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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Time for Chocolate: Current Understanding and New Perspectives on Cacao Witches' Broom Disease Research

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Author(s):
Teixeira, Paulo Jose Pereira Lima [1] ; Thomazella, Daniela Paula de Toledo [2] ; Guimaraes Pereira, Goncalo Amarante [3]
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] Univ N Carolina, Dept Biol, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 - USA
[2] Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Plant & Microbial Biol, Berkeley, CA 94720 - USA
[3] Univ Estadual Campinas UNICAMP, Lab Genom & Expressao, Dept Genet Evolucao & Bioagentes, Inst Biol, Campinas, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: PLOS PATHOGENS; v. 11, n. 10 OCT 2015.
Web of Science Citations: 11
Abstract

Theobroma cacao is a tropical understory tree that is one of the most important perennial crops in agriculture. Treasured by ancient civilizations in Mesoamerica for over 3,000 years, the cocoa bean now supports a multibillion-dollar industry that is involved in the production and commercialization of chocolate, a treat appreciated worldwide. The cacao tree is originally from the Amazon rainforest and is currently grown in more than 50 countries throughout the humid tropics, serving as a major source of income for over 40 million people. Each year, more than 3 million tons of cocoa beans are produced, mostly by smallholder farmers in areas of high biodiversity. Notably, the cacao tree does not require direct sunlight and naturally grows under the canopy of other, taller trees. This characteristic often encourages farmers to preserve existing forests and to plant additional trees to shelter their cacao plants {[}1], thereby reducing the environmental impacts of cacao cultivation. Despite its great importance, the cacao tree is affected by a number of untreatable diseases that reduce fruit production and threaten our global supply of cacao. Among them, witches' broom disease (WBD) stands out as one of the most severe problems that affect this crop, accounting for production losses of up to 90%. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 09/50119-9 - Integrated and comparative study of three fungal diseases of cacao: witches' broom, frosty pod rot and brown-rot, aiming at understanding the pathogenic mechanisms for the development of control strategies
Grantee:Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants