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In the department of Córdoba, the average yield of cocoa cultivation is 460 kg/ha/year, well below the national average. Based on this situation, in 2023, a participatory diagnosis was carried out to describe the current state of the production system. of cocoa, for this, several stages were developed: 1) socioeconomic survey of the producer, 2) in-situ participatory diagnosis of the productive unit, 3) Inventory of the population arrangement of the productive system, 4) technical intervention plan of the system found and proposal for improvement. The results of the survey showed that the average age of the producers is 57.5 years, 34.7% of these primary school students and 90% of the families are involved in the production process from establishment to benefit, as well as Even during the tour of the plots in the participatory diagnosis, the lack of shade was evident, 85% of the crops are in full sun exposure with yields below 400 kg/ha/year, average crop age of 9. 4 years, diversity in planting distances which varies between 2.5 x 2.5 m and 4 x 4 m. Once the inventory was carried out, it was found that the average number of cocoa plants to be renewed is 253 per productive unit. According to the results, it is necessary to propose a restoration process for unproductive cocoa plantations, which is specific to each productive unit. It should include cultural practices of pruning, grafting, establishment of temporary and permanent shade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa in Colombia is an agricultural activity of social, economic and environmental importance, however, for the department of Córdoba its management is limited by the lack of studies that lead to proposing sustainable management strategies taking into account phytosanitary aspects. AGROSAVIA-Turipaná, began the study of recognition of arthropods associated with cocoa in this area, to generate technological offers on integrated pest management strategies. The objective was to preliminarily obtain the record of arthropod pests associated with cocoa cultivation in the upper Sinú area, Córdoba, Colombia. Four samplings were carried out between May 2023 and April 2024 (dry and rainy season), in six farms between the municipalities of Tierralta and Valencia, the direct sampling method was used, manually collecting the arthropods present in the different organs. of the cocoa tree, these were deposited in containers with 70% alcohol, labeled and transferred to the AGROSAVIA entomology laboratories, to be processed and thus obtain taxonomic identifications. Among the preliminary results, there are 4 taxonomic orders with an incidence rate of 100% respectively: Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. Of these orders, 6 families were identified: Anthribidae, Cerambycidae, Coreidae, Formicidae, Oecophoridae and Pentatomidae. This study constitutes the first record of arthropods associated with cocoa cultivation in the upper Sinú area, Códob-, being a contribution for future research and for the implementation of integrated pest management strategies that allow improving the productivity of the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main plant protection problems in the production of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Latin America and Mexico is the frosty pod rot, caused by Moniliophthora roreri. This phytopathogen causes annual production damage of over 75%. The secondary metabolites of the Capsicum genus have antifungal effects, and can therefore be used to control M. roreri. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the in vitro effect of methanolic extracts (ME) of three Capsicum species on M. roreri. The ME extracted from immature C. chinense, C. frutescens fruits and two morphotypes of C. annuum var. glabriusculum were tested at two concentrations — 1000 and 2500 mg L-1 and evaluated for the inhibition of mycelial growth, sporulation and the viability of conidia produced by M. roreri. Both doses (treatments) were established under a complete randomized experimental design with five replicates; each Petri dish was one experimental unit. Data were analyzed with an ANOVA and the means were compared using Tukey’s test (p£0.05). Moniliophthora roreri was sensitive to the ME of the three species. The ME of C. annuum var. glabriusculum, in their amashito (AM) and garbanzo (GA) morphotypes at 2500 mg L-1 inhibited mycelial growth by up to 95%. The EM of C. annuum var. glabriusculum AM and GA at 2500 mg L-1 completely inhibited the production of conidia in both concentrations. The EM of C. chinense and C. annuum var. glabriusculum GA inhibited the viability of M. roreri conidia by up to 35%. The in vitro sensitivity of M. roreri to the EM of C. annuum var. glabriusculum AM and GA helps suggest the effect of the extracts on the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flame atomic absorption (AA) spectroscopy method for the determination of cadmium (Cd) in cocoa almond (Theobroma cacao) used by Agrocalidad is toxic to humans and the environment, reason for which the atomic absorption spectroscopy method with graphite furnace (GFAAS) was used, because it is more reliable and safer. Thus, four performance parameters of GFAAS method were used to quantify Cd in cocoa almond, by using certified reference material (MRC) and samples from four farms (A, B, C, D) located in the most important cocoa area of Ecuador, Flavio Alfaro city, province of Manabi. An interlaboratory test was performed and finally a protocol (PEE/B/14) was developed. Using the MRC (Code 07806B and 07167) was verified: linearity, precision, veracity and uncertainty in accordance with international standards, Eurachem Guide of Eurolab Spain and Morillas (2016), and with the standard IRAM 35050 (2001) were found linearity between 0 and 8 ppb with R² = 0;9988; standard deviation 0.0005 and 0.0022, respectively; slant was 0.007 and the recovery percentage was 109.75; standard uncertainty was 0.00013 and 0.00082. The content of Cd in samples from farm A was 0.54 ppm, B and D farms 0.26 ppm and 0.15 ppm in farm C. In the interlaboratory test, the same concentration of Cd was established for simple C3 and, in accordance with the stipulated by the European Union, cocoa