Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds

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Summary

• Worldwide distribution. In wet tropics. On cocoa and many other trees and shrubs. An important disease when cultural control operations are not done routinely.
• Fungal threads grow along branches, onto leaf stalks and blades, killing the leaves, which remain hanging in place attached by the threads.
• White toadstools occur occasionally in wet weather.
• Spread is by spores, and branches falling from shade trees onto cocoa beneath.
• Cultural control: prune out infected branches, along with the leaves, remove from the plantation, and burn them. Make regular 3-monthly inspections.
• Chemical control: none recommended.