A review of research on the effects of drought and temperature stress and increased CO2 on Theobroma cacao L., and the role of genetic diversity to address climate change

The global status of research on the effects of drought, temperature and elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels on the cacao plant, and the role of genetic diversity in producing more resilient cacao, are presented in this report. With the aim to enhance what we know about the resilience of cacao to climate change, and generate a comprehensive understanding of the questions that remain, this report highlights significant advances in published and ongoing research on drought and temperature tolerance in cacao. Most of the information about ongoing or unpublished work was obtained from personal communications and surveys involving research institutes around the globe. Organizations were selected to participate in the survey based on their presence in the relevant literature, referrals from other organizations, or personal communications from individuals attesting to their involvement in research related to drought and temperature tolerance, or increased CO2 response, in cacao. A vast network of public and private sector partners including research institutes, producer organizations, and industry representatives around the world participated and were involved to collect additional information on unpublished and on-going research work in this area. Over a 100 scientists from 50 institutes across 29 countries participated. Additional information was gathered from personal communications, surveys carried out in collaboration with WCF and its USAID-supported Feed the Future Partnership for the Climate-Smart Cocoa Program, the Global Network for Cacao Genetic Resources (CacaoNet), the International Network for Cacao Genetic Improvement (INGENIC), the Regional Breeders Working Groups, and the research team on cacao and climate change at the University of Reading, UK. Fundamentally, the literature compiled in this report serves as a basis to understand the questions that still remain regarding cacao’s responses to abiotic stresses, highlight the resources that are available to answer them, and identify synergies and complementarities. The report also helps to identify key research questions and partners for the development of a proposal for an international/multi-institutional research programme, to be implemented over the next three to five years, as part of the Collaborative Framework for Cacao Evaluation (CFCE). Although future climatic predictions are worrisome, the genetic materials held within national and international collections offer much potential in the development of improved planting material. The objective of the report is to gather as much information as possible, so that we can aim to maximize the resilience of cacao through the discovery and use of improved planting material, in combination with improved management practices.  We express our gratitude to all of those who provided details of their research on cacao genetic resources and abiotic stress and we acknowledge financial support of WCF and its Feed the Future Partnership for Climate Smart Cocoa, through a grant to Bioversity International from USDA-FAS, the ECA/CAOBISCO/FCC Joint Working Group on Cocoa Quality and Productivity; and the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)

Summary booklet of the global strategy for the conservation and use of Musa genetic resources : A consultative document prepared by the Global Musa Genetic Resources Network (MusaNet)

This publication summarizes the Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources

Religious philanthropy and Chinese civil society

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Global strategy for the conservation and use of Musa genetic resources

The Strategy has been updated by Musa genetic resources and breeding experts within the framework of MusaNet, which has the mandate to oversee the implementation and further development of the Strategy. The Strategy provides a framework and roadmap to be used by the Musa community for the efficient and effective conservation of the globally important collections of Musa and to strengthen the utilization of the genetic resources. It covers numerous topics, with 12 chapters divided into four main parts: Diversity, Identity, Management and Use. Each chapter contains the three sections: Where we are, Where do we want to go, and How will we get there. It includes recommendations and priorities indicated in several consultation processes following the 2006 version and particularly following the expertise of key groups represented, such as the Regional Research Networks (BAPNET, BARNESA, Innovate Plantain, MusaLAC) and global networks such as ProMusa

Review of the CFC/ICCO/Bioversity project on cacao germplasm evaluation (1998-2010)

The CFC/ICCO/Bioversity project was in response to an urgent need to revitalize cacao breeding and research globally for increasing resistance to pests and disease. It aimed to strengthen national cacao improvement programmes and increase international collaboration by carrying out joint evaluation, selection and breeding activities in ten cocoa-producing countries. The project implemented in two phases – Phase I (1998- 2004) and Phase II (2004-2010), has been one of the most ambitious collaborative efforts in cacao breeding. With an understanding that a similar global collaboration is needed to tackle the impacts of climate change on cacao production, this review was developed in response to a request from the cocoa industry and research partners to evaluate the effectiveness of the project, identify key lessons learned for the implementation of new multisite evaluation field trials focused on increasing the resilience of cacao to the effects of climate change. The cacao research community will be able to use these lessons learned to be better prepared for, and more effective in, the execution of future collaborative research initiatives

