3. The Mars Center for Cocoa Science (MCCS) supports
cocoa supply stream sustainability and the development
of cocoa quality attributes through scientific research in
T. cacao genetics, breeding, fermentation and production
systems/agroforestry.

5.  Cultivated for the first time
by the Mayans
 Used as a holly drink by the
Olmecs

7. Ivory
Coast
34%
Ghana
19%
Indonesia
14%
Brazil
4,4%
Cameroon
Nigeria
13%
PNG
1,5%
DR
1,5%
Equator
3,7%
ROW
9%
The cacao production around the world

8.  Yield Average today: 200-500 kg / ha
 Total harvest, 3,6 millon mt
Susceptibility to diseases
 Losses to Black Pod: 700.000 ton. (19%)
Inadequate agricultural practices
 6,5 millions of small farmers
Crop is not sustainable
Availability of planting material
 Very few propagation centers in
growing regions

9. It is necessary to renovate old unproductive cocoa
plantings with improved planting material .

10. Overall Objetive
Increase the production of somatic embryos in
clones of Theobroma cacao L. and evaluate the
efficiency index of the process for each of them by
two ways primary and secondary somatic
embryogenesis.

11. METHODOLOGY

12. Explants for primary somatic
embryogenesis
Source: Penn State University

13. Different types of callus in cacao somatic embryogenesis (A) brown callus,
(B) Brown-white callus, (C) White callus. (D) Primary brown callus with
embryos (E) Secondary brown callus with embryos (F) globular and torpedo
shape embryos
A B C
D E F

14. Explants for secondary somatic embryogenesis

15. Mass propagation of secondary embryogenesis
Solid media
Cuts cotyledons
Production of
secondary embryos

16. Mass propagation by secondary Embryogenesis
And development of secondary embryos into
plants…

17. Maturation
The principal and important step for conversion of embryos into plants.
During that process the emrbyos store substances like anthocyanins
and fatty acids, which are important for good germination of embryos
later on.

18. Fig. 2. Different types of somatic embryos. Representation of Pound 7: (A)
normal embryos; (B) abnormal embryos without stem; (C) abnormal embryos
without shoot and root; (D) abnormal embryos with two stems; (E) abnormal
embryos without root.
Critical point in the maturation process
A B C D E

19. Germination of embryos
Conversion to plants
Converting process of somatic embryos in Plants.
Transfer to the greenhouse

20. Acclimatization process of somatic embryogenesis Plants.
Temperature: 26-30 °C
Humidity: 75-99%

21. (SE Plants with 2 months of acclimatization)
Conversion of somatic embryos into plants.

22. Production of secondary embryos and their maturation
Multiplication, maturation, and conversion to plants of
secondary or tertiary embryos

23. Highly confidential
Bent hardwood propagation of cocoa

24. Fig. 5. Preliminary results of propagation process at MCCS

25. 1000 petals of Flower
12000 Secondary
embryos/person/year of IMC67
Plantlet
Primary somatic
embryogenesis
Bending
Multiplication of
orthotropic shoots (x100)
860.000 plants produced by
bending the SE derived plants
300 Primary embryos of IMC67
8600 plants to go to greenhouse

26. General Requirements
Methodology
Estimated
Time
(Months)
Number of
Explants
Productio
n index
Number of
introductions
/year
Human
Resource
(N° People)
Production
(N° of Plants)
Solid Primary
SE. Solid
Culture
8 - 12 18.000 0,3 50 1-2
2.700
Solid Primary
and
Secondary SE
7-10 86.400 20 36 15-20 860.000
Liquid
Secondary SE 7 - 10 86.400 40 36 12-15 1.728.000