Evaluating Lignin’s Role In Enhancing Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Leaf Resistance To Phytophthora palmivora

Abstract Improper application of good agricultural practices (GAP) can lead to increased vulnerability of cocoa plants to attacks by Phytophthora palmivora. P. palmivora is the pathogen that causes black pod rot disease. Chemical fungicides are frequently used to mitigate these attacks. However, this approach adversely affects humans. An effective strategy is to utilize cocoa cultivars that exhibit resistance to P. palmivora. Cocoa leaves contain lignin that could become an antioxidant and improve structural integrity. This study investigated the relationship between lignin content and other components in cocoa leaves and the resistance to P. palmivora attack. The results of this study, which indicate a positive but insignificant correlation between lignin content in healthy and diseased leaves and resistance to P. palmivora, provide valuable insights into the role of lignin in cocoa leaf resistance. This implies that increased lignin content in healthy leaves will decrease the likelihood of a P. palmivora attack. In contrast, lower levels of lignin in healthy leaves will increase the possibility of P. palmivora assaults. Conversely, water content, extractive substances, and hemicellulose content exhibit a negative but insignificant correlation with resistance to P. palmivora. The data indicate that although lignin, cellulose, and ash content may influence cocoa leaf resistance to P. palmivora, their effects are not statistically significant.