele; Neville, David; Oruna-Concha, M Jose; Trotin, Martine; Cramer, Rainer

    2018-02-01

    Cocoa seed storage proteins play an important role in flavour development as aroma precursors are formed from their degradation during fermentation. Major proteins in the beans of Theobroma cacao are the storage proteins belonging to the vicilin and albumin classes. Although both these classes of proteins have been extensively characterized, there is still limited information on the expression and abundance of other proteins present in cocoa beans. This work is the first attempt to characterize the whole cocoa bean proteome by nano-UHPLC-ESI MS/MS analysis using tryptic digests of cocoa bean protein extracts. The results of this analysis show that >1000 proteins could be identified using a species-specific Theobroma cacao database. The majority of the identified proteins were involved with metabolism and energy. Additionally, a significant number of the identified proteins were linked to protein synthesis and processing. Several proteins were also involved with plant response to stress conditions and defence. Albumin and vicilin storage proteins showed the highest intensity values among all detected proteins, although only seven entries were identified as storage proteins. A comparison of MS/MS data searches carried out against larger non-specific databases confirmed that using a species-specific database can increase the number of identified proteins, and at the same time reduce the number of false positives. The results of this work will be useful in developing tools that can allow the comparison of the proteomic profile of cocoa beans from different genotypes and geographic origins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005586. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Cryopreservation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) somatic embryos by vitrification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adu-Gyamfi, Raphael; Wetten, Andy

    2012-01-01

    Losses of cultivated cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) due to diseases and continued depletion of forests that harbour the wild progenitors of the crop make ex situ conservation of cocoa germplasm of paramount importance. In order to enhance security of in situ germplasm collections, 2-3 mm floral-derived secondary somatic embryos were cryopreserved by vitrification. This work demonstrates the most uncomplicated clonal cocoa cryopreservation. Optimal post-cryostorage survival (74.5 percent) was achieved by 5 d preculture of SSEs on 0.5 M sucrose medium followed by 60 min dehydration in cold PVS2. To minimise free radical related cryo-injury, cation sources were removed from the embryo development solution and/or the recovery medium, the former treatment resulting in a significant benefit. After optimisation with cocoa genotype AMAZ 15, the same protocol was effective across all five additional cocoa genotypes tested. For the multiplication of clones, embryos regenerated following cryopreservation were used as explant sources, and vitrification was found to maintain their embryogenic potential.

  8. Combination of RNAseq and SNP nanofluidic array reveals the center of genetic diversity of cacao pathogen Moniliophthora roreri in the upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia and its clonality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahin S Ali

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Moniliophthora roreri is the fungal pathogen that causes frosty pod rot (FPR disease of Theobroma cacao L., the source of chocolate. FPR occurs in most of the cacao producing countries in the Western Hemisphere, causing yield losses up to 80%. Genetic diversity within the FPR pathogen population may allow the population to adapt to changing environmental conditions and adapt to enhanced resistance in the host plant. The present study developed SNP markers from RNASeq results for 13 M. roreri isolates and validated the markers for their ability to reveal genetic diversity in an international M. roreri collection. The SNP resources reported herein represent the first study of RNASeq-derived SNP validation in M. roreri and demonstrates the utility of RNASeq as an approach for de novo SNP identification in M. roreri. A total of 88 polymorphic SNPs were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of 172 M. roreri cacao isolates resulting in 37 distinct genotypes (including 14 synonymous groups. Absence of heterozygosity for the 88 SNP markers indicates reproduction in M. roreri is clonal and likely due to a homothallic life style. The upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia showed the highest levels of genetic diversity with 20 distinct genotypes of which 13 were limited to this region, and indicates this region as the possible center of origin for M. roreri.

  9. Combination of RNAseq and SNP nanofluidic array reveals the center of genetic diversity of cacao pathogen Moniliophthora roreri in the upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia and its clonality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Shahin S; Shao, Jonathan; Strem, Mary D; Phillips-Mora, Wilberth; Zhang, Dapeng; Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Bailey, Bryan A

    2015-01-01

    Moniliophthora roreri is the fungal pathogen that causes frosty pod rot (FPR) disease of Theobroma cacao L., the source of chocolate. FPR occurs in most of the cacao producing countries in the Western Hemisphere, causing yield losses up to 80%. Genetic diversity within the FPR pathogen population may allow the population to adapt to changing environmental conditions and adapt to enhanced resistance in the host plant. The present study developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from RNASeq results for 13 M. roreri isolates and validated the markers for their ability to reveal genetic diversity in an international M. roreri collection. The SNP resources reported herein represent the first study of RNA sequencing (RNASeq)-derived SNP validation in M. roreri and demonstrates the utility of RNASeq as an approach for de novo SNP identification in M. roreri. A total of 88 polymorphic SNPs were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of 172 M. roreri cacao isolates resulting in 37 distinct genotypes (including 14 synonymous groups). Absence of heterozygosity for the 88 SNP markers indicates reproduction in M. roreri is clonal and likely due to a homothallic life style. The upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia showed the highest levels of genetic diversity with 20 distinct genotypes of which 13 were limited to this region, and indicates this region as the possible center of origin for M. roreri.

  10. Validación funcional de extractos polifenólicos de cacao mediante ensayos in vivo con organismos modelo

    OpenAIRE

    Peláez Soto, Ana

    2016-01-01

    Los polifenoles son los principales antioxidantes de la dieta y a ellos se les atribuyen múltiples propiedades beneficiosas, como la prevención de enfermedades cardiovasculares, tumorales y degenerativas, que pueden aparecer como consecuencia del estrés oxidativo. El cacao representa una fuente interesante de polifenoles en la dieta, dado su amplio consumo y su riqueza en estos compuestos bioactivos. La actividad antioxidante de los polifenoles en general, y en concreto de los polifenoles del...

  11. Effects of Land-Use Change on Under Storey Species Composition and Distribution in a Tropical Rainforest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Ifechukwude ODIWE

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The forest lands conversion into tree crops plantations plays a major role in the loss of biodiversity. Therefore, understanding the impacts of land-use change on species diversity is very critical for ecosystem functioning and stability. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of land-use changes on under storey species diversity in the Theobroma cacao and Citrus sinensis plantations. Two, 25 m 25 m plots were sampled in each plantation and a nearby undisturbed secondary rainforest for comparison. The diameters (dbh-1.3 m of all trees at breast height >10 cm were measured in each plot. Five line transect were systematically laid and a quadrat of 50 cm 50 cm placed at every 1 m point to identify the under storey species (herbaceous, shrubs, tree saplings and climbers present in each plot. Percentage canopy, species diversity using Shannon-Wiener, Simpsons index and Evenness were determined, while species similarity was determined using the Jaccards similarity index. Results indicate that woody basal area and stem density in Theobroma cacao were significantly (P

  12. Estudios sobre Cacao 1.Incidencia de la "Pasmazón de los Pepinos" en Algunos Cacaos Venezolanos

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    Ciferri R.

    1948-12-01

    Full Text Available Se investigó la incidencia de la pudrición de la mazorca del cacao por el Phytophthora palmivora Butler sobre diferentes grupos de variedades de cacao cultivadas en el ambiente subárido de regadío en Ocumare de la Costa, Estado Aragua, Venezuela. Se ha averiguado que la infección sistémica de dichas mazorcas proviene de la infección primaria de los cojines florales, habiéndose estudiado su curso y sus características. Entre otras cosas se notó que, aunque es verdad que el período de mayor susceptibilidad a la infección sistémica es el que corre desde el fin del estado de pepino del fruto (fruto mayor de 9-10 centímetros, o sea de 75 a 90 días de edad y el fin del período de desarrollo del fruto (140 a 150 días a contar desde la fecundación de la flor, puede haber un estado precoz de infección de la mazorca joven, el cual no ocurre nunca antes de los quince días de edad, esto es, en el período de máxima incidencia de la enfermedad fisiológica conocida como "pasmazón de los pepinos". Dicha infección es exclusivamente sistémica y puede afectar hasta las dos quintas partes de los pepinos que cuelgan de cojines infectados. Observóse que el chancro del tallo, que por lo regular sigue a la infección del cojín floral, no es tan dañino como comúnmente se afirma, pero que sus daños económicos se deben a la improductividad producida en el cojín infectado. El Criollo de concha decolorada es más susceptible a la infección por Phytophthora que el de concha morada y el híbrido forastero venezolano el cual, a su vez, parece más susceptible a la infección del cojín floral que los demás grupos de variedades. En un lapso de 10 meses los frutos infectados por medio del cojín floral representan los tres cuartos o cuatro quintos del total. La presencia de pigmento antociánico en la cáscara de la mazorca no madura parece conferir una relativa resistencia a la infección por el Phytophthora; empero, en el Forastero

  13. Genome and secretome analysis of the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen, Moniliophthora roreri, which causes frosty pod rot disease of cacao: mechanisms of the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meinhardt, Lyndel W; Costa, Gustavo Gilson Lacerda; Thomazella, Daniela P T; Teixeira, Paulo José P L; Carazzolle, Marcelo Falsarella; Schuster, Stephan C; Carlson, John E; Guiltinan, Mark J; Mieczkowski, Piotr; Farmer, Andrew; Ramaraj, Thiruvarangan; Crozier, Jayne; Davis, Robert E; Shao, Jonathan; Melnick, Rachel L; Pereira, Gonçalo A G; Bailey, Bryan A

