Pest and Diseases of Cacao

Cacao Insect Pests &
Diseases
and Their Management
Vimarce R. Culi
What is a disease?
“ a harmful alteration of the
normal physiological and
biochemical development of a
plant ”
-leaves color(yellowing)), leaf curling, spots on fruit, stunted,
Disease Triangle
Susceptible Host Favourable Environment

Causes…
Abiotic factors (non living organism)
- extreme environmental
conditions
Biotic factors (living organisms)

- fungi
- bacteria
- virus
Cacao Diseases
Found in the
Philippines
Vascular-streak dieback
(caused by Oncobasidium theobromae)
Symptom
•yellowing of leaves on second or
third flush behind the growing tip.
•The youngest and oldest leaves

remain intact while all the middle
leaves have fallen, the affected
shoot is eventually dried and if
unchecked the disease will extend
Leaf symptoms of vascular-
back along the main branch streak dieback.
resulting in progressive death of the A, Typical “green island”
plant. symptom, B, atypical marginal
leaf necrosis.
The diseased stem, when split
longitudinally a brown streaking of the
wood with presence of fungus in the xylem
vessels is very common.
Streaking of the wood prior to death is the
perfect diagnostic character of the fungus.
Swollen lenticels and

basidiocarps of
Oncobasidium theobromae
forming on the leaf
abscission scars on a cacao
branch.
Management
• Sanitation pruning - cut off infected branches at 30 cm
below the infected area, and burn the infested cuttings
• Nurseries should use polyethylene roofing to ensure
spores cannot land on the seedlings
• Shade on the cacao trees should be reduced to lower
humidity
• Plant VSD tolerant varieties
Soil drenching with 0.25 per cent copper oxychloride

(2.5g/ litre of water) around the plant.
Black
pod: Phytophthora palmivora
 Phytophthora spp. belong to
the water moulds (Oomycete)
group of diseases, that cause
black pod in cocoa.
 They are not fungi, but are
controlled with products that
are often called "fungicides".
P. palmivora
Stem canker caused

by P. palmivora
Pods infected with black pod rot (left) and a normal pod (right).
Farmer breaking pods. Note the large number of pods infected with black pod.
Management
Witches’ Broom
caused by Moniliophthora
perniciosa)
flowers on the cocoa tree
are abnormal – the stems
are thicker and wilted,
brown flowers do not fall
off the tree.
swelling on stems and
pods and the rapid
appearance of many new Broom-like growth around
a flower cushion.
buds.
infected branches slowly
die from the tip back
toward the trunk.
Dead brooms on an infected tree

These 2 mushrooms
release spores into the
wind that infect the
farmer’s other trees and
the cycle begins again.
Mushrooms growing on an infected

pod.
Management
Insect-borne viruses
CSSV is transmitted by
mealybugs (Pseudoccidae)
including Planococcoides and
species in Planococcus,
Phenacoccus and other
genera.
Vector: Planococcoides
sp. tended by a black ant
Mistletoe in cocoa provides a
habitat for a certain species
of ants that "farm" mealy
bugs, (other ant species
may be beneficial). The Cocoa swollen shoot virus
presence of mistletoe also
favours infestation by (CSSV) symptoms
mirids.
Management
The diseases and vectors
 Remove diseased trees as well as their neighboring cocoa
trees (that might look healthy, but are expected to be
infected with the virus).
Alternative methods include using resistant cocoa trees
when replanting cocoa. Check with your local cocoa
research institute and find out about resistant varieties.
When establishing new cocoa farms, where possible, plant
trees away from known CSSV areas. Use natural barriers,
such as are oil palm, coffee and citrus to prevent or slow-
down the spread of the mealy bugs within cocoa farms.
Use of systemic organophosphate insecticides was tested
to control mealy bugs was hazardous and had little effect;
insecticides are not currently recommended.
Root diseases
Caused by Ceratocystis
fimbriata and Roselinia spp. can
cause relatively sudden tree death.
associated elsewhere with drought
Xyleborus beetles are attracted to

