Location: Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research
Project Number: 6090-21000-061-008-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2021
End Date: Feb 28, 2025
Objective:
To conduct cacao performance trials to evaluate newly released clones in farmers' fields in Hawaii.
Approach:
Evaluation of agronomic properties and quality traits, as well as measure the levels of resistance to black pod (Phytophthora spp.) of cacao germplasm from different breeding programs (USDA, ARS-TARS, USDA-ARS-MARS-INIAP, and CATIE) in Hawaii. To attain these goals, several new disease resistant cacao clones have been planted in four trials while one additional trial is in the process of being planted. These performance trials will efficiently facilitate the selection of genotypes with high productivity, good quality traits, and high level of black pod resistance.