    2014-02-27

    The basidiomycete Moniliophthora roreri is the causal agent of Frosty pod rot (FPR) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao), the source of chocolate, and FPR is one of the most destructive diseases of this important perennial crop in the Americas. This hemibiotroph infects only cacao pods and has an extended biotrophic phase lasting up to sixty days, culminating in plant necrosis and sporulation of the fungus without the formation of a basidiocarp. We sequenced and assembled 52.3 Mb into 3,298 contigs that represent the M. roreri genome. Of the 17,920 predicted open reading frames (OFRs), 13,760 were validated by RNA-Seq. Using read count data from RNA sequencing of cacao pods at 30 and 60 days post infection, differential gene expression was estimated for the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases of this plant-pathogen interaction. The sequencing data were used to develop a genome based secretome for the infected pods. Of the 1,535 genes encoding putative secreted proteins, 1,355 were expressed in the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases. Analysis of the data revealed secretome gene expression that correlated with infection and intercellular growth in the biotrophic phase and invasive growth and plant cellular death in the necrotrophic phase. Genome sequencing and RNA-Seq was used to determine and validate the Moniliophthora roreri genome and secretome. High sequence identity between Moniliophthora roreri genes and Moniliophthora perniciosa genes supports the taxonomic relationship with Moniliophthora perniciosa and the relatedness of this fungus to other basidiomycetes. Analysis of RNA-Seq data from infected plant tissues revealed differentially expressed genes in the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases. The secreted protein genes that were upregulated in the biotrophic phase are primarily associated with breakdown of the intercellular matrix and modification of the fungal mycelia, possibly to mask the fungus from plant defenses. Based on the transcriptome data, the

  14. Efeitos do alagamento do substrato no crescimento e na composição química de genótipos clonais de Theobroma cacao L. Effects of substrate flooding on growth and chemical composition of Theobroma cacao L. clonal genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruna Carmo Rehem

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available O alagamento do solo pode promover alterações no metabolismo celular e causar desvios nas condições ótimas de crescimento das plantas, gerando uma condição de estresse. Objetivou-se no presente trabalho avaliar os efeitos do alagamento no crescimento e na nutrição mineral de seis clones de T. cacao (CP-49, CCN-10, CP-06, CEPEC-2007, CEPEC-2008 e PS-1319, para elucidar possíveis mecanismos de tolerância ao alagamento. Mudas clonais de T. cacao, com 6 meses de idade, foram submetidas ao alagamento, juntamente com o tratamento-controle (não alagado, por 30 dias. Observou-se, no final desse período, que o alagamento promoveu diminuição nas taxas de crescimento relativo radicular (exceto para CP-06 e de área foliar, acúmulo de matéria seca e incremento nas taxas de crescimento relativo caulinar (exceto para os clones CP-06 e CEPEC-2008 e assimilatória líquida (exceto para o clone alagado PS-1319 e de massa foliar específica para os clones CP-49, CCN-10 e CP-06. Os clones que sobreviveram aos 30 dias de alagamento apresentaram baixos valores de razão de área foliar. De modo geral, o alagamento do substrato acarretou deficiência na absorção de macro e micronutrientes minerais, exceto de Fe. Dentre os clones avaliados, o CP-49 foi tolerante e o CEPEC-2008 não tolerante ao alagamento. Os demais clones ficaram numa posição intermediária. Logo, o clone CP-49 tem grande potencial para ser cultivado em condições de alagamento.Soil flooding can induce changes in cell metabolism and cause deviations in optimum conditions for plant growth, creating a stress condition. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of flooding on growth and mineral nutrition of six T. cacao clones (CP-49, CCN-10, CP-06, CEPEC-2007, CEPEC-2008 and PS-1319, aiming to clarify the possible mechanisms of soil flooding tolerance. Plants of T. cacao with 6 months of age were subject to soil flooding, along with the control treatment (not flooded

  15. Analysis of gene expression and proteomic profiles of clonal genotypes from Theobroma cacao subjected to soil flooding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertolde, Fabiana Z; Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Pirovani, Carlos P

    2014-01-01

    Soil flooding causes changes in gene transcription, synthesis and degradation of proteins and cell metabolism. The main objective of this study was to understand the biological events of Theobroma cacao during soil flooding-induced stress, using the analyses of gene expression and activity of key enzymes involved in fermentation, as well as the identification of differentially expressed proteins by mass spectrometry in two contrasting genotypes for flooding tolerance (tolerant - TSA-792 and susceptible - TSH-774). Soil anoxia caused by flooding has led to changes in the expression pattern of genes associated with the biosynthesis of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in leaves and roots of the two evaluated genotypes. Significant differences were observed between the enzyme activities of the two genotypes. Leaves and roots of the TSA-792 genotype showed higher ADH activity as compared to the TSH-774 genotype, whereas the activities of PDC and LDH have varied over the 96 h of soil flooding, being higher for TSA-792 genotype, at the initial stage, and TSH-774 genotype, at the final stage. Some of the identified proteins are those typical of the anaerobic metabolism-involved in glycolysis and alcoholic fermentation-and different proteins associated with photosynthesis, protein metabolism and oxidative stress. The ability to maintain glycolysis and induce fermentation was observed to play an important role in anoxia tolerance in cacao and may also serve to distinguish tolerant and susceptible genotypes in relation to this stressor.

  16. INFLUENCIA DE LA ÉPOCA DE COSECHA EN LA CALIDAD DEL LICOR DE CACAO TIPO NACIONAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milton Alexis Ruíz Pinargote

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la influencia de las épocas de cosecha (invierno y verano sobre las características físicas, sensoriales y bromatológicas del cacao nacional perteneciente al jardín clonal de la ESPAM MFL. Los análisis se efectuaron a partir de muestras de almendras secas evaluándose porcentaje de fermentación, almendras violetas, peso de semillas y testa, sabores básicos y específicos, pH, acidez, ceniza y grasa. Los datos fueron procesados mediante la prueba de T para encontrar diferencias entre épocas usando el programa estadístico INFOSTAT versión 2008. Los resultados muestran significación estadística para la fermentación entre las épocas del año, el mayor porcentaje de fermentación obtenido fue de 96.5 % del clon EET-19 en verano, mientras que en invierno sobresalió el clon EET-103. El perfil sensorial de los sabores específicos obtuvo mayores diferencias en el sabor floral con respecto al frutal y nuez, además de los sabores básicos con niveles medios y altos entre épocas; las propiedades bromatológicas acidez y ceniza fueron parecidas entre invierno y verano; contrario al pH y grasa que varían significativamente entre épocas. Se concluye que las épocas del año influyen sobre las propiedades físicas, sensoriales y bromatológicas del cacao nacional.

  17. [Effect of the harvest season on the composition of raw and fermented cotyledons of 2 varieties of cacao and shell fractions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Dios Alvarado, J; Villacís, F E; Zamora, G F

    1983-06-01

    A study was carried out wherein during the period August 1979 to January 1980, samples of raw and fermented cacao were analyzed monthly. These included two varieties: Arriba, taken from a farm in "Quevedo", and the EET-19, grown in "Pichilingüe" by the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP). Taking the ear of cacao as a basis, the weight of its main parts was determined. The proximal composition was established in the cotyledons, with significant statistical differences in regard to moisture, protein, and ether extract content according to the month of harvest. As to the fermentation process, differences in moisture, ether extract and ash content were detected; differences in the ether extract and ash content were found between the two varieties. The fat extracted from the cotyledons presented different iodine, saponification and acidity index values between the raw and fermented samples, but none were determined between the varieties; as far as the month of harvest is concerned, differences in the acidity index were observed. The percentage composition of the main fatty acids is reported (palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids). In order to suggest possible industrial ways of utilizing the cacao shell by-product which is discarded by the shelling machine, the chemical characteristics of five fractions were determined based on the functioning of the shelling machine. The moisture, protein, ether extract, ash, crude fiber, theobromine, and caffeine contents varied among the fractions, and it was dependent on the broken "nibs" content. Differences in the protein, ether extract, and ash content, according to the months of production, were found. Obviously, the high fat content in fractions A (fine dust) and B (fine ground), which varied from 30 to 11 g/100 g, merits its extraction; the remainder meal has a valuable protein and alkaloid content. The chemical characteristics of the fat extracted from the shell of two fractions were similar to

  18. Acción colectiva y cadenas de valor. Estudio de caso : cadena de cacao y UNOCACE

    OpenAIRE

    Troya Rocha, María Belén

    2013-01-01

    la tesis expone un análisis de la cadena de valor del cacao, en su contexto internacional - nacional, y de la cadena de valor de una organización de segundo grado, como UNOCACE, en un marco de tiempo de diez años (2002 – 2012). Los elementos de estudio se basaron en la metodología de acción colectiva de Julio Berdegué y la plataforma RURALTER. Con el fin de exponer el rol determinante de la acción colectiva en las cadenas productivas. Dentro del análisis se identificó que las condiciones norm...

  19. Categorizing ideas about trees: a tree of trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisler, Marie; Lecointre, Guillaume

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to explore whether matrices and MP trees used to produce systematic categories of organisms could be useful to produce categories of ideas in history of science. We study the history of the use of trees in systematics to represent the diversity of life from 1766 to 1991. We apply to those ideas a method inspired from coding homologous parts of organisms. We discretize conceptual parts of ideas, writings and drawings about trees contained in 41 main writings; we detect shared parts among authors and code them into a 91-characters matrix and use a tree representation to show who shares what with whom. In other words, we propose a hierarchical representation of the shared ideas about trees among authors: this produces a "tree of trees." Then, we categorize schools of tree-representations. Classical schools like "cladists" and "pheneticists" are recovered but others are not: "gradists" are separated into two blocks, one of them being called here "grade theoreticians." We propose new interesting categories like the "buffonian school," the "metaphoricians," and those using "strictly genealogical classifications." We consider that networks are not useful to represent shared ideas at the present step of the study. A cladogram is made for showing who is sharing what with whom, but also heterobathmy and homoplasy of characters. The present cladogram is not modelling processes of transmission of ideas about trees, and here it is mostly used to test for proximity of ideas of the same age and for categorization.

