KERAGAMAN GENETIK DAN VIRULENSI ISOLAT Phytophthora palmivora DARI TIGA LOKASI PERTANAMAN KAKAO DI SULAWESI SELATAN

This disease attacks cocoa pods, causing quantitative and qualitative yield losses. The study was conducted to morphologically identify different P.palmivora isolates isolated from cocoa plants in main cocoa-producing areas of South Sulawesi. Ccoa pods showing black pod symptoms were collected from the Regencies of Bone, Bulukumba and Pinrang. The pod samples were then brought to the lab for isolation and identification. Twenty one P. palmivora were obtained from the cocoa pod samples, 14 isolates from Bone (2 isolates of Itterung village, 6 isolates from Ajjalireng village and 4 isolates from Patangnga village), 6 isolates from Bulukumba (5 isolates from Karossil village and 1 isolate from Tanah Harapan village), and also 3 isolates from Padelo village, Pinrang. Based on the morphological characteristics, such as colony type, sporangium form, chlamydospora form and hyphae swellings, all 21 isolates examined were P.palmivora, the causel agent of the cocoa black pod disease.