The cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is one of the most important evergreen trees in tropical humid forests. Depending on its geographical location and its morphological characteristics, it has been classified into three different varieties: Creole, Forastero and Trinidadian..
Better known as a cacao tree, cacao tree or cacao, it is cultivated in the tropic - humid geographical strip, located from 18 ° N to 20 ° S of the equatorial line. Their populations show wide genetic diversity (both in the wild and in crops).
Due to the multiple benefits, properties, uses and the great taste of the fruit, cocoa has become a highly appreciated and commercialized species worldwide. This importance is attributed to the good quality and high fat content of the Theobroma cacao, which favors demand in the national and international market.
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To date, it has not been possible to establish exactly the area of origin of cocoa cultivation, due to the nomadic lifestyle characteristic of the inhabitants of the American continent, so it would be worth talking about centers of domestication of this species.
There are claims about the origin of the cacao plant in different areas of Central and South America, among which we can highlight:
This region corresponds to one of the main centers of genetic diversity of the species, where it is possible that cocoa cultivation developed 10,000 or 15,000 years ago.
This zone includes countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Bolivia; in the upper basin of the Amazon River, specifically where the Napo, Putumayo and Caqueta rivers are born, which are tributaries of the Amazon River.
The birth of the cacao tree in this region is very likely, due to the evidence of a large gene pool. Therefore, the transfer of this species to Mexico would have been viable from this area..
In the book Cocoa in Venezuela Researchers Humberto Reyes and Liliana Capriles support various DNA investigations, ensuring the origin of the first wild plants in this area.
Due to the large number of species found in this area and because of their easy transfer to Mexico, it was considered as a possible area for the origin of cocoa. In the same way, they indicate its exploitation in the Lake Maracaibo account, before the arrival of the Spaniards..
There are studies that report the origin of the cacao plant in the Lacandon Jungle in Chiapas (Mexico) and in the area of the Usumacinta River (borders of Mexico and Guatemala).
A Mexican legend is noteworthy, which says that the god Quetzalcóalt in ancient times gave men the first cocoa beans.
As far as Mayan mythology is concerned, they were granted cocoa by Kukulkán, after the creation of humanity. In fact, the Mayans held an annual festival to honor the cocoa god Ek Chuah. In this culture, the consumption of cocoa is documented since 400 BC. C.
Now, for the year 2008, the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico published the investigations of the Universities of Arizona, Columbia, Kennesaw, Yale and Wisconsin, carried out on a vessel found in the excavations in Veracruz in the Cerro Manatí.
In these studies they applied the carbon 14 test to the vessel, dating it to the year 1750 BC. C., in which they also found remains of theobromine, a component that revealed the presence of cocoa in the vessel. Which indicates that the probability of the consumption of cocoa could have occurred 800 years earlier than previously believed.
In 2007, in an investigation carried out by the team of archaeologists of John Henderson and Rosemary Joyce, they reported the probability that the consumption of cocoa in this region would have started around 1500 BC. C.
The same year, the University of Pennsylvania published an investigation in which they carried out a chemical analysis of residues found in ceramic vessels found in the Ulúa Valley in Puerto Escondido in Honduras, indicating that the liquid found would have been prepared between 1400 and 1000 BC C.
On the other hand, there are reports of mitochondrial DNA analysis made to Creole cacao, which indicate that this plant arose in Venezuela, specifically in the south of the lake, comprised by the states of Zulia, Táchira, Mérida and Trujillo..
Regarding the consumption of cocoa, the reports indicate the production of a kind of beer or cocoa liquor from the fermentation of the beans..
This was evidenced in the ceramic vessels found in Puerto Escondido, in Honduras. This kind of beer was used in marriage celebrations, thus being the first signs of the consumption of cocoa.
Likewise, cocoa was prepared in a semi-liquid or liquid form, mixed in a dough of corn flour with chili peppers and honey, becoming the favorite drink of the royalty, which they consumed in glasses called Jícaras, since it was considered a energizing food.
