Plant Pathology

The Plant Pathology Division is the oldest division of the five Scientific Divisions of the Institute, created by the Gold Coast Department of Agriculture to investigate problems of pests and diseases. The Division, with a mission of providing farmers with cost effective and environmentally friendly disease control strategies compatible with their resources to sustain production of CRIG mandated crops, is involved in research work on all aspects of disease management of these crops. The Division is made up of the Virology and Mycology Sections with six (6) research grade staff (three virologists and three mycologists), five (5) technical officers, twelve (12) technical assistants and forty-six (46) field assistants. The Virology Section deals with viral diseases of the mandated crops. Its main activity is centered on the epidemiology and control of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD). The section has a museum with a large collection of CSSV isolates, the only one of its kind in the world, which serves many research and academic institutions from various parts of the globe.

The current activities of the section include:

• Diagnosis of CSSVD using physical, serological, biochemical and molecular methods.
• Histochemical and cytopathological studies of CSSV infected tissues.
• Studies on the use of CSSVD immune crops as barrier between cocoa plantings as a management strategy.
• Evaluation of mild strain protection techniques for CSSVD control and selection and breeding for cocoa varieties resistant/tolerant to the virus.

The Mycology Section deals with fungal disease of the mandated crops.

Current research activities include:

• Diagnosis of diseased samples to establish the cause of the disease.
• Studies on the epidemiology of the disease.
• Screening of new fungicides and subsequent recommendation of effective ones to farmers.
• Testing of spray equipment for specific physical attributes, which facilitate good coverage, penetration and re-distribution of chemicals.
• Investigations into cultural, chemical and biological methods of disease control.
• Developing screening methods for resistance to cocoa diseases and the use of these methods to screen germplasm in breeding programmes.
• Studies of resistance mechanisms in cocoa cultivars.