- Worldwide distribution. In wet tropics. On cocoa and many other trees and shrubs. An important disease when cultural control operations are not done routinely.
- Fungal threads grow along branches, onto leaf stalks and blades, killing the leaves, which remain hanging in place attached by the threads.
- White toadstools occur occasionally in wet weather.
- Spread is by spores, and branches falling from shade trees onto cocoa beneath.
- Cultural control: prune out infected branches, along with the leaves, remove from the plantation, and burn them. Make regular 3-monthly inspections.
- Chemical control: none recommended.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Cocoa white thread (015)
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Summary
Common Name
White thread
Scientific Name
Marasmiellus (Marasmius) scandens
AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2020) Marasmiellus scandens (white thread blight). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/32537); CABI (undated) Plantwise Knowledge Bank. (https://www.plantwise.org/knowledgebank/datasheet/32537#SymptomsSection); and from Amoako-Attah L, et al. (2016) White thread blight disease caused by Marasmiellus scandens (Massee) Dennis & Reid on cocoa and its control in Ghana. African Journal of Agricultural Research 11(50): 5064-5070. (https://academicjournals.org/journal/AJAR/article-abstract/786B84F62138).
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