However, the Mayans and Aztecs prepared cocoa by roasting the beans and then crushing them to make a paste that was then mixed with water, and heated until the cocoa fat rose to the surface..
From this the foam was removed to mix again with the drink and, finally, it was beaten until forming a liquid with a consistent foam which was drunk cold.
In addition to this preparation they added different ingredients to taste such as achiote, chili, vanilla and honey to sweeten, as well as corn flour as a basic emulsifier, which helped absorb the fat from the cocoa..
Later, the Aztecs continued with the taste for the consumption of Mayan chocolate. As a curiosity, one of the great fans of the cocoa drink was Emperor Moctezuma.
On the other hand, reports indicate the consumption of cocoa in Venezuela by the Timotes indigenous communities in Mérida and Cuicas in Trujillo, which prepared a drink based on the cocoa seed called "chorote".
Now, in 1840 the Swiss Rudolf mixed cocoa butter with cocoa paste, obtaining a sweet chocolate. By 1905, Henry Nestlé applied the milk condensation method to chocolate, giving rise to the famous milk chocolate.
The cacao tree is a diploid species, which means that it has two sets of chromosomes (2n = 20 chromosomes), of a perennial vegetative cycle..
Cacao is a tall tree approximately 8 to 20 m tall.
It has a pivot root, which indicates that it is formed by a main axis from which the second-order roots start. This root can reach 1.5 to 2 m deep. Its second-order or lateral roots are found in the first 30 cm of the soil and can reach between 5 and 6 m in horizontal length.
In its first growth stage, between 12 to 15 months, the stem is vertical (orthotropic). Then, 4 to 5 twigs are formed, which grow horizontally (plagiotropic), forming a fork and below this the vertical shoots appear, which will give rise to a new fork repeating in this way 3 to 4 contiguous times..
They are simple, whole, 15-50 cm long and 5-20 cm wide, narrowly ovate to obovate-elliptical in shape, slightly asymmetric, alternate and glabrous or slightly pubescent on both sides..
It presents hermaphrodite flowers, with 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamens, 5 staminodia and 5 locules per ovary, which is known as a pentameric flower, with all its floral whorls and with androecium and gynoecium. Its diameter is between 1 to 15 cm. With cymose inflorescences.
They are large berries of 10 to 42 cm, of variable shape and can be oblong, ovate, elliptical, ovate, domed, oblate and spherical. It has a smooth or rough surface, red or green and purple or yellow at maturity. Its epicarp and endocarp are fleshy, separated by a thin and woody mesocarp.
These are of variable size between 1.2 and 3 cm, they are covered by a white mucilage or pulp of different aromas, flavors, degrees of acidity, astringency and sweetness..
The species Theobroma cacao It is commonly known as cacao, yellow cacao, criollo cacao, sweet cacao, cacao del monte or cacaotero.
Its taxonomic description is as follows:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Gender: Theobroma
Species: Theobroma cacao L.
As for the term cocoa, it comes from the word cacáhuatl, from the Nahuatl language. However, some studies affirm that it is a loan from a Mayan language, since vessels have been found engraved with the word kakaw, from which the word cocoa could be derived. However, some reports indicate that it is an Olmec word that came to the Mayans..
The cacao tree can grow in flat or undulating topography, even on land that exceeds 50% of slope, on the banks of streams or in ravines. Grows in shady areas of rainforests.
Christopher Columbus was the one who brought the first cocoa beans to Spain around 1502 after their exploration in America. However, it was Hernando Cortés in 1528 who exported the recipe for xocoalt of the Aztec culture to Spain.
Then its popularity spread throughout Europe. Later there was the expansion of the crop to Africa and Southeast Asia.
Today it is cultivated in many countries in Africa, Central America and South America. The largest cocoa producers are the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
Traditionally it is classified into three varieties or genetic groups. However, recent studies indicate they have shown that this classification or describes sufficient variability of the species.
