cacao
Enable an AI agent to recognise a living cacao plant, assess its development and condition, and judge which care, propagation or harvest actions are appropriate.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise a living cacao plant, assess its development and condition, and judge which care, propagation or harvest actions are appropriate.
Theobroma cacao L. is a cauliflorous evergreen tree of the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to humid equatorial South American forests and cultivated across the wet tropics for its seeds, which after fermentation and drying are the cocoa beans of commerce.
It can be Identify and tag a cacao plant while retaining uncertainty about species or accession.; Monitor leaf flushes, flowering, pod set and pod survival through repeated observations.; Adjust shade or watering when plant condition and local growing evidence support the change.; Select and prune shoots or branches with attention to cacao architecture and flower-bearing wood.; Assess suitability for seed, cutting or graft propagation using documented plant origin and condition.; Inspect and remove mature or affected pods when maturity, diagnosis and handling guidance support the action..
Distinguishing features
Distinguish a living plant from cocoa or cacao food products by establishing the presence of connected living roots, stems or viable propagative tissue.
On a reproductive specimen, inspect flowers and pods borne on the trunk or older woody branches; this supports cacao identification but does not establish the species alone.
When a pod can be examined, record its rind and the seeds embedded in pulp, then compare the complete specimen with a botanical identification reference.
Distinguish Theobroma cacao from cupuaçu and other related plants using a botanical key with leaf, flower and fruit characters; a common name or pod colour alone is insufficient.
For seedlings or sterile specimens, treat identification as provisional unless diagnostic evidence or traceable propagation records support it.
Scope
+ Identification of cacao and the evidence supporting species, cultivar or accession assignments
+ Roots, trunk, branching framework, foliage and attached reproductive structures
+ Vegetative growth, flowering, pod development and reproductive performance
+ Plant-level exposure to water, light, temperature and root-zone conditions
+ Symptoms, damage, recovery and readiness for care, propagation or pod removal
- Detached cacao pods and harvested seed lots as independently managed biological materials
- Fermentation, drying, roasting, cocoa manufacture and chocolate products
- Plantation operations, workforce planning, certification and commodity trading
- Soil bodies, irrigation systems and agroforestry ecosystems as independent things
- Pathogen, pest and pollinator organisms as independent biological models
Characteristics
- Botanical identity confidence
- unresolved | provisional Theobroma cacao | supported Theobroma cacao | conflicting evidence Prevents care and propagation decisions from relying solely on the common name cacao.
- Propagation and accession origin
- Links to seed parent, seed lot, cutting donor, scion donor, rootstock and accession records where known Supports identity checks and interpretation of growth and reproductive differences.
- Developmental condition
- seedling | juvenile | reproductively active | declining; record concurrent vegetative and reproductive activity Separates age-related expectations from evidence of stress or failed reproduction.
- Branch architecture
- Observed upright shoots, lateral branches, jorquette formation, basal shoots and graft position Informs pruning, structural assessment and selection of propagation material.
- Canopy light exposure
- Photosynthetic photon flux density in µmol/m²/s, with measurement position, time and shade context Makes light exposure assessable alongside leaf condition, water availability and growth stage.
- Root-zone moisture and drainage
- Volumetric water content in m³/m³ where measured, sampling depth, and observed duration of saturation Helps distinguish water shortage from poor drainage before changing irrigation.
- Flower and pod cohort
- Counts of flowers, newly set pods, developing pods, aborted pods and apparently mature pods per dated observation Separates flowering, successful set and pod survival.
- Pod maturity evidence
- unassessed | developing | possibly mature | maturity supported; include accession-specific observations Supports harvest decisions without assuming a universal ripe-pod colour.
- Health evidence
- No symptoms observed | symptoms present | suspected cause | confirmed diagnosis, with affected tissue and extent Separates visible damage from an established cause and supports proportionate intervention.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.cacao
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions.
Cacao identity and origin Establish what living plant is being represented and how its identity was obtained.
The common name can refer to a plant or commodity, while planting material may carry uncertain species or accession labels.
Botanical recognition
Assess cacao identification from the available specimen and supporting records.
Species identification evidence
Record observed diagnostic characters, identification references and the limits imposed by a sterile or juvenile specimen.
- Which observed leaf, flower and pod characters support identification as Theobroma cacao rather than another Theobroma species? definition
- Who or what reference supplied the identification, and was the actual plant examined? provenance
Planting material lineage
Represent the origin of the plant without treating nursery labels as verified genetic identity.
Accession and propagation history
Record seed, cutting or graft origin and distinguish scion identity from rootstock identity.
- Was this plant raised from seed, rooted material or a graft, and which source records survive? provenance
- Does the accession or cultivar label describe the whole plant, only the scion, or an unverified supplier claim? boundary
Cacao architecture and growth Represent the plant's branching framework and current vegetative development.
Interventions depend on distinguishing upright growth, lateral framework and flower-bearing woody surfaces.
Branching framework
Describe the structural roles and condition of cacao stems and branches.
