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Cameroon Pilot Project:
Cacao Biocontrol Research
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Researcher: Pierre Tondje
Location: IITA Humid Forest Ecoregional Center, Yaounde, Cameroon
Partners/funding organizations: STCP-IITA, IRAD, USDA, M&M, MARS
Start date:Sept 2000
Background
Controlling the spread of phytophthora megakarya is among the most important agronomic and economic priorities, because average losses are estimated at over 50% of potential production when left untreated.
Climate in the cacao growing zone of Cameroon is characterized by high relative high humidity. In Yaounde in central Cameroon the total average rainfall per year is more than 1600mm with 3 dry months. In Kumba in southwest Cameroon the total annual rainall per year is commonly above 2300mm with no break in the wet season. The situation of high humidity and pod wetness are key elements for rapid phytophthora pod rot spread.
In Cameroon, black pod disease can cause 80% losses in cacao farms when farms are left untreated by chemical fungicides. But heavy use of chemicals can cause disease resistance, non-target effects on beneficial microorganisms, humans and environment. And chemical fungicide prices are getting prohibitive for the cacao farmer. The biological control strategy, by mass production and release in cacao plantations of one or more natural microbial antagonists isolated from cacao agroforests is expected to become a valuable tool to combat this disease, known to be the most damaging cacao disease in Central and West Africa. This new control strategy is expected to increase farmer's profit margins by reducing the cost of black pod disease control.
Objectives
The project will
- Identify one or more microbial isolates effective against phytophthora megakarya and create a well characterized collection
- Provide short term training in biocontrol methodology to scientists through workshops and meetings
- Determine the social and economical implications of the biocontrol strategy in Cameroon
Results
788 fungal endophytes and 51 bacterial endophytes have been isolated and stored. Using the leaf disc method the precolonized plate methiod and cacao pids, potential beiocontrol strains effective against p. megakarya were discovered including 13 endophytic fungi and 6 bacterial strains (bacill8us sp and endophytes). These strains are available for further studies. The most promising results were observed with bs5, bs22, and bs18 on leaf discs and on cacao pods. Locations are ebolowa, timalom, barombi-kang and nkometou iii.
A biocontrol workshop was held june 25-30, 2001 in yaounde, Cameroon where scientists from west and central Africa were trained.
Bio Control pdf
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