“Regalo de Dios”: CACAO CLONE (Theobroma cacao L.) TOLERANT TO Moniliophthora roreri Cif & Par, FOR THE RENOVATION OF CACAO ZONES IN MEXICO

Abstract

Frosty pod rot disease, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, has been described by numerous researchers as the most severe disease in cacao plantations (Theobroma cacao L.), and it is the most destructive for crops in Latin America. The cacao clone, “Regalo de Dios”, is product of the selection from participative improvement in the improvement program for the species in Mexico, and it is characterized by its tolerance to frosty pod rot disease and good yield (100 % higher than the national average yield). Its design is directed at the renovation of cacao plantations in Chiapas where frosty pod rot disease has devastated production.