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OVERVIEW
Application of tissue culture to propagation of cacao
Since the early work of cacao researchers in the late 1800s, propagation
systems have been an important tool, enabling the multiplication
of wild or breeding genotypes for distribution, germplasm collection
and for replicate performance trials. Rooted cutting and grafting
have been used throughout the world for propagation of cacao, however
to date, a large percentage of production stock are grown from seed.
Due to the high heterozygosity of most cacao genotypes, this results
in a high degree of yield and resistance variation, bringing the
mean yield below that of individual, high yielding and/or disease
resistance individuals.
In the 50s and 60s plant tissue culture methods were developed for
the propagation of a wide variety of species, but were not applied
to cacao until the late 70s, and then, with very limited success.
Recently, research conducted at Plant DNA Technology, CIRAD, Montpellier,
France, Nestlé, Tours, France and at The Pennsylvania State
University, has led to the development of efficient methods for
somatic embryogenesis of cacao. We have also developed high efficiency
methods for the rooting of orthotropic plantlets, which when combined
with the SE systems, provide a highly efficient and cost effective
suite of propagation systems for cacao. We present here the manuscripts,
protocols, and information on field testing of plants produced with
these systems.
CURRENT
RESEARCH PROJECTS
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