from the four farms could be exported without restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Facultad de Ingeniería - UPTC is the property of Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia, Facultad de Ingenieria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales is the property of Universidad Autonoma Chapingo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fermentation is important in the development of the physicochemical and sensory quality of cocoa products. New cocoa clones have been established and are in production but require validation of their physicochemical quality and comparison with native materials. The objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of traditional fermentation on four clones (C1, C4, C8 and C9) and two natives (guayaquil and criollo) for their physicochemical properties of pH, total acidity, fermentation index (IF), total content of phenols (CFT), flavonoids (FT) and characterization by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) of fat. An inverse relationship was found between acidity and pH, while the IF of C9 reached ideal values at 96h with possibilities of reducing 24h of process. On the other hand, C4 and C8 showed IF values up to 120h. The CFT was 0.028–0.96 mg EAG/mg and FT between 0.099–0.189 mg EQ/mg at baseline and 0.76–1.2 mg EAG/mg and 0.200–0.226 mg EQ/mg at the end of fermentation, respectively. The spatial analysis of loads and scores established five signals (2919, 2852, 1743, 1418, 1159 cm-1 ) that contribute to the differentiation of fat in clones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to isolate, select and characterize fungi with cellulolytic capacity from fresh cocoa hulls, in order to use them as inoculum for solid fermentation of fiber residues. For taking the sampled fruits, the five points method was applied on cocoa crops (creole variety), belonging to the Center of Research and Postgraduate Courses (CIPCA, initials in Spanish) from the Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Ecuador. Samples were ground and exposed to three collection environments, with records of contamination due to microorganisms. For selecting isolates, growth in the medium, macroscopic characteristics, cellulolytic activity, measured by digestion halos and power index were considered. Out of 68 isolates, 21 strains were previously selected from the environment with the highest microbial culture diversity. Cluster analysis was applied to the characteristics of the selected colonies, as well as analysis of the obtained dendrogram, and four groups were formed. With help of taxonomical keys, nine strains of Aspergillus, seven of Trichoderma, four of Chrysosporium and one of Fusarium were identified. The 47.62% of the strains showed the highest degradation halo, which belonged to Aspergillus (5), Chrysosporium (3) and Trichoderma (2) genera. Strains A8 of Aspergillus and T1 of Trichoderma showed the highest power index (2.88and 2.45respectively), so they can be considered for their industrial use or as inocula in solid state fermentation, in order to obtain enzymes or animal feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine the variability of the bromatological composition of cocoa shells between Amazonia cantons, seven cantons were selected and, from each of them, three farms, according to their production and edaphoclimatic characteristics. For sampling, the "five points" method for plots lower than ten hectares was applied. Statistical relations by analysis of principal components and cluster were analyzed. The total variance indicated that with three principal components which was possible to explain 85.03% of the total variability. The principal component 1 (crude fiber, ether extract and nitrogen-free extract) was identified with the "energetic component", and explained 39.35% of the system variance. The principal component 2 (dry matter and ash) corresponded to the mineral component, and explained 26.2%. The principal component 3 was identified with the crude protein and explained 19.05%. The cut made in the dendrogram to interrupt the forming groups process, ranged 2.52, allowed to join four groups:1) comprising three cantons, characterized by a slight increase of dry matter and ash (90.30 and 9.09%); 2) a canton, with increase of ether extract, nitrogen-free extract and lower crude fiber content (3.61, 57.41, 21.95%); 3) two cantons, with crude protein increase of 8.97% and 4) two cantons with higher crude fiber content (24.93%). It is concluded that the bromatological composition of cocoa shells, from the seven cantons of the Amazonia, can be mainly differentiated by the contents of ether extract, nitrogen-free extract and crude fiber, but remains in the range described in the literature, so they would be good alternatives as substrates in the solid state fermentation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this research was to identify the socioeconomic and parasitological factors that limit cocoa production in Chiapas, Mexico. One hundred and nine cacao-growers were visited and interviewed in the two main cocoaproducing regions. According to results only 14.7% farmers grow white-almond cacao. The average production unit is 2.6 hectares. Cacao growers are 59 years-old on average and 56% of them did not finish elementary school. Only 19.3% of the production units are under woman responsibility. Average yield is 118 kg ha-1 and 60.5% growers sell cacao to intermediaries. Pests that affect the crop and their occurrence include Moniliophthora roreri (100%), Phytophthora capsici (67%), Fusarium sp. (10.1%), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (3.7%), Ceratocystis cacaofunesta (0.9%), Atta sp. (33.9%), Toxoptera aurantii (11%), squirrels (7.3%), Xyleborus ferrugineus, Xylosandrus morigerus, Hypothenemus birmanus, Corthylus minutissimus, Taurodermus sharpi, Hypothenemus interstitialis (5.5%), Vanduzea segmentata (5.5%), woodpecker (4.6%), Selenothrips rubrocintus (3.7%), Clastoptera laenata (3.7%) and mole (3.7%). Moniliophthora is the main factor that affects cacao survival and biodiversity in Chiapas. The disease destroys production, makes control uneconomical and causes growers to abandon their plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]