Black Pod Disease

Extracted Attributes

• Symptoms

  Necrotic lesions, black mummified pods, white mycelia, fishy odor

• EPPO Code

  PHYTPL

• Common Name

  Black pod disease of cocoa

• Primary Host

  Cocoa (Theobroma cacao)

• Causal Agents

  Phytophthora palmivora, Phytophthora megakarya

• Annual Tree Loss

  Up to 10%

• Annual Yield Loss

  Up to 33%

• Management Methods

  Sanitation, leaf litter retention, spacing, resistant hybrids, fungicides (Kocide, Ridomil)

Timeline

• Factsheet for farmers regarding Black pod disease management created in Sierra Leone. (Source: Black pod disease of cacao - Factsheet Admin)

  2012-05-01

• Revised factsheet for farmers published in Sierra Leone to assist in disease recognition and control. (Source: Black pod disease of cacao - Factsheet Admin)

  2015-09-01

• David Friedberg details the massive price spike in cocoa on the All-In Podcast, tracing it to a supply collapse in West Africa caused by El Nio and Black Pod Disease. (Source: Document 2f015cc5-e1ee-43bb-82eb-95b492d89ea8)

  2024-03-28

Black pod disease

Black pod disease is a fungal disease of cocoa trees. It is mostly found in tropical areas where cocoa trees grow, and its spores are spread via the heavy rainfalls that can occur in tropical climates. Annually, the pathogen can cause a yield loss of up to 1/3, and up to 10% of total trees can be lost completely. The pathogen can be found anywhere on the cocoa trees, but is most notable for the black mummified appearance it gives to the fruit of the cocoa tree. Preventing the spread of the pathogen prior to infection is the best means of control. The pathogen can be greatly reduced if leaf litter is allowed to stay on the ground, otherwise, chemical control can be used for more severe cases.

Web Search Results

• Black pod disease

  Wikipedia # Black pod disease Black pod disease is a fungal disease of cocoa trees. It is mostly found in tropical areas where cocoa trees grow, and its spores are spread via the heavy rainfalls that can occur in tropical climates. Annually, the pathogen can cause a yield loss of up to 1/3, and up to 10% of total trees can be lost completely. [...] The symptom of black pod disease is a necrotic lesion on the cocoa pod that is brown or black in color, which eventually enlarges to cover the whole pod. White mycelia growth on lesions that appear several days after infection is a sign of the causal pathogen of black pod disease, which is Phytophthora spp. [...] | Black pod disease | | --- | | Common names | Black pod disease of cocoa | | Causal agents | Phytophthora palmivora Phytophthora megakarya | | Hosts | cocoa (Theobroma cacao) | | EPPO Code | PHYTPL |

• BLACK POD DISEASE OF COCOA - Ministry of Agriculture

  BLACK POD DISEASE OF COCOA BLACK POD DISEASE OF COCOA BLACK POD DISEASE OF COCOA WHAT IS BLACK POD DISEASE? Black Pod disease is caused by a fungus, Phytophthora palmivora. It infects pods, flower cushions, young vegetative shoots, stems and roots of cocoa trees. Black pod disease occurs mainly during the rainy season and is spread mainly by rain splash. When it is dry, such as in the dry season, the fungus is unable to grow, reproduce or infect cocoa. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BLACK POD DISEASE? [...] Symptoms on pods:- Infection of the pod can occur at any age and on any part of the pod surface. Externally, it begins as a circular brown spot which grows rapidly to cover the entire pod (figures 1 and 2). Under wet conditions, the fungus grows and reproduces, giving the spots a dingy white appearance. The infected pods darken to a blackish colour which eventually dries and becomes mummified. The brown spot has a characteristic fishy odour . Internally, the disease causes the cocoa beans to [...] 4: Infected Pod and Flower Cushion HOW CAN BLACK POD DISEASE BE CONTROLLED? The most effective means of controlling this disease involves a combination of practices: 1. Use recommended spacing. 2. Use recommended Trinidad Selected Hybrids (TSH) with high yielding characteristics and known tolerance to the disease. 3. Remove and destroy (burn) all infected pods since these encourage spread of the fungus. 4. Control weeds and manage shade so as to improve air flow and reduce humidity. 5.

• Black pod disease of cacao - Factsheet Admin

  Background Black pod disease is caused by a germ called a fungus. This germ grows on cacao trees in the shade when it is cool and damp. When the area is warmer and drier, the disease will not grow or spread quickly. The disease spreads from sick pods to healthy pods just like some diseases move from person to person in humans. When diseased pods are left on the trees or on the ground around the trees, the disease can spread to more cacao trees and pods. [...] infected mature pods can also become affected, which leaves them with no economic value. [...] FACTSHEETS FOR FARMERS www.plantwise.org Created in Sierra Leone, May 2012 (Revised September 2015) Black pod disease of cacao Recognize the problem The disease affects cacao pods at all stages and the young shoots of newly planted trees. The diseased young shoots may die. If the pods become diseased, a yellowish spot will appear, which leads to little brown spots. Within 7-10 days, the brownish spots extend and change to a darker black colour. Infected young pods wilt and die. The beans of

• Management of black pod disease of cocoa with reduced number of ...

  Black pod disease caused by Phytophthora megakarya is the most important fungal disease on cocoa in Ghana. The current recommended control method of combining sanitation practices with 6 - 8 fungicide applications in a year is considered unfriendly to the environment, too expensive and time consuming. Consequently, fungicide adoption rate by farmers is extremely low. Studies were therefore conducted to determine the effectiveness of combining 1 - 3 fungicide application in June and/or [...] September/October with crop sanitation for the control of cocoa black pod disease caused by P. megakarya. Sanitation practices were common to all the treatments and the fungicide application(s) superimposed. A semi-systemic fungicide, Ridomil 72 plus (12% metalaxyl + 60% copper-1-oxide), was used as the test fungicide. Fungicide application combined with crop sanitation practices were effective in the management of the severe form of black pod disease caused by P. megakarya, resulting in 25% to [...] applications and/or crop sanitation practices were profitable with a Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) ranging from 1.8 - 2.1.

• [PDF] Disease Management in cocoa farming | Compete Caribbean

  Some other interesting sights in your field Chemical Control Routinely used for the control of Black Pod disease Copper based fungicides still the most used-eg: Kocide Ridomil High single dose application applied to trunk and main branches just before the onset of wet season or twice, two months apart. [...] Disease Management in cocoa farming Romina Umaharan Overview 1. Losses due to diseases 2. Important diseases in our region 3. Introduction to diseases 4. Black Pod Disease 5. Witches’ Broom Disease 6. Frosty Pod Rot Disease 4. Disease management strategy Cocoa production is affected by five major diseases viz - Black pod disease – Phytophthora spp. [...] Cultural Practices Shade management Black pod: The pods dry up, mummify and remain on the tree, allowing the pathogen to complete its life cycle, producing millions of spores ready to infect the healthy leaves and fruits. Mummified pods are capable of producing spores for up to a year if left in the field. Weekly removal of diseased fruits is recommended.