True bug (Heteroptera) impact on cocoa fruit mortality and productivity.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Plant Pathology
• Agronomy

Background:

• True bug damage to cocoa pods is a concern for farmers.
• Previous assessments of true bug impact on cocoa yield have been imprecise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To precisely assess the contribution of true bugs to fruit mortality and production loss in cocoa.
• To quantify the economic impact of true bug damage on mature cocoa pods.

Main Methods:

• A two-year study was conducted on 1,080 cocoa trees across 36 farms in Cameroon.
• Weekly monitoring of cocoa fruiting cycle, fruit mortality, and pest/disease damage.
• Detailed description and measurement of damage on 2,500 ripe pods annually.

Main Results:

• True bugs were identified as the primary external cause of young fruit abortion, reducing fruit abundance by up to 10%.
• While one-third of ripe pods showed lesions, only 4% had moderate to heavy damage.
• Moderate to heavy damage reduced mean pod weight by 12% and wet bean weight by 3-10%, but did not affect bean number.

Conclusions:

• True bugs significantly impact young cocoa fruit mortality.
• The economic impact of true bug damage on mature cocoa pods is negligible in Cameroon.
• Further research may be needed to explore integrated pest management strategies.