Questions and Answers
What are the disadvantages of the heap method of cocoa bean fermentation?
How are well fermented cocoa beans described?
plumpy and filled with reddish brown exudates. The testa becomes loosened from the cotyledons. When cut open, the cotyledons will have a brownish colored with lots of ridges and furrow appearance in the centre with a brownish ring in the periphery.
The moisture content of well dried cacao beans is around 6 -- 7%, while sun drying is preferable as it gives ________ quality produce compared to artificial drying.
superior
Match the following grades of cacao with their criteria:
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Beans should not be stored in rooms where spices, pesticides, and fertilizers are stored.
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What is the purpose of pruning cocoa trees?
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Which phases of crop growth are mentioned in the text for applying fertilizers through drip irrigation?
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What causes Seedling blight in cocoa plants?
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The pods are broken by knocking them against blunt objects, e.g. a thick piece of ________ or stone.
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Fertilizers can be applied to cocoa trees through drip irrigation (fertigation) every day.
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What is the scientific name of cacao?
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What does the word 'cocoa' refer to?
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Cacao belongs to the genus Sterculiaceae.
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Cocoa has how many chromosomes?
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Match the countries with their cocoa bean production in 2020:
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What is the main use of economic cacao cultivars?
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What potential additional goods can cacao provide?
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Cocoa is rich in polyphenols, which have no significant health benefits.
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How does cocoa help improve blood flow?
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What age indicates the peak water requirement of cocoa plants?
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Study Notes
Agronomy of Cacao
- Scientific Name: Theobroma cacao
- Center of Origin: Amazon basin, South America
- Family: Sterculiaceae
- Genus: Theobroma
- Species: Over 22, but only one (Theobroma cacao) is commercially cultivated
- Chromosomes: 20
- Ideal Growing Regions: Tropical regions, 20° north and south of the equator
- Major Producing Countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Brazil, Cameroon, Ghana, Indonesia, and Nigeria
- Global Production: 8.2 million hectares, 58 countries, worth over $4 billion annually
Uses of Cacao
- Global Chocolate Industry: Based on cacao cultivation
- Products: Dried beans, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder
- Agroforestry: Fast-growing tropical forest plant suitable for agroforestry
- Additional Products: Timber, firewood, fruits, construction materials, honey, resin, medicine, and ritual ceremony materials
Health Benefits of Cocoa
- Polyphenol Content: Rich in polyphenols, which reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels
- Flavanol Content: Rich in flavanols, which lower blood pressure and improve nitric oxide levels and blood vessel function
- Cardiovascular Health: May reduce risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke
- Neurological Health: May support neuron production, brain function, and improve blood flow and supply to brain tissue
- Mood and Depression: May reduce stress levels and improve calmness, contentment, and overall psychological well-being
- Diabetes and Weight Management: May reduce risk of diabetes and maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- Anti-Cancer Properties: Flavanols have promising anti-cancer properties in test-tube and animal studies
- Anti-Asthmatic Properties: Cocoa extract has demonstrated anti-asthmatic properties in animal studies
- Dental Health: May promote healthy teeth by fighting bacteria that cause cavities
Terms in Cacao Agronomy
- Cauliflorous: Attachment of flowers to stem
- Semi-Deciduous: Half evergreen
- Jorquetting: Formation of branches in a group of five
- Dimorphism: Two forms
- Chupons: Vertical branches
- Fans: Lateral branches
- Cherelle: Young cacao pod
- Viviparous Germination: Germination in pod attached to tree
Vegetative Propagation
- Budding: 85% success rate
- Grafting: 70% success rate
- Rootstock: 10-12 month old seedlings for budding, 3-4 month old seedlings for grafting
Crop Management
- Spacing: Varies depending on main crop (coconut or oil palm)
- Water Requirement: 3-5 liters per plant per day for 1st year, 10 liters per plant per day for 2nd year, and 20-25 liters per plant per day for 3rd year and onwards
- Fertilizer Application: Uniformly around the base of the tree, forked and incorporated into the soil
- Drip Irrigation: Fertilizers can be applied through drip irrigation system (fertigation)
Pruning and Height Control
