In vitro evaluation of plant extracts and mineral compounds for inhibiting sporulation of Moniliophthora roreri in white Criollo cacao

Aguilar-Anccota R.; Quevedo-Pozo U.; Silva-Péreza E.M.; Calle-Cheje Y.H.; Valdiviezo D.R.S.; Tirado-Lara J.; Cardoza-Sánchez A.M.; Morales-Pizarro A. · Brazilian Journal of Biology (2026) · DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.307389

Resumen

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) production in Latin America is severely affected by cacao frosty pod rot disease caused by Moniliophthora roreri. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effect of plant extracts and mineral compounds on the sporulation of Moniliophthora roreri. The pathogen was isolated from symptomatic fruits collected from cacao plots in the Bigote and Canchaque river sub-basins in Piura, Peru. Isolates were cultured on PDA medium supplemented with tetracycline and incubated at 28 °C for 3 days, followed by purification using monohyphal cultures. Identification was based on morphological characteristics and pathogenicity tests in healthy fruits inoculated with a suspension of 1 × 104 conidia mL−1. Thirteen plant extracts and mineral compounds, in addition to a control, were evaluated on infected cacao discs. The experiment was established under a completely randomized design with 14 treatments and 4 replicates. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn’s multiple comparisons with Benjamini-Hochberg correction (P ≤ 0.05). Morphological characteristics and pathogenicity tests were consistent with the presence of M. roreri in Criollo Blanco cacao pods from the evaluated area. Pathogenicity manifested at seven days with necrotic lesions and abundant sporulation at 21 days. The lowest sporulation severity values were recorded with Origanum vulgare and 3% urea, both at 0.0 ± 0.0%, while coffee ash extract, lime, and uric acid showed 2.25 ± 0.75%. The results suggest that these compounds could represent potential alternatives for integrated management programs for cacao frosty pod rot disease.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Piura; Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae; Universidad Nacional de Jaén