  20. Insight into the wild origin, migration and domestication history of the fine flavour Nacional Theobroma cacao L. variety from Ecuador.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rey Gaston Loor Solorzano

    Full Text Available Ecuador's economic history has been closely linked to Theobroma cacao L cultivation, and specifically to the native fine flavour Nacional cocoa variety. The original Nacional cocoa trees are presently in danger of extinction due to foreign germplasm introductions. In a previous work, a few non-introgressed Nacional types were identified as potential founders of the modern Ecuadorian cocoa population, but so far their origin could not be formally identified. In order to determine the putative centre of origin of Nacional and trace its domestication history, we used 80 simple sequence repeat (SSR markers to analyse the relationships between these potential Nacional founders and 169 wild and cultivated cocoa accessions from South and Central America. The highest genetic similarity was observed between the Nacional pool and some wild genotypes from the southern Amazonian region of Ecuador, sampled along the Yacuambi, Nangaritza and Zamora rivers in Zamora Chinchipe province. This result was confirmed by a parentage analysis. Based on our results and on data about pre-Columbian civilization and Spanish colonization history of Ecuador, we determined, for the first time, the possible centre of origin and migration events of the Nacional variety from the Amazonian area until its arrival in the coastal provinces. As large unexplored forest areas still exist in the southern part of the Ecuadorian Amazonian region, our findings could provide clues as to where precious new genetic resources could be collected, and subsequently used to improve the flavour and disease resistance of modern Ecuadorian cocoa varieties.

  1. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to caffeine and theobromine in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) and enhancement of mood (ID 4276) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tetens, Inge

    Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a list of health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health...... claims in relation to caffeine and theobromine in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) and enhancement of mood. The scientific substantiation is based on the information provided by the Member States in the consolidated list of Article 13 health claims and references that EFSA has received from Member States...... or directly from stakeholders. The food that is the subject of the health claim is cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). The Panel considers that whereas the food, cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), is not sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effect evaluated in this opinion, the food constituents, caffeine...

  2. Anti-cariogenic properties of a water-soluble extract from cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Kyoko; Nakamura, Yuko; Tokunaga, Takahisa; Iijima, Daisuke; Fukushima, Kazuo

    2003-12-01

    The addition of a water-soluble extract from cacao-extracted powder (CEPWS) to a cariogenic model food, a white chocolate-like diet that contains 35% sucrose, significantly reduced caries scores in SPF rats infected with Streptococcus sobrinus 6715, compared to control rats fed a white chocolate-like diet. CEPWS markedly inhibited water-insoluble glucan (WIG) synthesis through crude glucosyltransferases (GTFs) from Streptococcus sobrinus B13N in vitro. GTF-inhibitor(s) in CEPWS was prepared through three-step fractionation, and was termed CEPWS-BT, which is a high molecular weight (>10 kDa) heat-stable matrix of sugar, protein, and polyphenol. When the inhibitory effect of CEPWS-BT on glucan synthesis was examined using the purified GTF-I, GTF-T, and GTF-U enzymes from S. sobrinus B13N, significant reduction in GTF-I and GTF-T activity as a result of adding CEPWS-BT at low concentrations was observed. These results suggest that the addition of CEPWS to cariogenic food could be useful in controlling dental caries.

  3. Worldwide Report, Environmental Quality, No. 401

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-06-14

    will consist of prunings , removal of withered trees and replacement with full-grown trees, and fixing the landscaping with the planting of bushes...percent of the country’s cacao, coffee and henequen, meaning that their preservation and development are vitally important. Nevertheless, for...who has dumped prune mash into a brook. 28 "Whether or not an offense is prosecuted," the two lawyers state, "depends on the visibility of the

  4. Microsatellite fingerprinting in the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad: Accession and plot homogeneity information for germplasm management

    Science.gov (United States)

    The International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad (ICG,T) is the largest public domain field gene bank collection of cacao and the correct identity of each tree is crucial for germplasm movement, evaluation and phenotypic characterization. Nine microsatellite loci were used to assess the identity of 1480 t...

  5. Adsorción de plomo y cadmio en sistema continuo de lecho fijo sobre residuos de cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Jose Lara; Candelaria Tejada; Angel Villabona; Alfonso Arrieta; Clemente Granados Conde

    2016-01-01

    Se evaluó el desempeño de la cáscara de cacao como material residual adsorbente de metales pesados (Plomo y Cadmio) en solución acuosa sintética, mediante un sistema continuo de lecho fijo. El trabajo experimental consistió en determinar el efecto de la altura del lecho en la remoción de estos contaminantes, manteniendo constantes parámetros como el pH, velocidad de flujo y concentración inicial de los metales. Las pruebas de adsorción presentaron una remoción de 91,32 y 87,80%...

  6. Tree compression with top trees

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li; Landau, Gad M.

    2013-01-01

    We introduce a new compression scheme for labeled trees based on top trees [3]. Our compression scheme is the first to simultaneously take advantage of internal repeats in the tree (as opposed to the classical DAG compression that only exploits rooted subtree repeats) while also supporting fast...

  7. Tree compression with top trees

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li; Landau, Gad M.

    2015-01-01

    We introduce a new compression scheme for labeled trees based on top trees. Our compression scheme is the first to simultaneously take advantage of internal repeats in the tree (as opposed to the classical DAG compression that only exploits rooted subtree repeats) while also supporting fast...

  8. Morphological, biochemical, molecular and ultrastructural changes induced by Cd toxicity in seedlings of Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Andressa V; de Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Pirovani, Carlos P; Reis, Graciele S M; Almeida, Nicolle M; Mangabeira, Pedro A O

    2015-05-01

    Seeds from Theobroma cacao progenies derived from the self-pollination of 'Catongo'×'Catongo' and the crossing between CCN-10×SCA-6 were immersed for 24h in different Cd solutions (2; 4; 8; 16 and 32 mgL(-1)) along with the control treatment (without Cd). Shortly after, the seeds were sown in plastic tubes containing organic substrate and were grown in a greenhouse for 60 days. The treatment with Cd was observed to cause morphological, biochemical, molecular and ultrastructural changes in both progenies of T. cacao. There has been deformation in chloroplasts, nuclear chromatin condensation, and reduction in thickness of the mesophyll. As for 'Catongo'×'Catongo', a decrease in thickness of the epidermis was noted on the abaxial face. There has been increased guaiacol peroxidase activity in the roots of CCN-10×SCA-6, as well as in the''Catongo'×'Catongo' leaves. In the presence of Cd, CCN-10×SCA-6 showed increased expression of the genes associated with the biosynthesis of phytochelatin (PCS-1) and class III peroxidases (PER-1) in leaves, and metallothionein (MT2b), in roots. In 'Catongo'×'Catongo', there has been an increase in the expression of genes associated with the biosynthesis of PER-1 and cytosolic superoxide dismutase dependent on copper and zinc (Cu-Zn SODCyt) in leaves and from MT2b and PCS-1 and roots. There was higher accumulation of Cd in the aerial parts of seedlings from both progenies, whereas the most pronounced accumulation was seen in''Catongo'×'Catongo'. The increase in Cd concentration has led to lower Zn and Fe levels in both progenies. Hence, one may conclude that the different survival strategies used by CCN-10×SCA-6 made such progeny more tolerant to Cd stress when compared to''Catongo'×'Catongo'. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Generalising tree traversals and tree transformations to DAGs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahr, Patrick; Axelsson, Emil

    2017-01-01

    We present a recursion scheme based on attribute grammars that can be transparently applied to trees and acyclic graphs. Our recursion scheme allows the programmer to implement a tree traversal or a tree transformation and then apply it to compact graph representations of trees instead. The resul......We present a recursion scheme based on attribute grammars that can be transparently applied to trees and acyclic graphs. Our recursion scheme allows the programmer to implement a tree traversal or a tree transformation and then apply it to compact graph representations of trees instead...... as the complementing theory with a number of examples....

  10. Temporal and spatial resource use by female three-toed sloths and their young in an agricultural landscape in Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Ramirez

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The information on ecological behavior of wild sloths is very scarce. In this study we determined the home ranges and resources used by three adult female three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus and their four young in an agricultural matrix of cacao (Theobroma cacao, pasture, riparian forests and living fencerows in Costa Rica. Births occurred during November-December and the young became independent at five to seven months of age. Initially, mothers remained fixed in one or a few trees, but expanded their use of resources as young sloths became independent from them. Mothers initially guided the young to preferred food and cover resources, but they gradually left their young in small nucleus areas and colonized new areas for themselves. Home range sizes for young sloths (up to seven months of age varied between 0.04-0.6 hectares, while home range sizes for mothers varied from 0.04-25.0 hectares. During the maternal care period, 22 tree species were used, with the most common being Cecropia obtusifolia (30.9%, Coussapoa villosa (25.6%, Nectandra salicifolia (12.1%, Pterocarpus officinalis (5.8% and Samanea saman (5.4%. However, young sloths used only 20 tree species, with the most common being C. villosa (18.4%, S. saman (18.5 % and N. salicifolia (16.7%. The cacao agroforest was used only by mother sloths and never by their young following separation. However, in the riparian forest, both mother sloths and young used the tree species. A total of 28 tree species were used by the mother sloth; including the food species: C. obtusifolia, C. villosa, N. salicifolia and P. officinalis. However, the young used 18 trees species in this habitat with N. salicifolia and S. saman most commonly used, although they rested and fed during the day in C. obtusifolia, C. villosa and O. sinnuata. The cacao agroforest with adjacent riparian forests and fencerows provides an important habitat type that links the smaller secondary forests and other patches. Rev

  11. Use of Bennett's Hierarchical Model in the Evaluation of the Extension Education Program for Cacao Farmers in the Northeast Region of the Dominican Republic. Summary of Research 54.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De los Santos, Saturnino; Norland, Emmalou Van Tilburg

    A study evaluated the cacao farmer training program in the Dominican Republic by testing hypothesized relationships among reactions, knowledge and skills, attitudes, aspirations, and some selected demographic characteristics of farmers who attended programs. Bennett's hierarchical model of program evaluation was used as the framework of the study.…

  12. Cacao 3 (Cc 3, Arte rupestre del formativo temprano en Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alvaro Rodrigo Martel

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available En el presente trabajo hemos abordado el estudio de la producción del arte rupestre del sitio Cacao 3 –Cc3- (Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca con relación a las prácticas socioculturales de grupos agropastoriles del periodo Formativo Temprano en la Puna meridional argentina, haciendo hincapié en el emplazamiento del sitio y su asociación contextual con las demás evidencias arqueológicas conocidas para el área de estudio y estableciendo las relaciones entre las manifestaciones rupestres de Cc3 con las de otros sitios, a nivel micro y macrorregional, a través de indicadores estilísticos

  13. Mass Loss and Nutrient Release through Leaching in Tectona ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tectona grandis and Theobroma cacao are common plantation tree crops planted to replace natural forest in Nigeria because of their faster growth rate and economic values. The changes in land use have marked effects on the soil nutrients and organic matter stock, thereby affecting physical, chemical properties and soil ...