the diseased trees and bore into
the branches. The frass from
beetles is pushed to the outside of
stems as a light, powder and
contains viable inoculum of the
fungus, which may be spread by
wind or rainsplash.
Management
 When trees become infected with diseases
such as Ceratocystis, and especially when
Xyleborus beetle holes (indicated by arrow:
note frass below) are found, the most
effective course of action is to uproot trees
and burn infected plant material. No cocoa
varieties have yet been found that are
tolerant to Roslinia spp.
 Short of this, dispose of infected branches

before beetles appear and before the
fungus has a chance to sporulate on the cut
ends of branches and stumps. Wound
treatments with tree paints or protectant
fungicide pastes on uninfected trees may
also help control the disease.
Insects (plus mites, ticks & spiders)
 pest
 parasite, parasitoid
 predators
 decomposers
 food
 medicine
In selecting any control
methods,
identification
of the pest and the damage
they cause are very important
to consider.
Cacao Insect pests
Mirids
 Mirids feed by sucking the juices from plant
tissues.
 The nymphs and adults infect cherelles, pod
stalks, chupons and fan branches.
 This results in water soaked areas of tissue
forming lesions, which later turn black.
 The Helopeltis is especially severe in cherelles
causing wilting.
cherelles
pod stalks
Lesions on pods
Management
•Maintain a complete canopy: in young plantings,

temporary shading is needed, e.g. with bananas and
plantains.
•Remove chupons regularly: mirids are attracted to the

young and soft shoots that cocoa trees grow throughout
the season. Chupons that emerge at the base of trees
should be removed regularly, not just during the peak
mirid season. Do not prune too heavily as this will
stress the trees and cause the growth of new chupons,
which increase mirid feeding.
•Insecticides are widely used and effective:
especially when timed correctly (often early in the
season). If possible, only spray those areas in the
farm that are attacked by mirids (spot
application).
•Careful and well-timed application can help

farmers to save money by using less insecticide,
and decrease impact on natural enemies of this
pest.
Pod borer
•Adult female lay eggs on the fruit surface.
• The newly hatched larva feeds on the fruit skin

and then tunnels towards the seed.
•In immature fruit, the young larva bores directly

into the seed, which is completely eaten.
•A single larva may damage two or three fruit, if

the fruit are small. However, they prefer mature
colouring fruit with larger seeds
•Damage cannot be seen until the pod is opened

and found to be full of frass; the beans are
useless.
Cocoa Pod Borer
EGG 3-7 DAYS LARVE 14-18 DAYS
MOTH 3-7 DAYS PUPA 5-7 DAYS

A B C D
a b
Pod borer a. Adult and b. Larva
Cacao Pods a. Infested and b. uninfested

Management
•Regular complete harvesting of pods is almost

certainly the most effective cultural technique.
•sleeving (preferably with biodegradable plastics -

below)
SLEEVING
Cardinal Axiom of IPM
One pest control will not be

successful. It should always be
integrated with different control
tactics that are safe for the
environment and not hazardous to
human.
Remember
“ The cost of management (control)

should be much lesser than the
value of the expected harvest.”

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Cacao Insect Pests &

Susceptible Host Favourable Environment

Biotic factors (living organisms)

•The youngest and oldest leaves

Swollen lenticels and

Soil drenching with 0.25 per cent copper oxychloride

Stem canker caused

Dead brooms on an infected tree

Mushrooms growing on an infected

associated elsewhere with drought

Xyleborus beetles are attracted to

 Short of this, dispose of infected branches

•Maintain a complete canopy: in young plantings,

•Remove chupons regularly: mirids are attracted to the

•Careful and well-timed application can help

• The newly hatched larva feeds on the fruit skin

•In immature fruit, the young larva bores directly

•A single larva may damage two or three fruit, if

•Damage cannot be seen until the pod is opened

EGG 3-7 DAYS LARVE 14-18 DAYS

MOTH 3-7 DAYS PUPA 5-7 DAYS

Pod borer a. Adult and b. Larva

Cacao Pods a. Infested and b. uninfested

•Regular complete harvesting of pods is almost

•sleeving (preferably with biodegradable plastics -

One pest control will not be

“ The cost of management (control)

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