- Objective: Encourage tree structure that allows sunlight to filter through to main branches and trunk
- Timing: Twice a year, after main harvest and before rainy season, and five months later
- Techniques: Develop a jorquette at 1 meter height, limit fan branches to 3-4, remove basal chupons and lower branches, and maintain umbrella-shaped canopy
Pest Management
- Mealybugs: Colonize tender parts of the plant, induce cherelle wilt, and can be controlled using neem oil, fish oil rosin soap, or chemical pesticides
- Aphids: Colonize on underside of tender leaves, succulent stem, flower buds, and small cherelles, and can be controlled using dimethoate
Diseases of Cacao
- Seedling Blight: Caused by Phytophthora palmivora, appears as water-soaked lesions on leaves and stem, and can be controlled by removal and destruction of infected seedlings and spraying with Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride
- Black Pod Rot: Caused by Phytophthora palmivora, appears as chocolate brown spot, which spreads rapidly and turns to black, and can be controlled by removal and destruction of infected pods### Cocoa Pod Rot and Stem Canker Management
- Infected pods can be removed periodically to prevent infection spread
- Spray 1% Bordeaux mixture with the onset of rain and at frequent intervals
- Provide frequent drainage and regulate shade to increase aeration
- Pseudomonas fluorescens (biological control) can be used as a soil and foliar spray to reduce infection
Harvesting and Processing
- Cocoa trees produce flowers from the 3rd year of planting onwards and economic yield starts from the 5th year
- A well-maintained tree can yield 1-2 kg of pods per year
- It takes 110-130 days from pollination to ripening, depending on the variety
- There are two pod production seasons: main season (July-December) and light season (January-April)
- Harvesting is done at regular intervals of 10-15 days to avoid over ripening, damaged, and diseased pods
- Tools required for harvesting include sharp cutlass, harvesting knives, and baskets
Harvesting Techniques
- Cacao trees should not be climbed to avoid damaging flower cushions
- Pods should not be pulled off by hand to avoid damaging the tree bark and providing entrance for diseases and pests
- Branches should not be shaken to prevent loss of flowers at upper branches
- Care should be taken to prevent wounding the tree bark to prevent fungal infections
- Diseased and damaged pods should be removed and buried far away from the cacao plot
- After harvesting, all good fermentable pods should be taken to the processing area
- Breaking of pods for fermentation should start as soon as harvesting ends
Breaking the Pods
- Pods are broken by knocking them against blunt objects, e.g., a thick piece of wood or stone
- The bean and pulp are removed from pods by hand
- Pods should not be broken with a cutlass to avoid damaging the beans
- The extracted beans are collected in a basket or container, and care should be taken to remove undesirable beans and foreign elements
Fermentation
- Fermentation is done to get the proper taste, color, and flavor associated with cocoa products
- Types of fermentation include heap, basket, sweat box, and tray fermentation
- Heap fermentation is common, but it has disadvantages such as the problem of turning the beans, long period of fermentation, and unsuitability for small quantities of beans
- Basket method uses bamboo or cane baskets, and the beans are mixed thoroughly on the 3rd and 5th days
- Box method uses wooden boxes with reapers at the bottom to allow sweating to drain out and provide aeration
Drying of Cacao Beans
- Stored cacao is often damaged by insect pests and mold, which can be prevented by proper drying
- Sun drying is preferred over artificial drying as it gives superior quality produce
- The fermented cocoa beans have considerable moisture (55-69%) and the drying rate depends on temperature and airflow
- The moisture content of well-dried beans is around 6-7%
- Slow drying is preferable for better quality beans
Grading
- To grade cocoa, representative samples are taken at random from the bulk
- The 300 beans taken from the main crop should not weigh less than 300g
- There are two grades of cacao based on the following criteria:
- Grade 1 cacao: less than 3% slaty beans, less than 3% mouldy beans, and less than 3% other defectives
- Grade II cocoa: less than 5% slaty beans, less than 4% mouldy beans, and less than 5% other defectives
Storage
- Flat, slate, shriveled, broken, and other extraneous materials are removed
- The cleaned beans are packed in fresh polythene-lined (150-200 gauge) gunny bags
- The bags are kept on raised platforms of wooden planks
- Beans should not be stored in rooms where spices, pesticides, and fertilizers are stored as they may absorb odors from these materials
Bean Quality
- Cocoa quality depends on various factors, but primarily on the cocoa variety and post-harvest handling
- Fine or flavor cocoa beans are produced from Criollo or Trinitario varieties, while bulk cocoa beans come from Forastero trees
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Description
Learn about the scientific name, center of origin, family, genus, and species of cacao, as well as its ideal growing regions and major producing countries. Test your knowledge of this important crop!
