Global Chocolate Supply Impacted By Cacao Tree-Killing Virus from plant mineral nutrition Watch Video

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✓ Published: 25-Apr-2024

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Global Chocolate<br/>Supply Impacted, By Cacao Tree-Killing Virus.<br/>'Newsweek' reports that the price of chocolate <br/>may be increasing after a virus ravaged cacao <br/>trees in western Africa - significantly in Ghana.<br/>'Newsweek' reports that the price of chocolate <br/>may be increasing after a virus ravaged cacao <br/>trees in western Africa - significantly in Ghana.<br/>According to a new study published in the journal <br/>'PLoS ONE,' between 15% and 50% of the harvest <br/>of cocoa trees in Ghana has been lost due to <br/>cacao swollen shoot virus disease (CSSSVD). .<br/>Small insects called mealybugs are responsible for <br/>spreading the virus between trees, causing a number of problems including leaf discoloration and distorted growth.<br/>Small insects called mealybugs are responsible for <br/>spreading the virus between trees, causing a number of problems including leaf discoloration and distorted growth.<br/>So far, over 250 million cacao trees <br/>have already been killed by the virus. .<br/>This virus is a real threat <br/>to the global supply <br/>of chocolate, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of <br/>mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.<br/>'Newsweek' reports that the virus has proven to be <br/>hard to prevent since mealybug vectors are<br/>extremely hard to control by conventional means.<br/>'Newsweek' reports that the virus has proven to be <br/>hard to prevent since mealybug vectors are<br/>extremely hard to control by conventional means.<br/>Pesticides don't work well against <br/>mealybugs, leaving farmers to try <br/>to prevent the spread of the disease <br/>by cutting out infected trees and <br/>breeding resistant trees. But despite <br/>these efforts, Ghana has lost more than <br/>254 million cacao trees in recent years, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of <br/>mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.<br/>Pesticides don't work well against <br/>mealybugs, leaving farmers to try <br/>to prevent the spread of the disease <br/>by cutting out infected trees and <br/>breeding resistant trees. But despite <br/>these efforts, Ghana has lost more than <br/>254 million cacao trees in recent years, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of <br/>mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.<br/>Researchers believe that the distance <br/>between trees could prevent the mealybugs <br/>from spreading the disease from tree to tree. .<br/>Researchers believe that the distance <br/>between trees could prevent the mealybugs <br/>from spreading the disease from tree to tree. .<br/>Mealybugs have several ways of <br/>movement, including moving from <br/>canopy to canopy, being carried <br/>by ants or blown by the wind, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of <br/>mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.<br/>What we needed to do was create a model <br/>for cacao growers so they could know how <br/>far away they could safely plant vaccinated <br/>trees from unvaccinated trees in order to <br/>prevent the spread of the virus while keeping <br/>costs manageable for these small farmers, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of <br/>mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'