Jorquette and shoot roles
Record observed branch junctions, upright shoots, lateral growth and their relationships to any graft.
- Has a jorquette formed, and which shoots belong to the retained canopy framework? measurement
- Which proposed pruning cuts would remove unwanted shoots, structural branches or existing flower-bearing surfaces? action
Vegetative development
Track leaf flushes and canopy change in the context of plant stage.
Flush and canopy condition
Distinguish developing foliage from persistent discolouration, damage or canopy loss.
- Which leaves belong to the current flush, and how have their colour, expansion and firmness changed over time? measurement
- Does the observed foliage condition fit documented development for this plant, or require investigation as stress or damage? boundary
Cacao growing conditions Connect the plant's condition to its measured canopy and root-zone environment.
Shade and water decisions require evidence about the individual plant's exposure and development.
Canopy microclimate
Record light, heat and atmospheric exposure at the cacao canopy.
Shade and exposure fit
Assess whether current exposure plausibly contributes to observed growth or injury.
- What light, temperature and humidity conditions reach the cacao canopy, and when were they measured? measurement
- What plant-stage and site-specific evidence supports increasing, reducing or retaining shade? action
Root-zone support
Assess water supply, aeration and nutritional evidence around the living roots.
Water and nutrient constraints
Record root-zone observations and relevant analyses before assigning a cause to poor growth.
- What measurements distinguish a drying root zone from prolonged saturation around this cacao plant? measurement
- What soil, substrate or leaf-analysis evidence supports a watering or nutrient intervention? action
Cacao reproduction and pods Track flowering, pod establishment, development and readiness for separation.
Flower production, pod set, pod survival and harvest maturity are distinct states requiring different decisions.
Flowering and pod set
Relate flower-bearing sites to observed reproductive outcomes.
Reproductive progression
Record flowering and early pod outcomes without assuming that poor set proves a pollination problem.
- Which trunk or branch sites are flowering, and how many tracked flowers progress to retained young pods? measurement
- What evidence is available about pollen compatibility and pollination before attributing low pod set to either? provenance
Pod development and separation
Assess attached pods and define their transition into harvested material.
Pod fate and harvest readiness
Distinguish continued development, abortion, damage and supported maturity for each tracked pod or cohort.
- What dated development observations and accession-specific maturity indicators support removing this pod? action
- When the pod is detached, which identity and plant-origin links must transfer to the harvested-material record? boundary
Cacao health and intervention Assess damage and decide whether a proposed intervention has sufficient evidence.
Similar visible symptoms can have different causes, and interventions can affect both plant health and future flowering.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Locate symptoms on cacao tissues and distinguish observations from causal claims.
Affected tissues and causal confidence
Record pod lesions, stem injury, leaf symptoms or root decline with extent, timing and diagnostic support.
- Which pods, flower cushions, branches, leaves or roots are affected, and is the affected area increasing? measurement
- What examination or diagnostic result distinguishes a suspected pest or disease from physical injury or environmental stress? provenance
Intervention and recovery
Connect cacao care actions to their justification and observable outcomes.
Care decision and follow-up
Record why an intervention is appropriate, which tissues it affects and how its outcome will be assessed.
- What evidence supports pruning, affected-pod removal or another intervention, and how will flower cushions and retained branches be protected? action
- Which changes in symptoms, new growth or pod retention will be checked, and after what locally justified interval? measurement
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Criollo (pale-cotyledon, disease-susceptible fine-flavour type; Cheesman 1944)
- Forastero (Amazonian/bulk type, including most West African production)
- Trinitario (Criollo × Forastero hybrid complex, historically from Trinidad)
- Nacional / Arriba (Ecuadorian floral fine-flavour type)
- Amelonado (dominant Forastero subtype of West African bulk cocoa)
- CCN-51 (high-yielding clone, widely planted in Latin America)
- Fine or flavour cocoa (ICCO trade grade)
- Bulk / ordinary cocoa (ICCO trade grade; ~95% of 2017 production)
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Linnaean binomial - Theobroma cacao L. (Sp. Pl.: 782, 1753) - Accepted species name; type species of Theobroma.
- World Flora Online - wfo-0000458440 - Taxon identifier cited on the species page.
- IUCN Red List - T100104346A100104385 - Assessed Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1).
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- ISO 2451:2017 Cocoa beans - Specification and quality requirements (ISO/TC 34/SC 18, Cocoa).
- Codex Alimentarius CXS 105-1981 Standard for cocoa powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars (FAO/WHO).
- Codex Alimentarius CXC 81-2022 Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of cadmium contamination in cocoa beans (FAO/WHO).
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 maximum levels for cadmium in chocolate and cocoa powder (European Commission; succeeded 488/2014).
- Codex maximum levels for cadmium in chocolate (0.3 mg/kg at ≤30% total dry cocoa solids; 0.7 mg/kg at 30-50%).
- ICCO Fine or Flavour versus bulk cocoa classification (International Cocoa Organization).
- Appellation Cacao de Chuao (Venezuela, November 2000).
