CHERELLE WILT SYNDROME: AN EMERGING GLOBAL THREAT TO COCOA PRODUCTION

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is a crop of global economic importance, but its production has been greatly hampered in most recent times, by the wilting of most of the cherelles (young immature pods, up to 8cm long), leading to significant reduction in pod production. Cherelle wilt, also known as yellow okra, has become a major production factor in cocoa production both in rehabilitated and old cocoa plots in Nigeria in the recent years. While some authors attributed the syndrome to physiological thinning mechanism, some blamed nutritional factors or hormonal imbalance, while others insisted on a direct link with pests. Cherelle wilt has become a devastating syndrome leading to up to 60% loss of young cocoa pods within 50 days. Its occurrence had moreover become significantly devastating in Nigerian cacao farms since the year 2014 despite the availability of improved cocoa varieties. Although current causes of cherelle wilt focus on assimilate (sucrose) competition, there has not been distinct information as to what exactly brings about the causal factor. Scientists have, however discovered key factors like soil nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance, biotic factors (pests) and climatic change/drought as possible combined or contributory causes of cherelle wilt on cocoa farms. Consequently, because of the multifaceted nature of this challenge, robust preventive and mitigating strategies should be urgently packaged in order to bring the disorder under full control, for enhanced cocoa production.