Correo Electrónico
DNINFOA - SIA
Bibliotecas
Convocatorias
Identidad U.N.
Published
Morpho-molecular characterization of fungi in harvested fruits of Theobroma cacao L.
Caracterización morfo-molecular de hongos en frutos cosechados de Theobroma cacao L.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/agron.colomb.v43n2.120512Keywords:
cocoa, pathogens, fungal infection, agroecology (en)cacao, patógenos, infección fúngica, agroecología (es)
Downloads
In the present research, various isolates of pathogenic, endophytic, and epiphytic fungi were molecularly identified from diseased fruits collected in the harvest phase of Theobroma cacao L. coming from two different farms of Norte de Santander and Bolívar departments, Colombia. Standard microbiological procedures were used to phenotypically and molecularly characterize 26 fungi. Moniliphthora roreri, Scopulariopsis spp., 7 species belonging to the Fusarium solani complex, 6 species of Aspergillus, Neocosmospora tonkinensis, Penicillium paneum, Pestalotiopsis microspora, and Geotrichum candidum were found. Besides this, the identification of Neofusicoccum parvum, PQ721376.1, the causal agent of cocoa pod rot in the analyzed samples, is one of the most remarkable results since it is the first time that this recognized destructive fungal pathogen is reported in the country. We concluded that cocoa crops from two geographically different farms located in Colombia harbor a wide variety of fungi, most of them with pathogenic behavior, which could influence their low productivity. This finding supports the need to implement differentiated strategies for disease management depending on the regions where T. cacao L. is cultivated and the pathogenicity profile of the fungus found, to improve crop productivity.
En la presente investigación se identificaron molecularmente varios aislados de hongos patógenos, endófitos y epífitos a partir de frutos enfermos, recolectados en la fase de cosecha de Theobroma cacao L. provenientes de dos fincas diferentes ubicadas en los departamentos de Norte de Santander y Bolívar, Colombia. Se emplearon procedimientos microbiológicos y moleculares estándar para caracterizar fenotípica y genotípicamente 26 hongos. Se encontraron Moniliphthora roreri, Scopulariopsis spp., 7 especies pertenecientes al complejo Fusarium solani, 6 especies de Aspergillus, Neocosmospora tonkinensis, Penicillium paneum, Pestalotiopsis microspora y Geotrichum candidum. Además de esto, la identificación de Neofusicoccum parvum, PQ721376.1., el agente causal de la pudrición de la mazorca del cacao en las muestras analizadas, es uno de los resultados más notables, debido a que es la primera vez que este reconocido patógeno fúngico destructor es reportado en el país. Se concluyó que los cultivos de cacao de dos fincas geográficamente diferentes ubicadas en Colombia, albergan una gran variedad de hongos, la mayoría de ellos con comportamiento patógeno, lo que podría estar influyendo en su baja productividad. Este hallazgo apoya la necesidad de implementar estrategias diferenciadas para el manejo de enfermedades dependiendo de las regiones donde se encuentre establecido el cultivo de T. cacao L. y del perfil de patogenicidad de los hongos encontrados, con el fin de mejorar la productividad de los cultivos.
