Universities are investigating disease of cocoa

The Universidad Técnica of Quevedo (UTEQ) in conjunction with the University of Alicante (Spain), pioneers in investigation in Ecuador and Latin America , on the search and identification of proteins potentially related to the resistance to the fungus monilla on the national cocoa, which attacks the cob and rot the product.

Application DIGE (Difference in Gel Electrophoresis) is the project approved and financed by the competitive funds of scientific research and technology (Focicyt), directed by Jamie Morante, Research Professor of the UTEQ.

The initial phase is developed in the UTEQ biotechnology laboratory and is in charge by the fellow of the Spanish Agency for International Co-operation for Development (Aecid), Ascension Martinez, who extracted and purified proteins of high quality cocoa from susceptible plants, in the experimental farm of the dam.

The main idea of this work consists of separate and to compare the expression of proteins of various tissue samples from cocoa (affected and healthy cobs), to detect variations in the level of expression of each of the proteins under different experimental conditions.  Can identify what are the genes that code for these proteins and initiate the national cacao genetic improvement programs. (I)