  14. Combining ability, heritability and genotypic relations of different physiological traits in cacao hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Allan Silva; de Almeida, Alex-Alan Furtado; Branco, Márcia Christina da Silva; Costa, Marcio Gilberto Cardoso; Ahnert, Dario

    2017-01-01

    Selecting parents and evaluating progenies is a very important step in breeding programs and involves approaches such as understanding the initial stages of growth and characterizing the variability among genotypes for different parameters, such as physiological, growth, biomass partitioning and nutrient translocation to the aerial part. In these cases, facilitating tools can be used to understand the involved gene dynamics, such as diallel crosses and genetic and phenotypic correlations. Our main hypothesis is that the contrasting phenotypes of these parental genotypes of cocoa used are due to genetic factors, and progenies derived from crosses of these parental genotypes are useful for breeding programs related to plant architecture, physiological parameters and translocation of mineral nutrients. We aimed to evaluate the combining abilities in progenies of cacao (Theobroma cacao L) originating from contrasting parents for canopy vigor. Emphasis was given to the evaluation of morphological and physiological parameters and the phenotypic and genotypic correlations to understand the dynamics of the action of the genes involved, as well as in expression profile from genes of gibberellins biosynthesis pathway in the parents. Fifteen F1 progenies were obtained from crosses of six clones (IMC 67, P4B, PUCALA, SCA 6, SCA 24 and SJ 02) that were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replicates of 12 plants per progeny, in a balanced half table diallel scheme. It is possible to identify and select plants and progenies of low, medium and high height, as there is expressive genetic variability for the evaluated parameters, some of these on higher additive effects, others on larger nonadditive effects and others under a balance of these effects. Most physiological parameters evaluated show that for selection of plants with the desired performance, no complex breeding methods would be necessary due to the high and medium heritability observed. Strong

  15. Surface tree languages and parallel derivation trees

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Engelfriet, Joost

    1976-01-01

    The surface tree languages obtained by top-down finite state transformation of monadic trees are exactly the frontier-preserving homomorphic images of sets of derivation trees of ETOL systems. The corresponding class of tree transformation languages is therefore equal to the class of ETOL languages.

  16. TreePics: visualizing trees with pictures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Puillandre

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available While many programs are available to edit phylogenetic trees, associating pictures with branch tips in an efficient and automatic way is not an available option. Here, we present TreePics, a standalone software that uses a web browser to visualize phylogenetic trees in Newick format and that associates pictures (typically, pictures of the voucher specimens to the tip of each branch. Pictures are visualized as thumbnails and can be enlarged by a mouse rollover. Further, several pictures can be selected and displayed in a separate window for visual comparison. TreePics works either online or in a full standalone version, where it can display trees with several thousands of pictures (depending on the memory available. We argue that TreePics can be particularly useful in a preliminary stage of research, such as to quickly detect conflicts between a DNA-based phylogenetic tree and morphological variation, that may be due to contamination that needs to be removed prior to final analyses, or the presence of species complexes.

  17. Simultaneous decontamination of cross-polluted soils with heavy metals and PCBs using a nano-metallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallampati, Srinivasa Reddy; Mitoma, Yoshiharu; Okuda, Tetsuji; Sakita, Shogo; Simion, Cristian

    2014-01-01

    In the present work, we investigated the use of nano-metallic calcium (Ca) and calcium oxide (CaO) dispersion mixture for the simultaneous remediation of contaminated soils with both heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, and Pb) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Regardless of soil moisture content, nano-metallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture achieved about 95-99% of heavy metal immobilization by a simple grinding process. During the same treatment, reasonable PCB hydrodechlorination efficiencies were obtained (up to 97%), though higher hydrodechlorination efficiency by preliminary drying of soil was observed.

  18. Biosorción de Cd (II) y Pb (II) en columna de lecho fijo con cáscara de cacao

    OpenAIRE

    Vera, L.; Bermejo, D.; Uguña, M.F.; García, N.; Flores, M.; Brazales, D.

    2018-01-01

    En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la biosorcion de Pb (II) y Cd (II) de aguas sintéticas con cáscara de cacao en columnas de lecho fijo. Los datos experimentales fueron ajustados a varios modelos que describen la curva de ruptura para sistemas monocomponentes y bicomponentes. Los porcentajes de remoción de plomo y cadmio en sistemas monocomponentes son 91% y 90% respectivamente. En sistemas bicomponentes Pb-Cd el porcentaje de remoción de plomo 88% y cadmio 90%. El modelo de Dosi...

  19. ColorTree: a batch customization tool for phylogenic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wei-Hua; Lercher, Martin J

    2009-07-31

    Genome sequencing projects and comparative genomics studies typically aim to trace the evolutionary history of large gene sets, often requiring human inspection of hundreds of phylogenetic trees. If trees are checked for compatibility with an explicit null hypothesis (e.g., the monophyly of certain groups), this daunting task is greatly facilitated by an appropriate coloring scheme. In this note, we introduce ColorTree, a simple yet powerful batch customization tool for phylogenic trees. Based on pattern matching rules, ColorTree applies a set of customizations to an input tree file, e.g., coloring labels or branches. The customized trees are saved to an output file, which can then be viewed and further edited by Dendroscope (a freely available tree viewer). ColorTree runs on any Perl installation as a stand-alone command line tool, and its application can thus be easily automated. This way, hundreds of phylogenic trees can be customized for easy visual inspection in a matter of minutes. ColorTree allows efficient and flexible visual customization of large tree sets through the application of a user-supplied configuration file to multiple tree files.

  20. Herramientas moleculares aplicadas al estudio de aguas para el consumo humano, comunidad El Cacao, Nicaragua

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandro A. Paramo

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Se determinó la presencia de contaminantes microbianos en aguas de consumo humano de la comunidad El Cacao, Mosonte, Nueva Segovia. El análisis se realizó tanto por métodos microbiológicos como por vía molecular analizando su interrelación con las enfermedades que se observan en la comunidad. Se obtuvo la presencia de coliformes fecales, totales y Escherichia coli desde la captación hasta el tanque de almacenamiento. Los aislados identificados pertenecen a las bacterias del tipo Alcaligenes y Paenalcaligenes, además de Stenotrophomonas y Serratia. Las cuales son bacterias acuáticas y están asociadas a diversas enfermedades. Además se identificó lapresencia de Aspergillus que han sido bien reportados en diversas enfermedades humanas.

  1. CACAO: A project for a laboratory for the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bacri, C.O., E-mail: bacri@ipno.in2p3.f [Institut de Physique Nucleaire d' Orsay, 91406 Orsay Cedex, CNRS (UMR8608-IN2P3), Universite Paris-Sud (Paris XI) (France); Petitbon, V.; Pierre, S. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire d' Orsay, 91406 Orsay Cedex, CNRS (UMR8608-IN2P3), Universite Paris-Sud (Paris XI) (France)

    2010-02-11

    CACAO, Chimie des Actinides et Cibles radioActives a Orsay (actinide chemistry and radioactive targets at Orsay), is a project under construction that consists of the installation of a hot laboratory dedicated to the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers. The project aims to be a joint CNRS-CEA national laboratory to overcome difficulties related mainly to safety issues and to the lack of knowledge and potential manpower. The first goal is to fulfill, at least, the needs of the whole French community, and to be able to coordinate the different activities related to radioactive targets. For this purpose, itis important to be complementary to already existing international installations. Inside this framework, it will of course be possible to produce and/or characterize targets for other users.

  2. CACAO: A project for a laboratory for the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacri, C. O.; Petitbon, V.; Pierre, S.; Cacao Group

    2010-02-01

    CACAO, Chimie des Actinides et Cibles radioActives à Orsay (actinide chemistry and radioactive targets at Orsay), is a project under construction that consists of the installation of a hot laboratory dedicated to the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers. The project aims to be a joint CNRS-CEA national laboratory to overcome difficulties related mainly to safety issues and to the lack of knowledge and potential manpower. The first goal is to fulfill, at least, the needs of the whole French community, and to be able to coordinate the different activities related to radioactive targets. For this purpose, itis important to be complementary to already existing international installations. Inside this framework, it will of course be possible to produce and/or characterize targets for other users.

  3. CACAO: A project for a laboratory for the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bacri, C.O.; Petitbon, V.; Pierre, S.

