Induction of Cocoa Natural Resistancy to Cocoa Pod Borer by Silica Application

Abstract

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) like most tropical trees is recalcitrant in tissue culture. Somatic embryogenesis is generally efficient micropropagation technique to multiply elite material. However, Somatic embryogenesis in cocoa is difficult and this species is considered as recalcitrant. One of the factors often considered as a component of in vitro recalsitrance is a high phenolic content and oxidation of these compounds. In cocoa tissue culture accumulate large amounts of poliphenolics compounds which probably impair further development. This study was conducted to investigate the composition of phenolic compounds in cocoa flower and leaves, and their changes troughout the somatic embryogenesis process. Calli were induced in cacao floral and leaves explants on a half-strenght Murashige and Skoog medium containing 30 g/L Glucose and combination of 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D) with kinetin (kin). Total polyphenol content was observed on Sulawesi 1 cocoa clone. Embryogenic and non-embryogenic callus were also compared. The percentage of callus production from flower tissue is 85%, percentage of embryogenic callus 40 %, although the percentage of somatic embryo production from embryogenic callus callus is 70%. The conservation of callus into somatic embryos followed by decline in phenol content and an increase in peroxidase. The synthesis kinetics for these compounds in calli, under different somatic embryogenesis conditions, revealed a higher concentration under non-embryogenic conditions. So that, phenolic compound can influence the production of calli and an absence the phenolic compound can enhance production of somatic embryo.Kata kunci: Theobroma cacao L., polifenol, embrio somatik, kalus, flavonoid, katekin, in vitro recalcitance

Sustaining Cocoa Production on Oxisols in Malaysia

“…It is likely that cocoa can also benefit from the presence of Si in its biomass (Heckmam 2013). A study in Indonesia by Wijaya et al (2009) indicated that the pods on cocoa trees treated with Si were not attacked by pod borers, and may be attributed to their having Si, resulting in being harder than they otherwise were and therefore difficult to penetrate. The uptake of Si had improved cocoa growth significantly.…”

Mg-Rich Synthetic Gypsum or Basalt as an Alternative Source of Ameliorant to Manage Soil Acidity for Plantation Tree Crops

“…The presence of sufficient Si in the plant system may possibly prevent the outbreak of a cocoa disease. A study in Indonesia by Wijaya et al (2009) indicated that the pods on cocoa trees treated with Si was not attacked by borers. This may be attributed to them having Si that resulted in being harder than they otherwise were; thus, the pods were difficult to penetrate.…”

Growth of Verticillium tricorpus—A Saprophytic Fungus and Potential Entomopathogen of Cocoa Pod Borer as Affected by the Medium and Light

“…However, this type of control is considered to be environmentally unfriendly. By other means, CPB can be controlled by implementing good agricultural practices, such as sanitation of infested pods, frequent harvest, pod sleeving [1], use tolerant clones [6,7], inducing resistance [8], sex pheromones [9,10], phytocoater [11] and applying entomopathogen, such as Paecilomyces fumosoroseus [12], Beauveria bassiana [13] and Bacillus thuringiensis [14,15].…”