| Moniliophthora perniciosa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Marasmiaceae |
| Genus: | Moniliophthora |
| Species: | M. perniciosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel) Aime & Phillips-Mora, (2005)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Crinipellis perniciosa (Stahel) Singer, (1943) | |
Moniliophthora perniciosa (previously Crinipellis perniciosa)[1] is a fungus that causes "witches' broom disease" (WBD) of the cocoa tree T. cacao.[2] This pathogen is currently limited to South America, Panama and the Caribbean, and is perhaps one of the best-known cocoa diseases, thought to have co-evolved with cocoa in its centre of origin (first recorded in the Brazilian Amazon in 1785).
This fungus is hemibiotroph, with two characteristic phases: biotrophic (expanding and infecting, on living tissue) and saprotrophic (producing basidiospores, on necrotic tissue). The biotrophic stage, and what triggers its switch to a saprotrophic stage, are still not understood.
- ^ Aime, M.C.; Phillips-Mora, W. (2005). "The causal agents of witches' broom and frosty pod rot of cacao (chocolate, Theobroma cacao) form a new lineage of Marasmiaceae". Mycologia. 97 (5): 1012–1022. doi:10.3852/mycologia.97.5.1012. PMID 16596953.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Becker, Hank (1999). "Fighting a fungal siege on Cocao farms". Agricultural Research. 47: 4–8.