Project Impact

Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA), Côte d’Ivoire

In 2000, 22 clones were received from ICQC,R for use in the CFC/ICCO/Bioversity International Clonal Trial, which was planted in the same year and included two local clones. Subsequently, between 2007 and 2023, at least 220 accessions were introduced from ICQC,R to the CNRA Divo research station. Several of these accessions were planted in field plots and some of them were characterized in various field trials as follows:

1. In a multi-location trial of 24 clones including 7 clones imported from Reading (MA 12, PNG 110, SC 1, IMC 20, PNG 139 and GU 147/H), three clones imported from CIRAD quarantine (GU 139, GU 134/B and GU 285/B), 12 local clones and 5 control clones planted at both the CNRA Divo and Soubré sites, the following key results were obtained:
   • GU 147/H stood out for its early production (11 pods/tree two years after planting);
   • GU 134/B, MA 12 and PNG 139, IMC 20 and SC 1 showed no pod rot two years after planting;
   • With regard to potential annual yield assessed over a cumulative period of five harvest years, the best performing accessions received from Reading for yield potential at both Divo and Soubré are SC 1 (1615.8 kg/ha at Soubré vs. 750.6 kg/ha at Divo), PNG 110 (1577.2 kg/ha at Soubré vs. 743.9 kg/ha at Divo) and GU 147/H (1365.7 kg/ha at Soubré vs. 650.1 kg/ha at Divo).
2. Fifteen accessions introduced from Reading (GU 183/G, Playa Alta 2, ICS 75, RB 49, APA 5, ICS 60, UF 273, ICS 6, EET 59, OC 77, SCA 9, CL 10/5, CL 19/10, LCT EEN 163/A and EET 95) and planted in a field trial at the Divo Station were characterized for pod volume, the thickness of the pod husk, and various bean traits. The results of the evaluation showed that:
   • The best accessions for pod volume are UF 273 (805.0 cm3), ICS 75 (762.9 cm³) and EET 59 (690.4 cm³);
   • CL 10 /5 was remarkable for the thickness of its pod husk;
   • EET 95 was the best for the number of normal beans per pod (average 46.3);
   • RB 49 had the lowest number of flat beans per pod;
   • With regard to the average weight of fresh normal beans in a pod, accessions UF 273, RB 49 and APA 5 were the best, with weights of 244.2 g, 163.0 g and 161.0 g respectively;
   • In terms of bean size, measured by the average weight of a merchantable cocoa bean, the top three accessions received from Reading were APA 5 (2.5 g), RB 49 (2.03 g) and UF 273 (1.83 g).

With a view to preventive control, CNRA has introduced accessions resistant or tolerant to witches' broom and moniliasis at its Divo research station. Most of the accessions introduced have been planted in a trial at the Divo Station and are in production. In order to determine which of them are inter-compatible, crosses were made between them. The study led to the creation of ten crosses involving a total of six progenitors (POUND 7/B, TRD 85, MATINA 1-7, GU 171/C, SILECIA 5, MOQ 6/95). The resulting progenies were planted in a plot at the Divo station at the same time as their parents and are being assessed for their resistance to endogenous diseases, as well as their production potential.

Information and data provided by Mathias Tahi, CNRA.