    2010-01-01

    CACAO, Chimie des Actinides et Cibles radioActives a Orsay (actinide chemistry and radioactive targets at Orsay), is a project under construction that consists of the installation of a hot laboratory dedicated to the production and characterization of thin radioactive layers. The project aims to be a joint CNRS-CEA national laboratory to overcome difficulties related mainly to safety issues and to the lack of knowledge and potential manpower. The first goal is to fulfill, at least, the needs of the whole French community, and to be able to coordinate the different activities related to radioactive targets. For this purpose, itis important to be complementary to already existing international installations. Inside this framework, it will of course be possible to produce and/or characterize targets for other users.

  4. Adsorción de plomo y cadmio en sistema continuo de lecho fijo sobre residuos de cacao

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Lara

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Se evaluó el desempeño de la cáscara de cacao como material residual adsorbente de metales pesados (Plomo y Cadmio en solución acuosa sintética, mediante un sistema continuo de lecho fijo. El trabajo experimental consistió en determinar el efecto de la altura del lecho en la remoción de estos contaminantes, manteniendo constantes parámetros como el pH, velocidad de flujo y concentración inicial de los metales. Las pruebas de adsorción presentaron una remoción de 91,32 y 87,80% respectivamente para Pb y Cd después de transcurridos 4,5 h La medición de las concentraciones en solución acuosa de los iones metálicos se hizo por adsorción atómica. Se evaluó el ajuste de los modelos matemáticos de Thomas, Dosis-Respuesta, Adams-Bohart y BDST (Bed-Depht Service Time analysis, para predecir el comportamiento dinámico de la columna y obtener los parámetros cinéticos correspondientes. Para los modelos de Thomas y de Dosis-Respuesta, se observó que los valores de la capacidad inicial de adsorción, q0, disminuyeron al aumentar la altura del lecho, esto pudo deberse a una transferencia de masa más lenta, concentración más baja y aumento dela capacidad de adsorción, mientras que los modelos de Adams-Bohart y BDST, la capacidad de adsorción volumétrica, N0, decrece al aumentar el bioadsorbente en la columna. Los resultados presentados en este estudio indican que los residuos de cacao pueden ser usados para la remoción de metales pesados presentes en aguas residuales satisfactoriamente.

  5. Tree Colors: Color Schemes for Tree-Structured Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tennekes, Martijn; de Jonge, Edwin

    2014-12-01

    We present a method to map tree structures to colors from the Hue-Chroma-Luminance color model, which is known for its well balanced perceptual properties. The Tree Colors method can be tuned with several parameters, whose effect on the resulting color schemes is discussed in detail. We provide a free and open source implementation with sensible parameter defaults. Categorical data are very common in statistical graphics, and often these categories form a classification tree. We evaluate applying Tree Colors to tree structured data with a survey on a large group of users from a national statistical institute. Our user study suggests that Tree Colors are useful, not only for improving node-link diagrams, but also for unveiling tree structure in non-hierarchical visualizations.

  6. TreePOD: Sensitivity-Aware Selection of Pareto-Optimal Decision Trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhlbacher, Thomas; Linhardt, Lorenz; Moller, Torsten; Piringer, Harald

    2018-01-01

    Balancing accuracy gains with other objectives such as interpretability is a key challenge when building decision trees. However, this process is difficult to automate because it involves know-how about the domain as well as the purpose of the model. This paper presents TreePOD, a new approach for sensitivity-aware model selection along trade-offs. TreePOD is based on exploring a large set of candidate trees generated by sampling the parameters of tree construction algorithms. Based on this set, visualizations of quantitative and qualitative tree aspects provide a comprehensive overview of possible tree characteristics. Along trade-offs between two objectives, TreePOD provides efficient selection guidance by focusing on Pareto-optimal tree candidates. TreePOD also conveys the sensitivities of tree characteristics on variations of selected parameters by extending the tree generation process with a full-factorial sampling. We demonstrate how TreePOD supports a variety of tasks involved in decision tree selection and describe its integration in a holistic workflow for building and selecting decision trees. For evaluation, we illustrate a case study for predicting critical power grid states, and we report qualitative feedback from domain experts in the energy sector. This feedback suggests that TreePOD enables users with and without statistical background a confident and efficient identification of suitable decision trees.

  7. Two Trees: Migrating Fault Trees to Decision Trees for Real Time Fault Detection on International Space Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Charles; Alena, Richard L.; Robinson, Peter

    2004-01-01

    We started from ISS fault trees example to migrate to decision trees, presented a method to convert fault trees to decision trees. The method shows that the visualizations of root cause of fault are easier and the tree manipulating becomes more programmatic via available decision tree programs. The visualization of decision trees for the diagnostic shows a format of straight forward and easy understands. For ISS real time fault diagnostic, the status of the systems could be shown by mining the signals through the trees and see where it stops at. The other advantage to use decision trees is that the trees can learn the fault patterns and predict the future fault from the historic data. The learning is not only on the static data sets but also can be online, through accumulating the real time data sets, the decision trees can gain and store faults patterns in the trees and recognize them when they come.

  8. Anti-Oxidative Polyphenolic Compounds of Cocoa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabavi, Seyed F; Sureda, Antoni; Daglia, Maria; Rezaei, Parizad; Nabavi, Seyed M

    2015-01-01

    Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of different serious chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Recent research has been focused on the beneficial role of dietary antioxidants against oxidative stress both under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Theobroma cacao L. (cacao tree) is an evergreen tree which is native to South America. It is a plant of great economic importance and its seeds are commonly used to produce cocoa powder and chocolate. In addition to its uses in food industry, cocoa is a rich source of polyphenolic antioxidants. There is a plethora of in vitro and in vivo studies that report cocoa antioxidant capacity. The protective activity of cocoa seems to be due to its phytochemical constituents, especially catechins. However, bioavailability of cocoa polyphenolic constituents following oral administration is very low (nanomolar concentrations). In the present paper, we critically reviewed the available literature on the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of cocoa and its polyphenolic constituents. In addition to these, we provide brief information about cultivation, phytochemistry, bioavailability and clinical impacts of cocoa.

  9. Effects of enriched compost with efficient microorganisms on the germination of recalcitrant seeds of breadfruit (Parkinson Fosberg and Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yánez Yánez Wilfrido

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The research was conducted at the Center for Research, Graduate Studies and Amazon Conservation (CIPA of the Amazon State University, Ecuador. The purpose was to assess the effect of enriched compost Germination, day and day’s emergency transplantation two species of tropical origin and breadfruit Theobroma cacao. The experimental field is located in the province of Napo, 16'-1 and S and 77º 36'' 58'y 76'' W, at an altitude of 556 meters, with temperature between 18 and 32oC, average annual precipitation above 3000mm and relative humidity between 87 and 89%. An experimental design with five treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replications was applied. Treatments consisted of compost (1 MS, (2 lactic acid bacteria, (3 commercial yeast, (4 a combination thereof and (5 only compost, witness. It was determined that the compost mixture (T4 as a whole, has the greatest effect on the parameters of the seeds. Germination was found that in two of the T3 and T4 treatments significantly decreased the number of days to germination, in relation to the witness, 33 days and 13 days Artocarpus altilis, Theobroma cacao. The number of emerged plants, increase in both species with the addition of EM, lactic acid bacteria and commercial yeast (T4. a reduction is also reported in the days to transplant species studied to be significant particularly in cocoa. It was also determined that most bioburden corresponded to bacteria.

  10. Factors Related to Adoption and Non-Adoption of Technical and Organizational Recommendations by Farmers Involved with Societe de Developpement du Cacao (SO.DE.CAO) in Cameroon. A Research Summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamga, Andre; Cheek, Jimmy G.

    In order to promote cocoa production and assist cocoa farmers in overcoming diseases in this crop, the government of Cameroon created an experimental corporation called Societe de Developpement du Cacao (SO.DE.CAO) in 1974. This organization functioned much like an extension service to provide information about crop production and disease control.…

  11. Karyotype variation in cultivars and spontaneous cocoa mutants (Theobroma cacao L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiredo, G S F; Melo, C A F; Souza, M M; Araújo, I S; Zaidan, H A; Pires, J L; Ahnert, D

    2013-10-18

    Four mutant cocoa accessions with morphological changes and a cultivar sample were karyomorphologically characterized. Slides were prepared by enzymatic digestion of the root meristem and squashed in 45% acetic acid, followed by 2% Giemsa staining. The chromosome number of 2n = 20 was seen in all accessions. The karyotype formula for Cacau Comum and Cacau Rui was 2n = 20m. Submetacentric chromosomes were observed in Cacau Pucala and Cacau Jaca, both with 2n = 18m + 2sm, but the karyotype formula for Cacau Sem Vidro was 2n = 16m + 4sm. Satellites were located on the long arm of the 1st and 2nd chromosome pairs of Cacau Comum, whereas Cacau Pucala had satellites on the 6th chromosome pair. Greater karyotypic variation in Cacau Sem Vidro was found, whose 1st and 2nd chromosome pairs had satellites on the long arm and 6th and 10th pairs had satellites on the short arm. Analysis revealed a lower average chromosome length in Cacau Comum (1.53 ± 0.026 µm) and a higher length in Cacau Sem Vidro (2.26 ± 0.038 µm). ANOVA revealed significant difference (P Theobroma cacao.

