Colletotrichum  gloeosporioides is  a  disease  which  can  cause  significant yield  loss  of  cocoa.  The  objective  of  this  research  is  to  investigate  the  abilityof  antagonist  microbes,  Trichoderma  harzianum,  Trichoderma  koningii,  Bacillus subtilis  and Pseudomonas  fluorescens  in  controlling  gloeosporioides  biologically  in  laboratorium  condition.  The  experiment  was  carried  out  in  Crop  Protection  Laboratory,  Indonesian  Coffee  and  Cocoa  Research  Institute.  Results of  this  research  showed  that  antagonist  fungi,  T.  harzianum,  T.  koningii,  had  a stronger  ability  in  inhibiting  growth  of  C.  gloeosporioides about  83%  compared  to  the  ability  of  antagonist  bacteria,  B.  subtilis  and P.  fluorescens,  only about  49%. Key words: Growth  inhibition,  Colletotrichum  gloeosporioides,  Trichoderma  harzianum, Trichoderma koningii,  Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Beauveria bassiana is one of the entomopathogen fungi which is known as biological control agent of cocoa pod borer and cocoa mirids (Helopeltis spp.). Because of its effectiveness in the fields is still not consistent, so we conduct a research with the objective to know the possibility of Beauveria bassiana to be established as a endophyte. Various fungal entomopathogens have already been reported as endophytes and the various methods used to inoculate the plants with B. bassiana were partially effective. The research has been conducted in laboratory of Plant Protection, Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute by inoculating of cocoa seeds and cocoa nursery with B. bassiana suspension.  The trial was arranged  by randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement. The factor were spore concentration of B. bassiana (0; 2; and 4 g/ 10 l) and cocoa varieties (family of ICS 60, TSH858, and hybrid). The trial were use  four replications. The results showed that the fungal entomopathogen B. bassiana was established as an endophyte in cocoa seedling, both from cocoa seeds and nursery application. Percentage of existence of B. bassiana colonies as endophytes one month after seeds application were ICS 60 amounted to 93.3 % both on concentration treatments, while the families of TSH 858 by 80 % and 86.67 % respectively in 2 g and 4 g per 10 l of B. bassiana spores concentration treament.. The lowest percentage was in hybrids, which amounted to 66.67% and 50%. B. bassiana colonies was exixtence as an endophyte in culture from root, stem and leaves of cocoa seedling up to 5 months post inoculation. While the application on nursery by soil drenshing, leaf spraying, and stem injection , it was known that B. bassiana colonies were found in the tissues of leaves, stems, and roots until two months after application. Colonies of B. bassiana as endophytes still exsist until six weeks after nursery was planted in the field.

Phytophthora seedling blight disease is one of the important diseases in cocoa. The disease is caused by the fungus of Phytophthora palmivora belongs to class Oomycetes. The aim of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the use of row covers and copper oxide fungicide applications to control seedling blight Phytophthora. Covering treatment was to place cocoa seedlings inside bamboo frame covered by transparent plastic in order to avoid from rainfall effect. The research was conducted in the Kaliwining Experimental Station at Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI). Experiments were carried out four treatments and repeated 6 times. Each treatment consists of 100 seedlings planted in polybags and placed in the nursery area with a protective paranet. The treatment consisted of (1) row covers, (2) spraying of copper oxide 0.2%, (3) a combination of row covers and copper oxide 0.2% and (4) control (no covers and spray). Observations made 7 days after treatment with an interval of 7 days for 10 weeks. The results showed that row covers able to prolong the incubation period of the disease for 14 days, while the application of row covers + copper oxide 0.2% was able to save cocoa seedlings by 96.2%.