References
Aime, M. C., & Phillips-Mora, W. (2005). The causal agents of witches’ broom and frosty pod rot of cacao (chocolate, Theobroma cacao) form a new lineage of Marasmiaceae. Mycologia, 97(5), 1012–1022. https://doi.org/10.1080/15572536.2006.11832751
Albores Flores, V. J., Gómez Rodríguez, L., López García, J. A., & Grajales Conesa, J. (2022). Mecanismos de infección endógena en frutos de cacao con Moniliophthora roreri. Polibotánica, (53), 197–209. https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.53.13
Amaro, T. M. M. M., Cope, J., & Franco-Orozco, B. (2021). Current status of plant pathogens of agricultural importance for Colombia. A review. Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Horticolas, 15(2), Article e12425. https://doi.org/10.17584/rcch.2021v15i2.12425
Antolinez Sandoval, E. Y., Almanza Merchán, P. J., Baraona Rodriguez, A. F., Polanco Díaz, E., & Serrano Cely, P. A. (2020). Estado actual de la cacaocultura: una revisión de sus principales limitantes. Ciencia y Agricultura, 17(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.19053/01228420.v17.n2.2020.10729
Arvelo, M. Á., Delgado, T., Maroto, S., Rivera, J., Higuera, I., & Navarro, A. (2016). Estado actual sobre la producción, el comercio y cultivo del cacao en América. Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura, San José, Costa Rica,. http://hdl.handle.net/11159/3773
Bailey, B. A., & Meinhardt, L. W. (Eds.) (2016). Cacao diseases: A history of old enemies and new encounters. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24789-2
Coleman, J. J. (2016). The Fusarium solani species complex: Ubiquitous pathogens of agricultural importance. Molecular Plant Pathology, 17(2), 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12289
Copetti, M. V., Iamanaka, B. T., Frisvad, J. C., Pereira, J. L., & Taniwaki, M. H. (2011). Mycobiota of cocoa: From farm to chocolate. Food Microbiology, 28(8), 1499–1504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2011.08.005
De Hoog, G. S., Guarro, J., Gené, J., Ahmed, S. A., Al Hatmi, A. S. S., Figueras, M. J., & Vitale, R. G. (2020). Atlas of clinical fungi (4th ed.). https://www.atlasclinicalfungi.org
Delgado-Ospina, J., Molina-Hernández, J. B., Chaves-López, C., Romanazzi, G., & Paparella, A. (2021). The role of fungi in the cocoa production chain and the challenge of climate change. Journal of Fungi, 7(3), Article 202. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7030202
Delgado-Ospina, J., Molina-Hernandez, J. B., Viteritti, E., Maggio, F., Fernández-Daza, F. F., Sciarra, P., Serio, A., Rossi, C., Paparella, A., & Chaves-López, C. (2022). Advances in understanding the enzymatic potential and production of ochratoxin A of filamentous fungi isolated from cocoa fermented beans. Food Microbiology, 104, Article 103990. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740002022000144
EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH), Bragard, C., Baptista, P., Chatzivassiliou, E., Di Serio, F., Gonthier, P., Miret, J. A. J., Justesen, A. F., MacLeod, A., Magnusson, C. S., Milonas, P., Navas-Cortes, J. A., Parnell, S., Potting, R., Stefani, E., Thulke, H. H., Van der Werf, W., Civera, A. V., Yuen, J., …, & Reignault, P. L. (2023). Pest categorisation of Pestalotiopsis microspora. EFSA Journal, 21(12), Article e8493. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8493
Fedecacao. (2021a). Caracterización de productores de cacao 2017- 2021. Federacion Nacional de Cacaoteros. https://www.fedecacao.com.co/documentos-tecnicos
Fedecacao. (2021b). Economía nacional. Federacion Nacional de Cacaoteros. https://www.fedecacao.com.co/economianacional
Fedecacao. (2025). Colombia reportó en 2024 producción histórica de cacao. Federacion Nacional de Cacaoteros. https://www.fedecacao.com.co/post/colombia-report%C3%B3-en-2024-producci%C3%B3n-hist%C3%B3rica-de-cacao
Fernández-Niño, M., Rodríguez-Cubillos, M. J., Herrera-Rocha, F., Anzola, J. M., Cepeda-Hernández, M. L., Aguirre Mejía, J. L., Chica, M. J., Olarte, H. H., Rodríguez-López, C., Calderón, D., Ramírez-Rojas, A., Portillo, P., Restrepo, S., & González Barrios, A. F. (2021). Dissecting industrial fermentations of fine flavour cocoa through metagenomic analysis. Scientific Reports, 11, Article 8638. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88048-3
Garcés de Granada, E., Correa de Restrepo, M., Coba de Gutierrez, B., Orozco de Amézquita, B., Zapata, A. C., Anacona Chingana, A., & Sabogal, S. P. (2015). Morfología y clasificación de los hongos. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/79887
Hamzah, T. N. T., Lee, S. Y., Hidayat, A., Terhem, R., Faridah-Hanum, I., & Mohamed, R. (2018). Diversity and characterization of endophytic fungi isolated from the tropical mangrove species, Rhizophora mucronata, and identification of potential antagonists against the soil-borne fungus, Fusarium solani. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9, Article 1707. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01707
