Ceplac and Senar-BA test new fungicides against cocoa witches' broom

The Executive Committee of the Cocoa Farming Plan (Ceplac), in partnership with Senar-BA, is testing five fungicides against witches' broom, a pest that most harms cocoa crops in Brazil.

The products were developed by Syngenta and show good results against moniliasis in other countries. Now, the tests will evaluate whether they can also be used to combat witches' broom. Studies from the University of Campinas (Unicamp) indicate the effectiveness of some of the active ingredients that make up part of the products being tested.

The study is carried out in Ceplac areas, located in Ilhéus (BA), and will last two years. Bahia is the state that suffers most from the plague, as it has favorable climatic conditions for the spread of the fungus. The effects of the plague in the region were devastating, causing a 75% drop in production, generating unemployment and rural exodus.

Currently, recommendations for controlling witches' broom include rational use of fungicides, removal of infected tissues, use of resistant clonal varieties and biological control (Tricovab biofungicide).

“The selection of new fungicides that are more effective against witches’ broom is the desire of all cocoa producers. Combined with an integrated management program, it can better combat the disease, increasing production in addition to making agricultural activity economically viable, especially in the southern region of Bahia”, explains Ceplac researcher, Givaldo Niella Rocha, who coordinates the field tests. and in the laboratory.

“We are looking for fungicides with low toxicity and high efficiency”, highlights the director of Ceplac, Waldeck Araujo Junior.

Brazil is currently the sixth largest producer of cocoa in the world, with production of around 220 thousand tons per year. Pará and Bahia account for 95% of national production. According to data from the Association of Cocoa Processing Industries (AIPC), Bahia delivered, in 2021, approximately 140 thousand tons of cocoa beans.