  12. Molecular characterisation of fungal endophytic morphospecies associated with the indigenous forest tree, Theobroma gileri, in Ecuador.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Sarah E; Crozier, Jayne; Catherine Aime, M; Evans, Harry C; Holmes, Keith A

    2008-07-01

    Fungal endophytes were isolated from healthy stems and pods of Theobroma gileri, an alternative host of the frosty pod rot pathogen of cacao. Non-sporulating isolates were grouped into 46 different morphological species according to their colony morphology. Many of these morphospecies were assumed to be basidiomycetes and, therefore, were of particular interest. Basidiomycetous endophytes have received far less attention than ascomycetes and also have potential as biological control agents of the basidiomycetous pathogens of T. cacao: Moniliophthora roreri (frosty pod rot pathogen) and M. perniciosa (witches' broom disease). The morphospecies were further characterised by molecular analyses. Amplification of the nuLSU was undertaken for phylogenetic placement of these non-sporulating cultures and revealed a total of 31 different taxa of which 15 were basidiomycetes belonging to the class Agaricomycetes, and 16 ascomycetes primarily belonging to the Sordariomycetes.

  13. Tree Nut Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Blog Vision Awards Common Allergens Tree Nut Allergy Tree Nut Allergy Learn about tree nut allergy, how ... a Tree Nut Label card . Allergic Reactions to Tree Nuts Tree nuts can cause a severe and ...

  14. Big trees, old trees, and growth factor tables

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kevin T. Smith

    2018-01-01

    The potential for a tree to reach a great size and to live a long life frequently captures the public's imagination. Sometimes the desire to know the age of an impressively large tree is simple curiosity. For others, the date-of-tree establishment can make a big diff erence for management, particularly for trees at historic sites or those mentioned in property...

  15. A Suffix Tree Or Not a Suffix Tree?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starikovskaya, Tatiana; Vildhøj, Hjalte Wedel

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we study the structure of suffix trees. Given an unlabeled tree r on n nodes and suffix links of its internal nodes, we ask the question “Is r a suffix tree?”, i.e., is there a string S whose suffix tree has the same topological structure as r? We place no restrictions on S, in part...

  16. Heavy metal concentrations in cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) originating from East Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assa, A.; Noor, A.; Yunus, M. R.; Misnawi; Djide, M. N.

    2018-03-01

    Concentrations of some heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, As and Hg) were assessed for cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L) originating from East Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia after five-day fermentation. Consisting of PB 123, BR 25, and MCC 02 cocoa clones, the spectrophotometric analysis showed that concentrations of Pb, Cd, As and Hg in the cocoa beans over the three clones was below the detection limits of 0.100; 0.050, 0.010 and 0.005 mg/kg. For Cu, they were 19.343; 10.391, and 18.594 mg/kg respectively, but still below the maximum critical levels, established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Concentrations of those five heavy metals in the bean shells were found to be parallel to those in the cocoa beans, except for Pb.

  17. Tree-growth analyses to estimate tree species' drought tolerance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eilmann, B.; Rigling, A.

    2012-01-01

    Climate change is challenging forestry management and practices. Among other things, tree species with the ability to cope with more extreme climate conditions have to be identified. However, while environmental factors may severely limit tree growth or even cause tree death, assessing a tree

  18. TreeNetViz: revealing patterns of networks over tree structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gou, Liang; Zhang, Xiaolong Luke

    2011-12-01

    Network data often contain important attributes from various dimensions such as social affiliations and areas of expertise in a social network. If such attributes exhibit a tree structure, visualizing a compound graph consisting of tree and network structures becomes complicated. How to visually reveal patterns of a network over a tree has not been fully studied. In this paper, we propose a compound graph model, TreeNet, to support visualization and analysis of a network at multiple levels of aggregation over a tree. We also present a visualization design, TreeNetViz, to offer the multiscale and cross-scale exploration and interaction of a TreeNet graph. TreeNetViz uses a Radial, Space-Filling (RSF) visualization to represent the tree structure, a circle layout with novel optimization to show aggregated networks derived from TreeNet, and an edge bundling technique to reduce visual complexity. Our circular layout algorithm reduces both total edge-crossings and edge length and also considers hierarchical structure constraints and edge weight in a TreeNet graph. These experiments illustrate that the algorithm can reduce visual cluttering in TreeNet graphs. Our case study also shows that TreeNetViz has the potential to support the analysis of a compound graph by revealing multiscale and cross-scale network patterns. © 2011 IEEE

  19. Efecto del pH, la luz y la concentración de sacarosa en la Embriogénesis somática de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisette Valverde Cerdas

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Se llevó a cabo una investigación con el fin de establecer la metodología adecuada para inducir embriogénesis somática en cacao, a partir de semillas maduras. Se estudió el efecto del pH, la luz y la concentración de sacarosa sobre la respuesta embriogénica. Los dos cultivares mostraron diferente respuesta morfogénica y en ambos, estuvo influenciada por el pH, la luz y la concentración de sacarosa. La mejor respuesta embriogénica se obtuvo con un pH de 6,7. El número de embriones producidos fue mayor bajo condiciones de oscuridad que en presencia de luz. La formación de callo y la diferenciación de embriones somáticos estuvo directamente influenciada por la concentración de azúcar en el medio de cultivo. La mayor cantidad de embriones se obtuvo con niveles de sacarosa entre 4% y 6% para el híbrido UF-613xIMC-67 y niveles entre 2% y 4% de sacarosa para el cultivar CATIE-1000. Se presento una embriogénesis somática directa. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la necesidad de continuar realizando estudios con esta especie.

  20. TREE SELECTING AND TREE RING MEASURING IN DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sefa Akbulut

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Dendrochronology is a method of dating which makes use of the annual nature of tree growth. Dendrochronology may be divided into a number of subfields, each of which covers one or more aspects of the use of tree ring data: dendroclimatology, dendrogeomorphology, dendrohydrology, dendroecology, dendroarchaelogy, and dendrogylaciology. Basic of all form the analysis of the tree rings. The wood or tree rings can aid to dating past events about climatology, ecology, geology, hydrology. Dendrochronological studies are conducted either on increment cores or on discs. It may be seen abnormalities on tree rings during the measurement like that false rings, missing rings, reaction wood. Like that situation, increment cores must be extracted from four different sides of each tree and be studied as more as on tree.

  1. Visualizing Individual Tree Differences in Tree-Ring Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Trouillier

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Averaging tree-ring measurements from multiple individuals is one of the most common procedures in dendrochronology. It serves to filter out noise from individual differences between trees, such as competition, height, and micro-site effects, which ideally results in a site chronology sensitive to regional scale factors such as climate. However, the climate sensitivity of individual trees can be modulated by factors like competition, height, and nitrogen deposition, calling attention to whether average chronologies adequately assess climatic growth-control. In this study, we demonstrate four simple but effective methods to visually assess differences between individual trees. Using individual tree climate-correlations we: (1 employed jitter plots with superimposed metadata to assess potential causes for these differences; (2 plotted the frequency distributions of climate correlations over time as heat maps; (3 mapped the spatial distribution of climate sensitivity over time to assess spatio-temporal dynamics; and (4 used t-distributed Stochastic Neighborhood Embedding (t-SNE to assess which trees were generally more similar in terms of their tree-ring pattern and their correlation with climate variables. This suite of exploratory methods can indicate if individuals in tree-ring datasets respond differently to climate variability, and therefore, should not solely be explored with climate correlations of the mean population chronology.

  2. Fault tree handbook

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haasl, D.F.; Roberts, N.H.; Vesely, W.E.; Goldberg, F.F.

    1981-01-01

    This handbook describes a methodology for reliability analysis of complex systems such as those which comprise the engineered safety features of nuclear power generating stations. After an initial overview of the available system analysis approaches, the handbook focuses on a description of the deductive method known as fault tree analysis. The following aspects of fault tree analysis are covered: basic concepts for fault tree analysis; basic elements of a fault tree; fault tree construction; probability, statistics, and Boolean algebra for the fault tree analyst; qualitative and quantitative fault tree evaluation techniques; and computer codes for fault tree evaluation. Also discussed are several example problems illustrating the basic concepts of fault tree construction and evaluation

  3. IDENTIFIKASI POLA AGROFORESTRI YANG DIIMPLEMENTASIKAN MASYARAKAT PADA LAAHN MARJINAL DI LAMPUNG UTARA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Wulandari

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The large of marginal land in North Lampung will require careful planning towards to succeeded of the rehabilitation program. The first step that should be done is research on the identification of existing agroforestry pattern. All research results that consider to community tree preferences should be put as basis on description of objectives of next steps or further development program. Nine tree-based agroforestry patterns that applied by community at those marginal land in North Lampung namely : Clonal rubber – hedge tree, Monoculture clonal rubber, Clonal rubber- mix wood/trees, rubber forest- Phitecellobium lobatum (jengkol, Palm oil as hedge grow, Monoculture palm oil, Cacao-coffee-fruits-wood, Teak-food crops, Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan – legum-food crops

  4. Indicators for the Analysis of Peasant Women’s Equity and Empowerment Situations in a Sustainability Framework: A Case Study of Cacao Production in Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga de Marco Larrauri

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Family agriculture is a fundamental pillar in the construction of agroecological agri-food alternatives fostering processes of sustainable rural development where social equity represents a central aspect. Despite agroecology’s critical openness, this area has not yet incorporated an explicit gender approach allowing an appropriate problematization and analysis of the cultural inequalities of gender relations in agriculture, women’s empowerment processes and their nexus with sustainability. This work presents an organized proposal of indicators to approach and analyze the degree of peasant women’s equity and empowerment within a wide sustainability framework. After a thorough bibliographical review, 34 equity and empowerment indicators were identified and organized into six basic theoretical dimensions. Following the collection of empirical data (from 20 cacao-producing families, the indicators were analyzed and reorganized on the basis of hierarchical cluster analysis and explanatory interdependence into a new set of six empirical dimensions: (1 access to resources, education and social participation; (2 economic-personal autonomy and self-esteem; (3 gender gaps (labor rights, health, work and physical violence; (4 techno-productive decision-making and remunerated work; (5 land ownership and mobility; and (6 diversification of responsibilities and social and feminist awareness. Additionally, a case study is presented that analyzes equity and empowerment in the lives of two rural cacao-producing peasant women in Ecuador.

