Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire grow most of the world's cocoa, and black pod disease takes a fifth of it every year. Weekly pod removal during the rains is worth more than any single spray.
- Grown in
- Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Indonesia
- Season
- Perennial, two harvest peaks per year
- Soil & pH
- Deep, moist, well-drained forest soil, pH 6.0–7.0, needs shade
What to scout for on Cocoa
- Brown spreading rot on pods — black pod (Phytophthora)
- Swollen shoots and red vein banding — swollen shoot virus
- Mealybugs on the flower cushions, the virus vector
- Sooty mould following heavy mealybug activity
Diseases that attack Cocoa
Products you can buy for Cocoa
Typical registered products for the diseases above, with active ingredient, mixing rate, spray interval and pre-harvest interval. Rotate FRAC/IRAC groups to avoid resistance.
Mancozeb 80% WP
Active ingredient: Mancozeb
- Dose:
- 2.0–2.5 g per litre of water (2.0–2.5 kg/ha in 800–1000 L)
- Interval:
- Every 7 days during cool, wet weather
- PHI:
- 7 days
Protectant only — it must be on the leaf before spores land. Re-apply after 20 mm of rain.
Copper oxychloride 50% WP
Active ingredient: Copper oxychloride
- Dose:
- 3 g per litre (2.5–3 kg/ha)
- Interval:
- Every 7–10 days
- PHI:
- 3–5 days
Approved for most organic programmes. Do not spray in full midday sun on young foliage — copper can scorch.
Ridomil Gold MZ (metalaxyl-M + mancozeb)
Active ingredient: Metalaxyl-M 4% + Mancozeb 64%
- Dose:
- 2.5 g per litre (2.5 kg/ha)
- Interval:
- Every 10–14 days, maximum 3 applications per season
- PHI:
- 14 days
Curative for 2–3 days after infection. Never use alone or more than 3 times — Phytophthora develops metalaxyl resistance quickly.
Cymoxanil + famoxadone
Active ingredient: Cymoxanil 30% + Famoxadone 22.5%
- Dose:
- 0.4 g per litre (400 g/ha)
- Interval:
- Every 10 days
- PHI:
- 7 days
Excellent rotation partner with mancozeb; alternate FRAC groups on every second spray.
Imidacloprid 17.8% SL (vector control)
Active ingredient: Imidacloprid
- Dose:
- 0.3 ml per litre foliar, or 1 ml/L as a nursery drench
- Interval:
- Every 14–21 days, maximum 2 per season
- PHI:
- 21 days
Targets the aphid and whitefly vectors, not the virus. Avoid during flowering to protect pollinators.
Mineral / horticultural oil
Active ingredient: Paraffinic oil 80%
- Dose:
- 10 ml per litre (1% v/v)
- Interval:
- Every 7 days during vector flights
- PHI:
- 0 days
Oil films block non-persistent virus transmission on the aphid stylet — one of the few tools that reduce spread.
Doses shown are typical registered field rates. Always read the product label, confirm the product is registered for your crop and country, respect the pre-harvest interval (PHI), and wear the protective equipment the label specifies. PlantWatch AI provides agronomic guidance, not a legal spray recommendation.
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