Conservation, characterization and utilization of cocoa genetic resources
1995
Spence, J.A. (West Indies Univ., St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago). Cocoa Research Unit)
The International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad (ICG,T) is one of two cocoa germplasm collections recognized by the International Plant Genetics Resources Institute (IPGRI). The ICG,T which has approximately 2,500 accessions and encompasses a wide range of germplasm collected in South and Central America and the Caribbean is managed by the Cocoa Research Unit (CRU). Sixteen plants of each accession are planted in a 35 ha site at La Reunion in Trinidad. Characterization of these accessions is underway by recording of morphological, biochemical, disease resistance and physiological characters. For morphological characterizations 65 botanical attributes of leaf, flower and pod are recorded as recommended by the IPGRI. Research is now underway in an attempt to reduce this number to nineteen. CRU maintains a Quarantine Station in Barbados, through which incoming and outgoing accessions are quarantined for two years. There are two other quarantine stations in use for cocoa, one at Reading University in the United Kingdom and the other at Montpellier in France, which are also used for the transfer of cocoa materials. After passing through quarantine, these accessions are available to cocoa producing countries worldwide, where they will be utilized in cocoa breeding programmes to produce commercial varieties.
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