  5. Identification of yeasts Isolated from processed and frozen cocoa (Theobroma cacao pulp for wine production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita de Cássia Trindade

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The alternative use of cocoa (Theobroma cacao for wine production was tested. The pulp samples, obtained from Formosa farm, Itacaré, Brazil, were diluted, homogenized and inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium (SDA and incubated at 28º C for 5-8 days. Selected colonies were tested for the ability to ferment cocoa pulp and divided into fermentative, non-fermentative and weak/late fermentative species. Isolates characterized as fermentative were further tested in a small-scale wine production plant and identified. Species from the genus Brettanomyces constituted the main fermentative yeasts, with the exception of two Kloeckera apis samples. The final wine product was normally pale or clear, making clarification unnecessary, and with a sweet or dry pleasant flavor. The predominance of Brettanomyces species in cocoa pulp indicated its ecological importance in this environment and pointed to an active role of Brettanomyces in the deterioration process of the processed cocoa pulp.O uso alternativo de cacau (Theobroma cacao para produção de vinho foi testado. A polpa de cacau foi obtida da Fazenda Formosa, Itacaré, Brasil. As amostras de polpa foram diluídas, homogeneizadas e inoculadas em meio de Sabouraud dextrose e incubadas a 28°C por 5-8 dias. Colônias selecionadas foram testadas quanto à habilidade de fermentar a polpa de cacau e divididas em fermentadoras, não-fermentadoras e fermentadoras lentas. As amostras fermentadoras foram identificadas e testadas para produção de vinho de cacau em escala piloto. A maioria das amostras fermentadoras pertencem ao gênero Brettanomyces, com exceção de duas amostras de Kloeckera apis. O vinho obtido apresentou coloração fraca e clara, tornando a clarificação desnecessária, além de sabor doce e agradável. A predominância de espécies de Brettanomyces na polpa de cacau poderia indicar sua importância ecológica neste ambiente e sugere uma participação ativa dessas leveduras nos

  6. Modular tree automata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahr, Patrick

    2012-01-01

    Tree automata are traditionally used to study properties of tree languages and tree transformations. In this paper, we consider tree automata as the basis for modular and extensible recursion schemes. We show, using well-known techniques, how to derive from standard tree automata highly modular...

  7. Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, N L; Das, A J; Condit, R; Russo, S E; Baker, P J; Beckman, N G; Coomes, D A; Lines, E R; Morris, W K; Rüger, N; Alvarez, E; Blundo, C; Bunyavejchewin, S; Chuyong, G; Davies, S J; Duque, A; Ewango, C N; Flores, O; Franklin, J F; Grau, H R; Hao, Z; Harmon, M E; Hubbell, S P; Kenfack, D; Lin, Y; Makana, J-R; Malizia, A; Malizia, L R; Pabst, R J; Pongpattananurak, N; Su, S-H; Sun, I-F; Tan, S; Thomas, D; van Mantgem, P J; Wang, X; Wiser, S K; Zavala, M A

    2014-03-06

    Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle--particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage--increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree's total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to undertand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

  8. Confocal observations of late-acting self-incompatibility in Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Caroline S; Wilkinson, Mike J

    2012-09-01

    Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) has an idiosyncratic form of late-acting self-incompatibility that operates through the non-fusion of incompatible gametes. Here, we used high-resolution confocal microscopy to define fine level changes to the embryo sac of the strongly self-incompatible cocoa genotype SCA 24 in the absence of pollination, and following compatible and incompatible pollination. All sperm nuclei had fused with the female nuclei by 48 h following compatible pollinations. However, following incompatible pollinations, we observed divergence in the behaviour of sperm nuclei following release into the embryo sac. Incomplete sperm nucleus migration occurred in approximately half of the embryo sacs, where the sperm nuclei had so far failed to reach the female gamete nuclei. Sperm nuclei reached but did not fuse with the female gamete nuclei in the residual cases. We argue that the cellular mechanisms governing sperm nucleus migration to the egg nucleus and those controlling subsequent nuclear fusion are likely to differ and should be considered independently. Accordingly, we recommend that future efforts to characterise the genetic basis of LSI in cocoa should take care to differentiate between these two events, both of which contribute to failed karyogamy. Implications of these results for continuing efforts to gain better understanding of the genetic control of LSI in cocoa are discussed.

  9. Microencapsulation of Theobroma cacao L. waste extract: optimization using response surface methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabbay Alves, Taís Vanessa; Silva da Costa, Russany; Aliakbarian, Bahar; Casazza, Alessandro Alberto; Perego, Patrizia; Carréra Silva Júnior, José Otávio; Ribeiro Costa, Roseane Maria; Converti, Attilio

    2017-03-01

    The cocoa extract (Theobroma cacao L.) has a significant amount of polyphenols (TP) with potent antioxidant activity (AA). This study aims to optimise microencapsulation of the extract of cocoa waste using chitosan and maltodextrin. Microencapsulation tests were performed according to a Box-Behnken factorial design, and the results were evaluated by response surface methodology with temperature, maltodextrin concentration (MD) and extract flowrate (EF) as independent variables, and the fraction of encapsulated TP, TP encapsulation yield, AA, yield of drying and solubility index as responses. The optimum conditions were: inlet temperature of 170 °C, MD of 5% and EF of 2.5 mL/min. HPLC analysis identified epicatechin as the major component of both the extract and microparticles. TP release was faster at pH 3.5 than in water. These results as a whole suggest that microencapsulation was successful and the final product can be used as a nutrient source for aquatic animal feed. Highlights Microencapsulation is optimised according to a factorial design of the Box-Behnken type. Epicatechin is the major component of both the extract and microcapsules. The release of polyphenols from microcapsules is faster at pH 3.5 than in water.

  10. Behavior of introduced regional clones of Theobroma cacao toward the infection Moniliophthora roreri in three different regions of Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaimes Yeirme

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available

    Moniliasis (frosty pod rot, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, is the most limiting disease of cacao bean production in Colombia. Disease control has focused primarily on the implementation of cultural methods, which are inefficient and increase costs of production. A promising alternative for the control of M. roreri is the genetic approach, involving the search for plants with known resistance in the field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of 13 regional clones of Corpoica Selection Colombia (SCC, ten regional Fedecacao clones (with the initial F, three clones Caucasia (CAU and 13 introduced clones for resistance to M. roreri, by monitoring symptoms and signs of the pathogen in fruits of the cacao at three experimental sites located in Arauquita (Arauca, San Vicente and Rionegro (Santander. To estimate the degree of susceptibility or resistance of each clone, the pathogen was inoculated into fruits 75-5 days old. Eight weeks later, the variables Incidence, Internal Severity Index and External Severity Index were evaluated. In the three experimental sites, the ICS clone 95 behaved as a resistant plant with ISI ranging from 1.4 to 1.9. In the other clones tested, susceptibility varied according to altitude and environmental conditions. However, the ICS clone 95 showed partial resistance, varying the spread of the pathogen in the plant tissue.

  11. Doxorubicin induced neuro- and cardiotoxicities in experimental rats: Protection against oxidative damage by Theobroma cacao Stem bark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.M. Kosoko

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available 80 rats, randomly selected, were divided into 3 treatment groups: pre-, co- and post-treatment; consisting of 6 sub-groups each (5 rats per sub-group: baseline, normal saline (2 mL, α-lipoic acid (20 mg/kg body weight, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg or 800 mg/kg body weight Theobroma cacao stem bark aqueous extract (TCAE. All rats except for baseline group were intoxicated with 20 mg/kg body weight doxorubicin (DOX intraperitoneally. The animals in pre- or post-treatment group received a single dose of DOX (20 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally 24 h before or after 7 days’ oral administration with TCAE respectively while those in co-treatment group were co-administered 2.86 mg/kg body weight of DOX with either normal saline, α- lipoic acid or TCAE orally for 7 days. Animals were sacrificed (pre- and post- treatment groups were sacrificed on the ninth day while the co-treatment group sacrificed on the 8th day. Brain and heart tissue samples were harvested for enzyme markers of toxicity, oxidative stress and histopathological examinations. DOX intoxication caused significant decrease in activities of LDH and ACP, and increase in γGT and ALP activities in brain tissues while causing a significant increase in LDH, ACP, γGT activities and decrease in ALP activity in the cardiac tissues. DOX intoxication caused a significant increase in concentrations of H2O2 generated, MDA and PC, XO, MPx and NOX activities with concomitant decrease in CAT, SOD, GPx and GST activities, and in concentrations of GSH, AsA and α-Toc in brain and cardiac tissues. Pre-, co- and post-treatment with TCAE at either 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg or 800 mg/kg body weight significantly reversed the oxidative damage to the organs induced by DOX-intoxication. The result affirmed that T. cacao stem bark aqueous extract protected against DOX induced oxidative damage in brain and cardiac tissues of experimental rats.

  12. A bijection between phylogenetic trees and plane oriented recursive trees

    OpenAIRE

    Prodinger, Helmut

    2017-01-01

    Phylogenetic trees are binary nonplanar trees with labelled leaves, and plane oriented recursive trees are planar trees with an increasing labelling. Both families are enumerated by double factorials. A bijection is constructed, using the respective representations a 2-partitions and trapezoidal words.

