Genetic diversity of native cultivated cacao accessions (Theobroma cacao L.) in Nicaragua

Abstract

A total of 60 farmers' cacao accessions (Theobroma cacao L.) from Nicaragua were investigated using microsatellite markers to reveal their genetic composition and to identify potentially resistant genotypes against the black pod disease caused by Phytophthora palmivora. These accessions were compared with 21 breeders' accessions maintained locally, two Criollo accessions from Costa Rica and two accessions from Ecuador. The analyses showed a low level of differentiation among groups of farmers' accessions (FST = 0.06) and that six Nicaraguan accessions were genetically closely related to the two Criollo accessions used as a reference. In addition, seven distinct genotypes were found to have allelic composition that may indicate linkage to resistance alleles, thus being potential parental lines in future breeding programmes.