El manejo integrado reduce la moniliasis en mazorcas de Theobroma cacao L. en Huila, Colombia

Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) caused by Moniliophthora roreri is the most devastating disease affecting cacao production in Colombia. This study evaluated the efficacy of different management strategies against FPR in commercial cacao plantations (clone ICS-39) located in Huila, Colombia. Traditional Crop Management (TCM), which involved diseased fruit removal, was compared with Integrated Crop Management (ICM), which additionally included biweekly or weekly applications of chemical and biological fungicides. These management techniques were tested across three frequencies of diseased fruit removal: every 7, 14, and 21 days. Disease incidence (evaluated in immature and mature cacao pods) was quantified using the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Yield and a differential management index were also calculated. For immature cacao pods under natural infection conditions, ICM strategies significantly decreased disease incidence. In particular, ICM combined with diseased fruit removal every 7 days reduced AUDPC by 70% when compared to traditional management (TCM-7). In contrast, fruit removal every 21 days, even with ICM, proved less effective. These findings demonstrate the critical role of frequent removal of diseased cacao pods in combination with chemical and biological products. Integrated management represents an effective and valuable approach for FPR control, contributing to improved cacao productivity in commercial plantations in the Huila region.