Han, P., Zhang, X., Xu, D., Zhang, B., Lai, D., & Zhou, L. (2020). Metabolites from Clonostachys fungi and their biological activities. Journal of Fungi, 6(4), Article 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040229
Huda-Shakirah, A. R., Zakaria, L., & Mohd, M. H. (2024). Morphology, phylogeny and pathogenicity of fungal species associated with leaf blight and stem canker of Theobroma cacao in Malaysia. Plant Pathology, 73(6), 1382–1399. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13900
ICCO. (2021). Pests & diseases. International Cocoa Organization. https://www.icco.org/pests-diseases/#toggle-id-39
Jain, A., Sarsaiya, S., Wu, Q., Lu, Y., & Shi, J. (2019). A review of plant leaf fungal diseases and its environment speciation. Bioengineered, 10(1), 409–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2019.1649520
Kagezi, G. H., Sseruyange, J., Kucel, P., Kobusinge, J., Nakibuule, L., Kabole, C., & Wagoire, W. W. (2017). Fusarium spp. associated with Xylosandrus compactus causing wilting in cocoa. Journal of Plant Pathology, 99(2), 542−542. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44686824
Krauss, U., ten Hoopen, M., Rees, R., Stirrup, T., Argyle, T., George, A., Arroyo, C., Corrales, E., & Casanoves, F. (2013). Mycoparasitism by Clonostachys byssicola and Clonostachys rosea on Trichoderma spp. from cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and implication for the design of mixed biocontrol agents. Biological Control, 67(3), 317–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2013.09.011
Luo, G., & Mitchell, T. G. (2002). Rapid identification of pathogenic fungi directly from cultures by using multiplex PCR. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 40(8), 2860–2865. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC120665/pdf/1281.pdf
MADR. (2021). Cadena de cacao. Dirección de Cadenas Agrícolas y Forestales. Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural. https://sioc.minagricultura.gov.co/Cacao/Documentos/2021-03-31%20Cifras%20Sectoriales.pdf
Marelli, J. P., Guest, D. I., Bailey, B. A., Evans, H. C., Brown, J. K., Junaid, M., Barreto, R. W., Lisboa, D. O., & Puig, A. S. (2019). Chocolate under threat from old and new cacao diseases. Phytopathology, 109(8), 1331–1343. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-18-0477-RVW
Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego. (2023). Observatorio de commodities de cacao. Boletín trimestral No. 1. Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego. https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/5264502/%20Commodities%20Cacao%3A%20ene-mar%202023.pdf?v=1697059698%23:%7E:text=En%20el%20primer%20semestre%20del,%2C%20Jun%C3%ADn%2C%20Hu%C3%A1nuco%20y%20Cusco
Moreira, G. M., Abreu, L. M., Carvalho, V. G., Schroers, H. J., & Pfenning, L. H. (2016). Multilocus phylogeny of Clonostachys subgenus Bionectria from Brazil and description of Clonostachys chloroleuca sp. nov. Mycological Progress, 15(10–11), 1031–1039. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-016-1224-6
Muñoz, V., Cisterna, V., & France, A. (2020). Aislamiento de microorganismos fitopatogenos. In J. F. Castro (Ed.), Conformación de colecciones de cultivos microbianos (Boletín INIA No. 428, pp. 75–91). Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Chile. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14001/6945
Oussou, K. F., Guclu, G., Kelebek, H., & Selli, S. (2022). Elucidating the contribution of microorganisms to the spontaneous fermentation and the quality of Ivorian cacao (Theobroma cacao) beans: The quality of Ivorian cacao (Theobroma cacao) beans. Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods, 14(4), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.15586/qas.v14i4.1078
Paterson, R. R. M., & Lima, N. (Eds.) (2015). Molecular biology of food and water borne mycotoxigenic and mycotic fungi. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b18645
Puig, A. S., Keith, L. M., Matsumoto, T. K., Gutierrez, O. A., & Marelli, J. P. (2021). Virulence tests of Neofusicoccum parvum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, and Phytophthora palmivora on Theobroma cacao. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 159(4), 851–862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-021-02210-1
Puig, A. S., Marelli, J. P., Matsumoto, T. K., Keith, L. M., & Gutierrez, O. A. (2019). First report of Neofusicoccum parvum causing pod rot on cacao in Hawaii. Plant Disease, 103(6), 1416−1416. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-18-1719-PDN
Rodríguez-Polanco, E., Morales, J. G., Muñoz-Agudelo, M., Segura, J. D., & Carrero, M. L. (2020). Morphological, molecular and pathogenic characterization of Phytophthora palmivora isolates causing black pod rot of cacao in Colombia. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 18(2), Article e1003. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2020182-15147
