Abstract Searching for new approaches to confer resistance to diseases in plants is one of the main objectives of the Cacao breeding program (CBP). Witches' broom (WB) and black pod rot (BPR) are important cacao diseases in Bahia, Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the resistance in plants from 40 progenies of genetic crosses between elite clones to natural infection by high levels of Moniliophthora perniciosa and Phytophthora spp. WB and BPR infection assessments were conducted in the field, including evaluation of vegetative brooms (VB), cushion brooms (CB), and total brooms (TB), as well as the percentage of WB-diseased (FRUWB) and BPR-diseased (FRUBPR) fruits. Ten progenies showed resistance to infection in both the canopy and fruits. No significant differences between the progenies were detected for FRUBPR.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to select genotypes resistant to witches’ broom (WB) and black pod (BP), major cacao diseases in Brazil, as well as incorporate resistance genes to moniliasis supplemented by clones EET75 and UF273, forming populations of second-cycle recurrent selection. Moniliophthora perniciosa (2 × 105 basidiospores/mL) was inoculated on 30-day-old seedlings from 72 different progenies, being assessed 60 days later, and a mixture of four isolates of Phytophthora palmivora (3 × 105 zoospores/mL) was inoculated on leaf discs from 58 progenies, observing lesions after seven days. Significant effects of progeny were observed in the tests of resistance to both diseases (p < 0.05). Scavina-6 expressed resistance to both pathogens, 26 crosses did not differ from free-pollinated progenies of Scavina-6 for WB, and ten crosses were higher and 27 similar for BP. Eight crosses were largely resistant to both diseases.

A doença venooclusiva inflamatória mesentérica é uma causa rara de isquémia intestinal, caracterizando-se pelo atingimento das veias mesentéricas e suas tributárias, sem envolvimento concomitante do sistema arterial. A propósito desta entidade os autores apresentam o caso clínico de um doente, com quadro suboclusivo intestinal e cujo estudo endoscópico do cólon mostrou mucosa edemaciada, com acentuado compromisso da distensibilidade do cólon sigmóide e descendente, traduzindo-se radiologicamente por estenose irregular do cólon, a sugerir neoplasia. As biópsias do cólon foram negativas para neoplasia pelo que, perante a suspeita clínica, foi submetido a ressecção de segmento atingido. O estudo anatomopatológico da peça operatória revelou tratar-se de uma doença inflamatória venooclusiva. Verificou-se boa evolução clínica. Discutem-se os principais aspectos do diagnóstico e terapêutica.

Mesenteric inflammatory venooclusive disease is a rare cause of intestinal ischemia. Diagnosis is based on the demonstration of inflammation of mesenteric veins, without concomitant involvement of the arterial system. The authors describe the clinical case of a patient admitted with an intestinal obstruction, submitted to colonoscopy which showed edema of the mucosa and decrease of the distensibility of sigmoid and descendent. Radiological study revealed an irregular stenosis suggestive of a tumor. Biopsy was inconclusive. A segmental resection of involved bowel was performed and histological examination of the ressected specimen has shown alterations compatible with venooclusive disease. Good clinical evolution was verified. We discuss the main aspects of the therapeutic and diagnosis.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a diversidade genética de acessos de cacau, selecionados previamente como produtivos e resistentes à vassoura-de-bruxa na Bahia, e estudar suas inter-relações com genótipos no banco de germoplasma. Amostras de DNA de folhas dos 120 acessos, coletados em 17 fazendas de sete municípios do Sul da Bahia, foram amplificadas pela técnica de RAPD ("random amplified polymorphic DNA"). Os coeficientes de dissimilaridade genética, calculados pelo método de Jaccard a partir das bandas RAPD, permitiram evidenciar, pela análise de agrupamento, que a maioria das seleções das fazendas (89,2%) agrupou-se com acessos do banco de germoplasma considerados representativos da diversidade de cacau (híbridos, trinitários, Scavinas, amazônicos e cacau-comum). As demais seleções distribuíram-se em outros sete grupos distintos. Há elevada diversidade genética entre as seleções das fazendas, e algumas delas devem ter-se originado de genitores não incluídos nesta análise. Esses materiais apresentam potencial para seleção de clones com maior diversidade para novos cruzamentos ou uso pelos agricultores.

The objective of this work was to assess genetic diversity of farm cacao accessions, previously selected as productive and resistant to witch broom in Bahia, Brazil, and to study their interrelationship with reference genotypes on germplasm bank. DNA samples from 120 cacao accessions, collected on 17 farms in seven counties in Southern Bahia, were amplified by RAPD technique (random amplified polymorphic DNA). The coefficients of genetic dissimilarity, calculated from the RAPD bands by Jaccard method, allowed to show by cluster analysis that most farm selections (89.2%) grouped with accessions from germplasm bank considered representatives of the cacao genetic diversity (hybrids, Trinitarian, Scavina, Amazon and common cacao). The other selections were distributed in seven distinct groups. There is high genetic diversity among farm selections, and some of them may have originated from other progenitors not included in this analysis. These materials present potential for clone selection with higher diversity for new crossings or direct use by agriculturists.

