Resumen

HERNANDEZ-GOMEZ, Elizabeth et al. Socioeconomic and parasitological factors that limits cocoa production in Chiapas, Mexico. Rev. mex. fitopatol [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.232-246. ISSN 2007-8080.

The main goal of this research was to identify the socioeconomic and parasitological factors that limit cocoa production in Chiapas, Mexico. One hundred and nine cacao-growers were visited and interviewed in the two main cocoa-producing regions. According to results only 14.7 % farmers grow white-almond cacao. The average production unit is 2.6 hectares. Cacao growers are 59 years-old on average and 56 % of them did not finish elementary school. Only 19.3 % of the production units are under woman responsibility. Average yield is 118 kg ha-1 and 60.5 % growers sell cacao to intermediaries. Pests that affect the crop and their occurrence include Moniliophthora roreri(100 %), Phytophthora capsici(67%), Fusariumsp. (10.1 %), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(3.7 %), Ceratocystis cacaofunesta(0.9 %), Atta sp. (33.9 %), Toxoptera aurantii (11 %), squirrels (7.3 %), Xyleborus ferrugineus, Xylosandrus morigerus, Hypothenemus birmanus, Corthylus minutissimus, Taurodermus sharpi, Hypothenemus interstitialis(5.5 %), Vanduzea segmentata(5.5 %), woodpecker (4.6 %), Selenothrips rubrocintus (3.7 %), Clastoptera laenata (3.7 %) and mole (3.7 %). Moniliophthora is the main factor that affects cacao survival and biodiversity in Chiapas. The disease destroys production, makes control uneconomical and causes growers to abandon their plantations.

Palabras llave : Mexico; cacao; decline; socioeconomic; pests.