Bark canker of cocoa

Abstract

Bark canker is an infectious  disease caused by the same fungus that causes black pod  disease of cocoa, Phytophthora palmivora. It can infect and kill cocoa trees of any age but more often it is serious in trees over 10 years old because it tends to build up as trees  get older. If it is not con­trolled it can kill trees very suddenly ('sudden death'), or more slowly, depending on the weather and the sensitivity of  the trees to the disease.