MCB has received more than 200 cocoa accessions from the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre at the University of Reading. The cocoa genetic materials received have been conserved in field genebanks at MCB stations throughout Malaysia.
The received genetic materials have been observed and evaluated under local agro-climatic conditions for a range of traits including yield, pod and bean characteristics, quality/flavour, pest and diseases resistance and other desirable traits. Several accessions have shown resistance/tolerance to vascular streak dieback disease (VSD), good bean quality and good flavour, and are being used in the breeding program for development of superior cocoa planting materials.
Quarantine house in the Cocoa Research and Development Centre (CRDC) of MCB Bagan Datuk, Perak, Malaysia.
Photo: MCB
Imported cocoa accessions released from CRDC Bagan Datuk quarantine facility for planting/propagation at observational field plots at CRDC Bagan Datuk.
Photo: MCB
Cocoa genetic materials observational plot at CRDC Bagan Datuk, Perak, Malaysia.
Photo: MCB