germplasm and breeding

 

A major objective of World Cocoa Foundation supported research is to develop improved cacao varieties and further farmers’ access to quality planting material.

 The Issue: Currently, only about 30% of cacao being cultivated comes from a breeding or selection program. The majority of farmers obtain seeds or seedlings from their own trees or those of a neighbor. There is no guarantee that these seeds will display the same characteristics of the parent.   WCF supports efforts to improve farmer access to planting material, particularly clonal material that offers increased yields, better quality and pest/disease resistance. 

Programs Supported:

• Establishment and Maintenance of Field Trials to Test the Best Regional Crosses (INGENIC Asia Pacific Working Group)
• Project on Cocoa Productivity and Quality Improvement: A Participatory Approach (International Cocoa Organization/Common Fund for Commodities/Bioversity International)
• Evaluation of Cocoa Germplasm for Resistance to Witches’ Broom Disease (Cocoa Research Unit, University of the West Indies)
• Selection and Generation of Moniliasis (Frosty Pod)-Resistant Cacao Genotypes and Maintenance and Conservation of the International Cacao Collection (CATIE)