From the editorial teami From the editorial team https://dinheirorural.com.br/autor/da-redacao/
04/26/2024 – 14:48
A virus that attacks cocoa trees could harm the global chocolate supply. This is what research carried out by scientists at the University of Texas USA, published by the PLOS One website, points out.
The virus mainly attacks cocoa trees in Ghana, a country in West Africa, the region from which cocoa comes from to produce 50% of the chocolates consumed across the planet. Losses caused by so-called cocoa swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD) can range from 15% to 50%.
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The viruses end up being spread through the trees due to the action of small insects called mealybugs that eat the leaves, buds and flowers of the trees.
“This virus is a real threat to the global chocolate supply,” said Benito Chen-Charpentier, a mathematics professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. “Pesticides do not work well against mealybugs, leaving farmers to try to prevent the spread of the disease by cutting down infected trees and breeding resistant trees. But despite these efforts, Ghana has lost over 254 million cocoa trees in recent years,” he said.
There is already a specific vaccine against the pest, but because they are very expensive and harm the production of cocoa from the trees, it ends up not being a viable option for producers in the region.
Solution may be in mathematics
Thinking about a solution to the problem, scientists at the University of Texas at Arlington are using mathematical data to identify the safe distance between one tree and another to prevent mealybugs from spreading.
“Mealybugs have several forms of movement, including moving from canopy to canopy, being carried by ants or blown by the wind,” said researcher Chen-Charpentier. “We created a model so growers knew how far apart they could safely plant vaccinated trees from unvaccinated trees in order to prevent the spread of the virus while keeping costs manageable,” he explained.
The model is still in the experimental phase, but scientists believe it could allow farmers to create a protective layer of vaccinated cocoa trees around unvaccinated trees, ensuring that chocolate continues to reach consumers’ tables.