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Grown as a humid-tropics cash crop, mostly by smallholders; 2023 world harvest about 5.6 million tonnes of beans from roughly 11.7 million hectares, led by Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia.
- Ripe pods are opened; seeds are fermented in the surrounding pulp, dried, then roasted and ground into cocoa mass, from which cocoa butter and cocoa powder are separated for chocolate, confectionery and cosmetics.
- Fresh pulp is eaten, juiced, or fermented; in Mesoamerica cacao remains a ritual and culinary drink (e.g. tejate) and was historically a tribute/currency good.
- Breeding and genebank work (field collections; International Cocoa Quarantine Centre) because seeds are recalcitrant and cannot be stored dry.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Cultivated tree height - 4-6 (wild/unpruned often 6-12, rarely to 20) - m
- Ripe pod length - 15-30 - cm
- Ripe pod mass - about 500 - g
- Seeds per pod - 20-60 (Criollo often 20-40) - count
- Seed fat (cocoa butter) - 40-50 - % of seed
- Average bean yield - about 480 - kg/ha
- 1000-seed weight (at ~30% moisture) - about 2 - kg
- Diploid genome size - about 346-430 - Mbp (2n = 20)
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Black pod (Phytophthora spp., especially P. megakarya in West Africa) rotting fruit on the tree.
- Witches' broom (Moniliophthora perniciosa) and frosty pod rot (Moniliophthora roreri) collapsing Latin American orchards.
- Cacao swollen shoot virus in West Africa; cocoa pod borer (Conopomorpha cramerella) in Southeast Asia; mirids/capsids worldwide.
- Cadmium bioaccumulation from soil into beans, triggering EU and Codex limits and market rejection of high-Cd lots.
- Underfermentation (violet/purple beans), flat beans, infestation and foreign matter - ISO 2451 grade defects.
- Climate-envelope contraction in the narrow equatorial belt; recalcitrant seed makes ex situ conservation dependent on living field collections.
- Theobromine in seeds is toxic to dogs and some other non-human animals.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- English commodity usage prefers cocoa for the dried bean and products; Spanish and much craft-chocolate English keep cacao for the tree, pod and unroasted seed - a linguistic split, not a botanical one.
- West Africa (about two-thirds of 2023 output) is almost entirely bulk Amelonado/Forastero; Latin America and parts of the Caribbean and Southeast Asia supply most ICCO fine-or-flavour cocoa.
- Ecuador markets floral Nacional/Arriba alongside high-yielding CCN-51; Venezuela names Criollo landraces (Chuao, Porcelana, Ocumare).
- Cheesman (1944) Criollo/Forastero morphology and Cuatrecasas subspecies cacao versus sphaerocarpum remain in older botanical and farm talk; Motamayor et al. (2008) treat Forastero as a geohistorical residual and split the species into ten Amazon-centred genetic clusters.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Coca (Erythroxylum coca) - Different family (Erythroxylaceae); coca is a shrub grown for cocaine-bearing leaves, cacao a Malvaceae tree with cauliflorous pods and theobromine-bearing seeds.
- Cocoa (English commodity name / processed products) - Same species; no botanical test. Trade and craft usage may reserve cacao for the living tree and unroasted seed and cocoa for fermented-dried beans and factory products, but professionals often treat the words as interchangeable.
- Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) - Sister Theobroma species ('white cacao'); larger fruit grown mainly for pulp, not the chocolate-industry cocoa bean.
- Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) - A Fabaceae pod used as a chocolate substitute; lacks theobromine and is not a Theobroma seed.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of cacao this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- Theobroma cacao - Species circumscription, morphology, Motamayor 2008 genetic groups, cultivation, FAO 2023 production, pests and diseases, genome size, domestication, cacao/cocoa nomenclature, confusion with coca.
- Types of cocoa beans - Traditional Criollo/Forastero/Trinitario marketing classes versus Motamayor genetic clusters; bulk versus flavour cocoa; Nacional and CCN-51 as distinct trade kinds.
- ISO 2451:2017 Cocoa beans - Specification and quality requirements - International specification, grading, sampling, packaging and marking of cocoa beans (ISO/TC 34/SC 18).
- Standard for Cocoa Powders (Cocoas) and Dry Mixtures of Cocoa and Sugars (CXS 105-1981) - Codex composition limits for cocoa powder (moisture, cocoa-butter classes) issued by FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius.
- Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Cadmium Contamination in Cocoa Beans (CXC 81-2022) - Cadmium uptake by T. cacao and recommended production/post-harvest controls (FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius).
- Heavy Metals :: Cocoa Beans - EU cadmium maximum levels in chocolate and cocoa powder under Regulation (EU) 2023/915; Codex cadmium MLs in chocolate.
- Theobroma cacao L. (PROSEA / Plant Resources of South-East Asia) - Cultivated tree stature, pod and bean counts, 1000-seed weight, Criollo/Amelonado/Trinitario descriptors, and the Cuatrecasas subspecies split.
- Kakaobaum - FAO 2023 harvest, yield and area figures; