EFFECT OF TIME OF HARVESTING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLACI( POD DISEASE OF COCOA CAUSED BY PfIYTOPHTHORA PALMIVORA (BUTL.)

Abstract

Research was conducted to study the effect of time of harvesting on the development of the black pod disease of cocoa caused by Phytophthora palmivora, ability to process and ferment the pods produced. Infected pods were harvested at one, two, three, four, five and six week after inoculation to determine the effect of time harvesting on the mycellial growth and sporulation of the fungus, the mineral contains of the dried beans as well as the suitability and ability of the pods and beans produced to undergo processing and fermentation. The results show that harvesting at two weeks after maturity was the most promising as it had the least mycellial growth, the highest number and weight of fresh pods and beans, dried pods and beans, fresh beans, dried pods and beans, fresh beans, dried beans, highest ether extract, moisture content, nitrogen free extract, crude far and least crude fibre and ash contents coupled with a high processing and fermenting rate than harvesting at one, three, four, five and six weeks after maturity.