Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research project is to enhance productivity of Theobroma cacao in West Africa by evaluating the cacao breeding populations at West African National Agricultural Research Services (NARS) using molecular markers with a view to establishing structured breeding populations, selection trials, and gaining insight into combining abilities of agronomic traits of T. cacao; and by investigating optimum regimes of chemical and biological control agents for management of cocoa black pod disease (Phytophthora megakarya) in central Cameroon - with a view to economic and environmental sustainability.

Approach:
USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station (SHRS), Miami, FL will work with the Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD, Cameroon) to apply molecular tools to correctly identify breeding populations in West African collections and to target breeding efforts towards the use of disease resistant or tolerant materials that retain productivity and quality traits. These efforts will provide the next steps toward the development and delivery of new, improved cacao varieties to growers in West Africa. USDA-ARS Beltsville Area Research Center will work with IRAD to investigate optimum regimes of chemical and biological control agents for management of cocoa black pod disease (Phytophthora megakarya) in central Cameroon - with a view to economic and environmental sustainability. These activities are being conducted within the framework of the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP). 1. Identify from the existing Trichoderma collection in the laboratory other isolates (than those actually being tested) with potential antagonistic activities against P. megakarya causing cocoa black pod disease. 2. Continue investigating optimum regimes and improved formulations of chemical and biological control agents for management of cocoa black pod disease (Phytophthora megakarya) in central Cameroon - with a view to economic and environmental sustainability. 3. Conduct an assessment Survey on Lasiodiplodia theobromae and the dieback of cocoa in Cameroon. 4. Collect Phytophthora isolates for identification at North Carolina State University ¿ on cocoa producing farms and, if possible, in forested areas with little or no cultivation, such as the Korup region of Cameroon. The ARS collaborating scientists will be Drs. Lyndell Meinhardt and Bryan Bailey, ARS-BARC. Dr. Prakash Hebbar will no longer be a Mars, Inc ¿ USDA cooperating scientist. Dr. Kelly Ivors, NCSU will be the cooperating scientist from NCSU. This cooperation will extend to CIRAD-Cameroon (Dr. Martijn Ten Hoopen, Christian Cilas et al