Fungal Pathogens of Cacao in Puerto Rico.

Cacao production is a rapidly expanding industry in Puerto Rico, with new farmers planting ~20,000 trees in the past few years. To determine the etiology and extent of diseases affecting cacao in Puerto Rico, a survey was performed at eight sites around the island. Pod rot and/or branch dieback were observed at all sites.

Phyllosphere microbial diversity and specific taxa mediate within-cultivar resistance to in cacao.

The oomycete pathogen , which causes black pod rot (BPR) on cacao ( L.), is responsible for devastating yield losses worldwide. Genetic variation in resistance to spp.

Mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Species Associated with Cacao Mild Mosaic Virus and Evidence of Virus Acquisition.

is affected by viruses on every continent where the crop is cultivated, with the most well-known ones belonging to the genus. One of these, cacao mild mosaic virus (CaMMV), is present in the Americas, and is transmitted by several species of Pseudococcidae (mealybugs). To determine which species are associated with virus-affected cacao plants in North America, and to assess their potential as vectors, mealybugs ( = 166) were collected from infected trees in Florida, and identified using COI, ITS2, and 28S markers.

Complete genome sequences of three newly discovered cacao mild mosaic virus isolates from Theobroma cacao L. in Brazil and Puerto Rico and evidence for recombination.

To analyze the DNA virome associated with cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) trees showing virus-like symptoms in Brazil (BR) and Puerto Rico (PR) during 2018-2019, total DNA was isolated from symptomatic leaves and subjected to high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The assembled complete badnaviral genome sequences were verified by PCR amplification, cloning, and DNA sequencing.

sp. nov.: A New Species Causing Black Pod Disease on Cacao in Brazil.

Black pod disease, caused by species, is among the main limiting factors of cacao ( L.) production. High incidence levels of black pod disease have been reported in Brazil, being induced by , , , and .

Independent Whole-Genome Duplications Define the Architecture of the Genomes of the Devastating West African Cacao Black Pod Pathogen and Its Close Relative .

and are oomycete pathogens that cause black pod rot of cacao (), the most economically important disease on cacao globally. While is a cosmopolitan pathogen, , which is more aggressive on cacao than , has been reported only in West and Central Africa where it has been spreading and devastating cacao farms since the 1950s. In this study, we reconstructed the complete diploid genomes of multiple isolates of both species using single-molecule real-time sequencing.

Rapid Molecular Identification of Scolytinae (: ).

Routine identification of bark and ambrosia beetles is done using morphology. For people lacking the necessary taxonomic knowledge, proper identification of a novel specimen can be challenging and time consuming. This study compares the usefulness of four genetic markers (28S, EF-1a, ITS2, and COI) and five primer pairs (D2F1/D3R2, eflafor1/eflarev1, ets149/efa754, ITS2F/ITS2R, and LCO1490/HCO2198) to identify Scolytinae beetles, and outlines a molecular identification strategy, with results possible in two days.

Genome and transcriptome analysis of the latent pathogen , an emerging threat to the cacao industry.

(Pat.) Griffon & Maubl., a member of the family Botryosphaeriaceae, is becoming a significant threat to crops and woody plants in many parts of the world, including the major cacao growing areas.

Chocolate Under Threat from Old and New Cacao Diseases.

, the source of chocolate, is affected by destructive diseases wherever it is grown. Some diseases are endemic; however, as cacao was disseminated from the Amazon rain forest to new cultivation sites it encountered new pathogens. Two well-established diseases cause the greatest losses: black pod rot, caused by several species of , and witches' broom of cacao, caused by .