Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential
The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes) representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG), grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated fo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35573 |
| _version_ | 1855519027079675904 |
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| author | Trognitz, B. Cros, E. Assemat, S. Davrieux, Fabrice Forestier-Chiron, N. Ayestas, E. Kuant, A. Scheldeman, Xavier Hermann, M. |
| author_browse | Assemat, S. Ayestas, E. Cros, E. Davrieux, Fabrice Forestier-Chiron, N. Hermann, M. Kuant, A. Scheldeman, Xavier Trognitz, B. |
| author_facet | Trognitz, B. Cros, E. Assemat, S. Davrieux, Fabrice Forestier-Chiron, N. Ayestas, E. Kuant, A. Scheldeman, Xavier Hermann, M. |
| author_sort | Trognitz, B. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes) representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG), grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated for two successive harvest periods. Cocoa samples were fermented using a technique mimicking recommended on-farm practices. The sensory cocoa quality was assessed by experienced tasters, and seven major chemical taste compounds were quantified by near infrared spectrometry (NIRS). The association of the nine, partially admixed, genotype spectra with the analytical and sensory quality parameters was tested. The individual parameters were analyzed as a function of the factors GG and harvest (including the date of fermentation), individual trees within a single GG were used as replications. In fermented cocoa, significant GG-specific differences were observed for methylxanthines, theobromine-to-caffeine (T/C) ratio, total fat, procyanidin B5 and epicatechin, as well as the sensory attributes global score, astringency, and dry fruit aroma, but differences related to harvest were also apparent. The potential cocoa yield was also highly determined by the individual GG, although there was significant tree-to-tree variation within every single GG. Non-fermented samples showed large harvest-to-harvest variation of their chemical composition, while differences between GG were insignificant. These results suggest that selection by the genetic background, represented here by groups of partially admixed genotype spectra, would be a useful strategy toward enhancing quality and yield of cocoa in Nicaragua. Selection by the GG within the local, genetically segregating populations of seed-propagated cacao, followed by clonal propagation of best-performing individuals of the selected GG could be a viable alternative to traditional propagation of cacao by seed from open pollination. Fast and gentle air-drying of the fermented beans and their permanent dry storage were an efficient and comparatively easy precondition for high cocoa quality. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace35573 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| publisherStr | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace355732025-12-08T09:54:28Z Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential Trognitz, B. Cros, E. Assemat, S. Davrieux, Fabrice Forestier-Chiron, N. Ayestas, E. Kuant, A. Scheldeman, Xavier Hermann, M. cocoa beans fermentation quality theobroma cacao trees yield forecasting The sensory quality and the contents of quality-determining chemical compounds in unfermented and fermented cocoa from 100 cacao trees (individual genotypes) representing groups of nine genotype spectra (GG), grown at smallholder plantings in the municipality of Waslala, Nicaragua, were evaluated for two successive harvest periods. Cocoa samples were fermented using a technique mimicking recommended on-farm practices. The sensory cocoa quality was assessed by experienced tasters, and seven major chemical taste compounds were quantified by near infrared spectrometry (NIRS). The association of the nine, partially admixed, genotype spectra with the analytical and sensory quality parameters was tested. The individual parameters were analyzed as a function of the factors GG and harvest (including the date of fermentation), individual trees within a single GG were used as replications. In fermented cocoa, significant GG-specific differences were observed for methylxanthines, theobromine-to-caffeine (T/C) ratio, total fat, procyanidin B5 and epicatechin, as well as the sensory attributes global score, astringency, and dry fruit aroma, but differences related to harvest were also apparent. The potential cocoa yield was also highly determined by the individual GG, although there was significant tree-to-tree variation within every single GG. Non-fermented samples showed large harvest-to-harvest variation of their chemical composition, while differences between GG were insignificant. These results suggest that selection by the genetic background, represented here by groups of partially admixed genotype spectra, would be a useful strategy toward enhancing quality and yield of cocoa in Nicaragua. Selection by the GG within the local, genetically segregating populations of seed-propagated cacao, followed by clonal propagation of best-performing individuals of the selected GG could be a viable alternative to traditional propagation of cacao by seed from open pollination. Fast and gentle air-drying of the fermented beans and their permanent dry storage were an efficient and comparatively easy precondition for high cocoa quality. 2013 2014-05-05T08:44:26Z 2014-05-05T08:44:26Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35573 en Open Access application/pdf Public Library of Science Trognitz, B.; Cros, E.; Assemat, S.; Davrieux, F.; Forestier-Chiron, N.; Ayestas, E.; Kuant, A.; Scheldeman, X.; Hermann, M. -2013-Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential -PLoS ONE 8(1): e54079- |
| spellingShingle | cocoa beans fermentation quality theobroma cacao trees yield forecasting Trognitz, B. Cros, E. Assemat, S. Davrieux, Fabrice Forestier-Chiron, N. Ayestas, E. Kuant, A. Scheldeman, Xavier Hermann, M. Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title | Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title_full | Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title_fullStr | Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title_short | Diversity of cacao trees in Waslala, Nicaragua: associations between genotype spectra, product quality and yield potential |
| title_sort | diversity of cacao trees in waslala nicaragua associations between genotype spectra product quality and yield potential |
| topic | cocoa beans fermentation quality theobroma cacao trees yield forecasting |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35573 |
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