ABSTRACT
The seeds of the cocoa fruit or Cocoa bean which is in the number of 20-60 are arranged in regular rows covered by mucilaginous acidic pulp rich in glucose, fructose and is the most economically valuable parts of the plant which is used as raw materials for the chocolate and chocolate confection production. The cocoa bean is also used for beverages and as flavouring ingredient after roasting and grinding. Cocoa is also taken as a beverage and it acts as a stimulant due to the presence of high amount of alkaloids particularly Caffeine and Theobromine. The disease generally occurs on wounded pods during the dry season as a yellow colour spot which later turns to chocolate or dark brown in colour. The entire pod surface becomes charcoal black in colour covered by black fungal spores. Vein clearing shows a fern-like pattern with chlorosis and mottling in case of matured leaves. The abnormally shaped pod is usually small and spherical.