Cadmium in cacao from Latin America and the Caribbean: A review of research and potential mitigation solutions

Cadmium is a heavy metal which accumulates in the body and affects our health. In order to control the amount we consume, the EU has set maximum permissible levels for different foods. A regulation specifying maximum levels of cadmium in cocoa and chocolate products came into force in January 2019 and similar regulations are being developed by other countries. In comparison to other cacao growing regions such as Africa and Asia-Pacific, some countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are particularly impacted by worrying levels of cadmium in cacao beans that are a concern for the manufacturers of high-cacao content products. In this context, there is a pressing need to identify solutions that reduce cadmium levels in cacao beans and provide mitigation solutions at key processing stages in the value chain. This review presents the status of research on sources of cadmium contamination in soils, soil properties that affect cadmium bioavailability, physiological mechanisms and varietal differences in cadmium uptake by the cacao tree and the consequence of post-harvest processes. It presents potential mitigation solutions applicable to cacao that have been investigated through trials or considered by the research community. The review also includes information on ongoing research projects to gain a better understanding of the direction of research and potential gaps to be filled. This work was coordinated by Bioversity International and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) through the Latin American Cacao Initiative (ILAC). We thank all the institutions and individuals that provided information concerning research on cadmium and cacao and contributed to the review. We hope that this document is useful to understand the status of knowledge on this complex issue and guide future investments and collaboration to urgently provide solutions for stakeholders and particularly smallholder producers in LAC that are the most impacted. ✔ Spanish version available below: Related materia

A protocol paper on the preservation of identity: understanding the technology adoption patterns of older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL)

There are a growing number of older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL) for whom technology holds promise in supporting their engagement in daily activities. Despite the growing presence of technologies intended to support older adults with ARVL, there remains high rates of abandonment. This phenomenon of technology abandonment may be partly explained by the concept of self-image, meaning that older adults with ARVL avoid the use of particular technologies due to an underlying fear that use of such technologies may mark them as objects of pity, ridicule, and/or stigmatization. In response to this, the proposed study aims to understand how the decision-making processes of older adults with ARVL, as it relates to technology adoption, is influenced by the negotiation of identity. The study protocol will justify the need for this critical ethnographic study, unpack the theoretical underpinnings of this work, detail the sampling/recruitment strategy, describe the methods which included a home tour, go-along, and semi-structured in-depth interview, as well as the collective approach taken to analyze the data. The protocol concludes by examining the ethical tensions associated with this study, including a focus on the methods adopted as well as the ethical challenges inherent when working with an older adult population experiencing vision loss

A Theory for the Lower-Tropospheric Structure of the Moist Isentropic Circulation

A theoretical model describing the structure of the dry and moist isentropic circulations in the lower troposphere is derived. It decomposes the meridional flow in the troposphere into three contributions: a dry equatorward flow, a cold moist equatorward flow, and a warm moist poleward flow in the mixed layer. The model is based on observations of the meridional mass fluxes joint distribution in potential temperature and equivalent potential temperature. It updates an existing model of the dry circulation by emphasizing the role of moisture in the mixed layer. The model is used to derive an expression for the ratio of moist to dry circulation strengths and this expression is used to assess the influence of surface thermodynamics on the circulations. It predicts that the moist circulation should be between 1.5 and 2 times as strong as the dry circulation and that this relative strength should not increase indefinitely with increasing surface temperature variability. The model also yields an expression for the ratio of total meridional heat fluxes to meridional sensible heat fluxes. This expression indicates that while an increase in the total heat fluxes occurs when surface temperature variability increases (via an increase in latent heat flux), it cannot increase indefinitely. The results suggest that changes in surface thermodynamic conditions must be constrained to constrain changes in the meridional overturning circulation associated with a warming climate