The future of chocolate is uncertain. Experts from the University of Texas at Arlington warn in a new study that a rapidly spreading virus threatens the health of the cocoa tree and the seeds from which this precious product is made. They explain that this infectious agent is attacking the plants of Ghana, one of the largest cocoa producers in the world along with other West African countries such as the Ivory Coast, and is causing losses of between 15% and 50%.
Cocoa swollen stem virus (CSSV) is transmitted by insects called scale insects that feed on the leaves, buds and flowers of trees, and "is a real threat to the supply world chocolate", insist the scientists who signed this work published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Pesticides do not seem to work well against the insects that transmit this virus, forcing farmers to prevent the spread of the disease by cutting down infected trees and planting new, more resistant ones. However, "Ghana has already lost more than 254 million cocoa trees in recent years," warns the research.
One solution that has been found to combat the scale insects that transmit this disease is to vaccinate cocoa trees to inoculate them against the virus, but it is an expensive treatment that not all producers can access. On the other hand, vaccinated plants are less productive, point out scientists at the University of Texas, another drawback that aggravates the situation.
Faced with this problem, the authors of the work, together with experts from the University of Kansas, Prairie View A
"Mealybugs have several ways of moving, including moving from one branch to another, being carried by ants or blown by the wind," they explain. "As a solution, we have created a model so that cocoa farmers can know how far apart they can safely plant vaccinated trees from unvaccinated ones and thus prevent the spread of the virus while keeping costs manageable for these little ones. farmers".
After experimenting with mathematical patterning techniques, experts have created two models that allow farmers to create a protective barrier of vaccinated cocoa trees around unvaccinated trees.
"They are still experimental," they warn. "But these models could help farmers protect their crops while achieving a better harvest." A result that, in addition to benefiting these small producers, would ensure the survival of the cocoa trees in the area.
But, unfortunately, this virus is not the only thing that endangers chocolate production. For years, several experts have warned that climate change is another factor that could make this product disappear from our pantries, a bitter outcome that is estimated to take place in 2050.