  13. Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, N.L.; Das, A.J.; Condit, R.; Russo, S.E.; Baker, P.J.; Beckman, N.G.; Coomes, D.A.; Lines, E.R.; Morris, W.K.; Rüger, N.; Álvarez, E.; Blundo, C.; Bunyavejchewin, S.; Chuyong, G.; Davies, S.J.; Duque, Á.; Ewango, C.N.; Flores, O.; Franklin, J.F.; Grau, H.R.; Hao, Z.; Harmon, M.E.; Hubbell, S.P.; Kenfack, D.; Lin, Y.; Makana, J.-R.; Malizia, A.; Malizia, L.R.; Pabst, R.J.; Pongpattananurak, N.; Su, S.-H.; Sun, I-F.; Tan, S.; Thomas, D.; van Mantgem, P.J.; Wang, X.; Wiser, S.K.; Zavala, M.A.

    2014-01-01

    Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle—particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage - increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree’s total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to understand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

  14. IcyTree: rapid browser-based visualization for phylogenetic trees and networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughan, Timothy G

    2017-08-01

    IcyTree is an easy-to-use application which can be used to visualize a wide variety of phylogenetic trees and networks. While numerous phylogenetic tree viewers exist already, IcyTree distinguishes itself by being a purely online tool, having a responsive user interface, supporting phylogenetic networks (ancestral recombination graphs in particular), and efficiently drawing trees that include information such as ancestral locations or trait values. IcyTree also provides intuitive panning and zooming utilities that make exploring large phylogenetic trees of many thousands of taxa feasible. IcyTree is a web application and can be accessed directly at http://tgvaughan.github.com/icytree . Currently supported web browsers include Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. IcyTree is written entirely in client-side JavaScript (no plugin required) and, once loaded, does not require network access to run. IcyTree is free software, and the source code is made available at http://github.com/tgvaughan/icytree under version 3 of the GNU General Public License. tgvaughan@gmail.com. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  15. Evaluación de algunos componentes del rendimiento en una plantación de hibridos de cacao de 15 años de edad en la región de Guamal (Meta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tovar Germán

    1991-06-01

    Full Text Available

    Se determinaron los factores limitantes de la polinización natural de un cultivo de híbridos de cacao de 15 años de edad y se estimaron las variaciones en las condiciones de la polinización de acuerdo con la localidad, mediante la confrontación de los resultados obtenidos en este trabajo con aquellos encontrados para la región de Granada (Meta, en el mismo piedemonte llanero colombiano, La mayor diferencia entre las dos localidades fue la cantidad de polen aportado sobre los estilos, siendo el índice de rareza de polen (A para Guamal de 0,7, 10 cual sugiere unas condiciones de polinización intermedias en comparación con el hallado en Granada que fue de 1,07, Y que explica el deficiente llenado de las mazorcas con granos. Las probabilidades de formación y producción  de frutos de cacao fueron similares en las dos localidades según los val ores encontrados para Xw y Xm. La fertilidad en condiciones de polinización natural para las dos local localidades fue baja y la distribución de granos por mazorca confirmo las fallas en la polinización de las flores, siendo el problema de subpolinización más acentuado en Granada que en Guamal. Las condiciones de polinización variaron notablemente de una cosecha a la otra y también entre localidades, siendo una de las causas de la baja producción de cacao en la región.

  16. TreeScaper: Visualizing and Extracting Phylogenetic Signal from Sets of Trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Wen; Zhou, Guifang; Marchand, Melissa; Ash, Jeremy R; Morris, David; Van Dooren, Paul; Brown, Jeremy M; Gallivan, Kyle A; Wilgenbusch, Jim C

    2016-12-01

    Modern phylogenomic analyses often result in large collections of phylogenetic trees representing uncertainty in individual gene trees, variation across genes, or both. Extracting phylogenetic signal from these tree sets can be challenging, as they are difficult to visualize, explore, and quantify. To overcome some of these challenges, we have developed TreeScaper, an application for tree set visualization as well as the identification of distinct phylogenetic signals. GUI and command-line versions of TreeScaper and a manual with tutorials can be downloaded from https://github.com/whuang08/TreeScaper/releases TreeScaper is distributed under the GNU General Public License. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Flowering Trees

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    IAS Admin

    Flowering Trees. Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (INDIAN TREE OF. HEAVEN) of Simaroubaceae is a lofty tree with large pinnately compound alternate leaves, which are ... inflorescences, unisexual and greenish-yellow. Fruits are winged, wings many-nerved. Wood is used in making match sticks. 1. Male flower; 2. Female flower.

  18. El cacao y sus productos como fuente de antioxidantes: Efecto del procesamiento The cocoa and its products as antioxidant source: Processing effect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janeth Aidé Perea-Villamil

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar el contenido de polifenoles y la actividad antioxidante de productos derivados del cacao obtenidos bajo diferentes condiciones de procesamiento. Materiales y métodos: Las muestras fueron tomadas durante las etapas de procesamiento del chocolate amargo, chocolate de mesa con azúcar, chocolate clavos y canela y un sucedáneo de chocolate obtenido a partir de polvo de cacao y grasa vegetal. El contenido de polifenoles se midió usando el método de Folin-Ciocalteu y la actividad antioxidante fue evaluada sobre los radicales 2,2-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH y 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-etiltiazolina-bencenosulfónico-6 (ABTS. Adicionalmente se evaluó la habilidad reductora de las muestras sobre el hierro usando el método de FRAP. Resultados: Todos los productos estudiados presentaron diferencias significativas en contenido total de polifenoles y actividad antioxidante frente a las diferentes especies radicalarias. El chocolate amargo presentó el mayor contenido de polifenoles y la mayor actividad antioxidante después de las semillas de cacao secas y fermentadas. Conclusión: Existe una correlación directa entre el contenido de polifenoles y la actividad antioxidante, pero estas variables se ven afectadas por el proceso de transformación del grano, especialmente durante la etapa de tostado, en la que se presenta una pérdida de polifenoles y de actividad antioxidante alrededor del 23% con respecto a la materia prima sin tratar. Salud UIS 2009; 41: 128-134Objective: To evaluate the content of polyphenols and the antioxidant activity of cocoa products obtained under different processing conditions. Materials and methods: The samples were taken during the processing stages of the chocolate with sugar, chocolate with cloves and cinnamon, bitter chocolate and chocolate from cocoa powder and vegetable oil. The content of polyphenols was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu’s method; the antioxidant activity was evaluated on the 2

  19. Survey of commercially available chocolate- and cocoa-containing products in the United States. 2. Comparison of flavan-3-ol content with nonfat cocoa solids, total polyphenols, and percent cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Kenneth B; Hurst, W Jeffrey; Flannigan, Nancy; Ou, Boxin; Lee, C Y; Smith, Nancy; Stuart, David A

    2009-10-14

    A survey of a broad range of chocolate- and cocoa-containing products marketed in the United States was conducted to provide a more detailed analysis of flavan-3-ol monomers, oligomers, and polymers, which can be grouped into a class of compounds called procyanidins. Samples consisted of the three or four top-selling products within the following six categories: natural cocoa powder, unsweetened baking chocolate, dark chocolate, semisweet baking chips, milk chocolate, and chocolate syrup. Composite samples were characterized for percent fat (% fat), percent nonfat cocoa solids (% NFCS), antioxidant level by ORAC, total polyphenols, epicatechin, catechin, total monomers, and flavan-3-ol oligomers and polymers (procyanidins). On a gram weight basis epicatechin and catechin content of the products follow in decreasing order: cocoa powder > baking chocolate > dark chocolate = baking chips > milk chocolate > chocolate syrup. Analysis of the monomer and oligomer profiles within product categories shows there are two types of profiles: (1) products that have high monomers with decreasing levels of oligomers and (2) products in which the level of dimers is equal to or greater than the monomers. Results show a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.834) of epicatechin to the level of % NFCS and also very good correlations for N = 2-5 oligomers to % NFCS. A weaker correlation was observed for catechin to % NFCS (R(2) = 0.680). Other analyses show a similar high degree of correlation with epicatechin and N = 2-5 oligomers to total polyphenols, with catechin being less well correlated to total polyphenols. A lesser but still good correlation exists between the calculated percent cacao (calcd % cacao) content, a proxy for percent cacao, and these same flavanol measures, with catechin again showing a lesser degree of correlation to calcd % cacao. Principal component analysis (PCA) shows that the products group discretely into five classes: (1) cocoa powder, (2) baking chocolate, (3) dark

  20. Why do trees die? Characterizing the drivers of background tree mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Adrian J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Davis, Kristin P.

    2016-01-01

    The drivers of background tree mortality rates—the typical low rates of tree mortality found in forests in the absence of acute stresses like drought—are central to our understanding of forest dynamics, the effects of ongoing environmental changes on forests, and the causes and consequences of geographical gradients in the nature and strength of biotic interactions. To shed light on factors contributing to background tree mortality, we analyzed detailed pathological data from 200,668 tree-years of observation and 3,729 individual tree deaths, recorded over a 13-yr period in a network of old-growth forest plots in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. We found that: (1) Biotic mortality factors (mostly insects and pathogens) dominated (58%), particularly in larger trees (86%). Bark beetles were the most prevalent (40%), even though there were no outbreaks during the study period; in contrast, the contribution of defoliators was negligible. (2) Relative occurrences of broad classes of mortality factors (biotic, 58%; suppression, 51%; and mechanical, 25%) are similar among tree taxa, but may vary with tree size and growth rate. (3) We found little evidence of distinct groups of mortality factors that predictably occur together on trees. Our results have at least three sets of implications. First, rather than being driven by abiotic factors such as lightning or windstorms, the “ambient” or “random” background mortality that many forest models presume to be independent of tree growth rate is instead dominated by biotic agents of tree mortality, with potentially critical implications for forecasting future mortality. Mechanistic models of background mortality, even for healthy, rapidly growing trees, must therefore include the insects and pathogens that kill trees. Second, the biotic agents of tree mortality, instead of occurring in a few predictable combinations, may generally act opportunistically and with a relatively large degree of independence from