For example, the variety Outsider encompasses high genetic variability, while the variety Creole is genetically narrower, and the variety Trinitaria it has hybrids between the first two varieties. For its part, the classic delimitation shows three main varieties, which are:
This variety comprises slender trees, with fruits characterized by a thin cover with a reddish pigmentation. They show inbreeding depression and increased susceptibility to pests.
The commercial cultivation is developed mainly in Venezuela, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Colombia. It is noteworthy that between 5 and 10% of world production originates from this variety.
It is characterized by its green fruit with a thick cover or pericarp, a lignified mesocarp, slightly flattened and rounded seeds, with violet cotyledons..
Most of this variety is grown in Brazil, West Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, being the commercially most important variety, since it covers about 80% of world production..
This group is of hybrid origin between the Creole and the Stranger. Genetically it is very heterogeneous and morphologically very polymorphic. The plants are usually very robust with pigmented or green fruits, with purple seeds. They represent 10 to 15% of world production.
Given its chemical composition, mainly the amount of flavonoids present in cocoa, it has various health properties, among which are:
The presence of flavonoids gives it an effective action against oxidative stress, as does the procyanidin content, which favors the antioxidant action of plasma. Even its antioxidant activity is higher than other sources of antioxidants used for the skin..
Has the ability to decrease pro-inflammatory markers and cell damage.
It has toning, diuretic and anti-neuralgic properties. Activates the nervous system and is a vasodilator. It also increases the performance of the cognitive process and memory. It also has antidepressant properties thanks to the presence of aphenythylamine.
Due to its concentration of unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, it acts as a vascular protector, reducing cholesterol and LDL and increasing HDL.
In addition, it has a hypotensive effect and reduces peripheral vasodilation. It also minimizes the formation of thrombi by reducing platelet aggregation..
It is important to note that studies by Norman Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard highlight the importance of the polyphenol 'epicatechin' present in cocoa. It helps reduce the risk of some diseases such as stroke, heart attack, cancer, and diabetes..
The species Theobroma cacao, requires the following conditions for its cultivation:
Cacao is grown in the equatorial zone up to an altitude of 1400 meters above sea level..
The optimal range is between approximately 22 ° C and 30 ° C.
It needs rains of more than 1500 mm per year, well distributed throughout the year.
Between 80 and 85%.
It is advisable to protect the crop in case of permanent strong winds, to avoid damage to the crop.
Young cocoa plants, upon reaching their optimum vigor, require lighting between 25 and 50%. While the trees develop the lighting can be maintained around 70%.
Cocoa prefers soils rich in organic matter, clay loam, deep, with good drainage and a regular topography..
Among the main diseases that affect cocoa are the following:
Also known as ash and goo, watery rot, astonishment, neva, it is caused by the fungus Moniliophthora roreri. It produces millions of spores that multiply rapidly when the crop is poorly managed and the environment is favorable for the fungus, damaging the fruit as it feeds on it..
Its symptoms are diverse according to the age of the fruit. You can see deformation of the fruit, wilting, premature ripening, drying, presence of dark green spots, oily spots or brown spots covered with a whitish substance that later turns into an ash gray.
It is advisable to collect the diseased fruits before sporulation, which should be done weekly..
This disease affects the growing tissues of the plant and is caused by the fungus Pernicious crinipellis.
As for its symptoms, it manifests itself in different ways depending on the affected part. The most frequent appear in the growth points of the branches, flower cushions and fruits..
When this fungus attacks the flower cushions, it is not pods but vegetative shoots with the appearance of a broom..
Caused by the fungus Phytophtora sp., this attacks roots, stems, leaves, fruits and branches of cocoa.
Its symptoms include the following: dry leaves and stem, discolored spot on the fruits, necrotizing on the root or development of a necrotic area on the bark.
Also known as star sore or black root rot, this disease is caused by a fungus. Initially it affects the entire root system, and later the stem neck, until causing the death of the plant.
It manifests with yellowing of the leaves, wilting, chlorosis, defoliation, paloteo, drying of the branches and death.
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