Technology helps producers identify new diseases and pests in cocoa trees

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), through the Executive Committee of the Cocoa Farming Plan (Ceplac), launched this week the Cocoa Pest Identification System. The innovation will help traditional rural producers, family farmers and agricultural companies, industries, associations and cocoa cooperatives to previously identify pests that can plague the crop's production chain.

The system is an important milestone in the modernization of applied technology, as it will work digitally, facilitating the transmission of audio, images and videos of the plantation or fruits. With the new technology, Ceplac researchers will be able to analyze the information sent by producers, carry out a more accurate diagnosis and even travel to the site for inspection, when necessary.

Another benefit of the system is that the producer will not need to travel to a Ceplac unit and there will be no need to send a sample of infected materials, bringing more savings, agility to the process and thus avoiding the spread of pests to other plantations, which represents more security for the cocoa sector.

According to the director of Ceplac, Waldeck Araújo Jr, the system will help preserve the entire Brazilian cocoa industry. “This system will bring agility in responding to producers’ specific problems. Rapid diagnosis will enable appropriate and timely actions to eradicate and prevent the spread of pests and diseases in the cocoa plantation,” he explained.

The System is now available on the Federal Government Services Portal.

Preservation care

Pests are biotic agents (insects or microorganisms) that cause damage to agriculture and are responsible for causing the loss of 10% to 40% of agricultural production. In the case of cocoa, the main pests that affect the global production of the crop are: brown rot (35%), witches' broom (20%), virus - swollen bud (16%), among others.

Ceplac researcher in the state of Bahia, Karina Gramacho, emphasized the importance of having a strict biosecurity plan, like the new system, to keep the pest out of rural properties or carry out management to prevent proliferation and spread, preventing it from spreading. spread to other properties.

Biosecurity is the prevention and control of diseases. In the live presentation of the system, the main advantages of adhering to this prevention mechanism were presented: avoiding the introduction of pests that are currently not present in the national territory; the ability to contain and minimize pests that are already present; and the reduction of production losses, among other benefits presented.

Pests can be transmitted to cocoa trees through shoes and clothing, vehicles, tools and equipment, insects and the movement of infected plants.

Disease under investigation

Since 2019, Ceplac researchers have observed that cocoa trees in southern Bahia are dying due to a disease that affects the branches and twigs of the cocoa trees, showing discoloration, and which evolves and can reach the roots of the plant. The disease affects practically all countries where cocoa is grown.

In order to protect cocoa plantations and guide producers, the Commission has carried out research on farms where the pathology was first found. According to initial data, the symptoms may not be characteristic of a specific disease, but are part of the symptoms of a series of other existing diseases.

One of the characteristics of the new disease is that the symptoms only appear after the disease is already installed in the plant, and thus, it may be spreading within the property without the producer knowing.

Furthermore, the study showed that proliferation occurs more frequently in areas subject to unfavorable conditions for the plant, which interfere with its development and vigor, such as in areas subjected to water and nutritional stress, in shallow soils poor in nutrients, or in those areas lacking shade with increased insolation, which are more subject to wind action and insect attack.

It is important to reinforce the need for greater attention and care on the part of the producer with basic phytosanitary recommendations and management of the focus area in order to favor the recovery of weakened plants, such as eliminating and burning affected branches, cleaning tools , the use of original seedlings certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, the use of more than one genetic material and, where necessary, use of partial shade, pest control and soil fertilization, highlight the Ceplac researchers.

The study also emphasized the need to maintain several varieties of clones on farms, avoiding concentrating planting on just one or two varieties of clones. This is because the disease may be related to the plant's genetics and, therefore, some clones may be more susceptible than others.

Due to the spread of the disease, cocoa producers must be alert to the appearance of symptoms of this disease and, when they detect a case, immediately inform the Commission.

Click here to access the questionnaire for better mapping and study of the disease.