A doença vassoura-de-bruxa, causada pelo fungo Crinipellis perniciosa, é o principal problema fitossanitário para o cultivo do cacaueiro no Brasil. O manejo integrado da doença envolve a resistência como um dos componentes. O programa de melhoramento genético do cacaueiro conduzido pela Instituição brasileira CEPLAC é direcionado para acumular genes de resistência de diferentes fontes visando à obtenção de uma resistência mais durável. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar novas fontes de resistência em progênies de acessos de cacau da Amazônia brasileira. Os acessos foram coletados em dez bacias hidrográficas da Amazônia e comparados com progênies de 'Scavina 6' e 'Scavina 12', do Peru. Progênies de 40 acessos amazônicos e de 'Scavina' foram avaliadas no campo por seis anos para resistência à vassoura-de-bruxa, através de análise multivariada e de medidas repetidas considerando os efeitos de progênie, ensaio, bloco, ano e suas interações. Houve diferenças no número de vassouras vegetativas em algumas das progênies amazônicas e de 'Scavina'. Houve também incremento no número de vassouras para os descendentes de 'Scavina' no último ano do experimento, fato não observado para as progênies dos clones amazônicos 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 e 274. Existem diferentes genes/alelos de resistência em progênies amazônicas e em descendentes do tradicional 'Scavina'. As novas fontes de resistência serão importantes para a piramidação de genes/alelos para a ampliação da estabilidade e durabilidade da resistência.

The witches' broom disease caused by the fungus Crinipellis perniciosa is the main phytossanitary constraint for cacao production in Brazil. The integrated management of the disease involves resistance as one of the components. The breeding program conducted by the Brazilian Institution, CEPLAC is directed toward the pyramidation of resistance genes from different sources to achieve a more durable resistance. This study aimed to identify sources of resistance in progenies of cacao accessions collected in the basins of ten Amazonian rivers and compared to progenies from the Peruvian clones 'Scavina 6' and 'Sacavina 12'. Progenies from 40 Amazonian accessions and 'Scavina' were evaluated in the field for six years for witches' broom resistance through multivariate and repeated measurement analyses evaluating the effect of progeny, area, block, year, and their interactions. There were differences in the mean number of vegetative brooms on some Amazonian progenies and 'Scavina' descendants. There was an increase in the number of vegetative brooms in the last year for 'Scavina' progenies, but that was not observed for the Amazonian progenies 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 and 274. There were different gene/alleles for resistance in the Amazonian progenies in comparison to the traditional 'Scavina' accessions. These new sources of resistance will be important for pyramiding resistance genes and consequently increasing the stability and durability of the resistance to witches' broom.

A diversidade genética em cacau (Theobroma cacao L.), embasada em dados morfológicos e em marcadores moleculares, tem sido avaliada com fins de manejo de germoplasma e uso no melhoramento genético. Dados de genealogia de cacau, embora disponíveis, não têm sido utilizados. Foi analisada a diversidade genética em uma amostra de 30 acessos clonais de cacau da série CEPEC, com base em marcadores RAPD e informações de genealogia. Vinte destes acessos são descendentes de TSA-644, material Alto Amazônico, e os dez restantes, derivados de outros cruzamentos envolvendo materiais Amazônicos e Trinitários. Para obtenção dos marcadores RAPD foram utilizados 16 primers e as informações de pedigree obtidas no "International Cocoa Genetic Database". A diversidade genética encontrada foi relativamente baixa, devido ao grande relacionamento genético entre a maioria dos materiais estudados. Verificaram-se nos acessos descendentes de TSA-644 maior diversidade, o que pode ser atribuído à origem deste parental, derivado de um cruzamento entre acessos altamente divergentes. O nível de associação entre similaridades genéticas e coeficientes de paternidade (COP), foi muito baixo, provavelmente devido à homogeneidade do material estudados quanto à genealogia. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho podem auxiliar na definição de novos cruzamentos para o desenvolvimento de híbridos ou variedades clonais.

Genetic diversity in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) has been assessed based on morphological and molecular markers for germplasm management and breeding purposes. Pedigree data is available in cocoa but it has not been used for assessing genetic relatedness. The geneitic diversity of 30 clonal cocoa accessions resistant to witche´ broom disease, from the CEPEC series, were studied on the basis of RAPD data and pedigree information. Twenty of these accessions descend from the TSA-644 clone, originated from a cross between the Upper Amazon germplasm called Scavina-6, the main source of resistance to witches' broom disease, and IMC-67. The ten remaining clones come from different sources including Amazon and Trinitario germplasm. RAPD data was collected using 16 primers and pedigree information was obtained from the International Cocoa Germplasm Database. Genetic similarities, genetic distances and coefficient of parentage were calculated using available software. Relatively low genetic diversity was observed in this germplasm set, probably because of great genetic relatedness amongst accessions studied and the poor representation of the germplasm. The TSA-644 descendants were more diverse than the other accessions used in the study. This might be due to the origin of the TSA clone, which was derived from highly divergent genotypes. Association between genetic similarities based on RAPD data and coefficient of parentage, based on pedigree data, was very low, probably due to the homogeneity of the breeding stocks and poor pedigree information. These findings are useful to cocoa breeders in planning crosses for the development of hybrid and clonal cultivars.