Rodriguez Polanco, E., Parra Alferes, E. B., Bermeo Fuquene, P. A., Segura Amaya, J. D., & Rodríguez Polanco, L. A. (2020). Manejo de la pudrición parda de la mazorca (Phytophthora palmivora) en cacao por aplicación conjunta de prácticas culturales y químicas. Revista Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, 16(1), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.18359/rfcb.4887
Romero-Cortes, T., López-Pérez, P. A., Pérez España, V. H., Medina-Toledo, A. K., Aparicio-Burgos, J. E., & Cuervo-Parra, J. A. (2019). Confrontation of Trichoderma asperellum VSL80 against Aspergillus niger via the effect of enzymatic production. Chilean Journal of Agricultural and Animal Sciences, 35(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0719-38902019005000202
Schwan, R. F., Pereira, G. V. M., & Fleet, G. H. (2014). Microbial activities during cocoa fermentation. In R. F. Schwan, & G. H. Fleet (Eds.), Cocoa and coffee fermentations (pp. 129–192). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b17536
Sosa del Castillo, D. S., Parra, D., Noceda, C., & Pérez-Martínez, S. (2016). Co-occurrence of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Fusarium decemcellulare and Lasiodiplodia theobromae isolates in cushion galls disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Journal of Plant Protection Research, 56(2), 129–138. https://www.plantprotection.pl/Co-occurrence-of-pathogenic-and-non-pathogenic-Fusarium-decemcellulare-and-Lasiodiplodia,94178,0,2.html
Suárez Contreras, L. Y., & Peñaranda Figueredo, F. A, (2022). Identificación molecular de hongos filamentosos y su potencial biotecnológico. Biotecnología en el Sector Agropecuario e Industrial, 20(1), 194–206. https://doi.org/10.18684/rbsaa.v20.n1.2022.1914
Subroto, E., Djali, M., Indiarto, R., Lembong, E., & Baiti, N. (2023). Microbiological activity affects post-harvest quality of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans. Horticulturae, 9(7), Article 805. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9070805
Sukmawati, D., Firhandini, A., Nurkhasanah, S., Khumaiya, U., Gunadi, S. A., Supiyani, A., Nida Al Husna, S., El Enshasy, H., Dailin, D. J., & Sriherwanto, C. (2024). The effect of yeast antagonist isolated from the fermentation of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao) from Lampung, Indonesia, on the growth of Aspergillus flavus UNJCC F-55. KnE Life Sciences, 8(1),75–84. https://doi.org/10.18502/kls.v8i1.15398
Tekpinar, A. D., & Kalmer, A. (2019). Utility of various molecular markers in fungal identification and phylogeny. Nova Hedwigia, 109(1–2), 187–224. https://doi.org/10.1127/nova_hedwigia/2019/0528
Villamizar-Gallardo, R. A., Ortíz-Rodriguez, O. O., & Escobar, J. W. (2017). Symbiotic and endophytic fungi as biocontrols against cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) phytopathogens. Summa Phytopathologica, 43(2), 87–93. https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-5405/2175
Villamizar-Gallardo, R., Osma, J. F., & Ortíz-Rodriguez, O. O. (2019). Regional evaluation of fungal pathogen incidence in Colombian cocoa crops. Agriculture, 9(3), Article 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9030044
Zhao, W., Hong, S.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., & Om, A.-S. (2024). Effects of temperature, pH, and relative humidity on the growth of Penicillium paneum OM1 isolated from pears and its patulin production. Fungal Biology, 128(4), 1885–1897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2024.05.005
How to Cite
APA
ACM
ACS
ABNT
Chicago
Harvard
IEEE
MLA
Turabian
Vancouver
Download Citation
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Agronomía Colombiana
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
© Centro Editorial de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Reproduction and quotation of material appearing in the journal is authorized provided the following are explicitly indicated: journal name, author(s) name, year, volume, issue and pages of the source. The ideas and observations recorded by the authors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Mention of products or commercial firms in the journal does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement on the part of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia; furthermore, the use of such products should comply with the product label recommendations.
The Creative Commons license used by Agronomia Colombiana journal is: Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike (by-nc-sa)
Agronomia Colombiana by Centro Editorial of Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia is licensed under a Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional License.
Creado a partir de la obra en http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/agrocol/.
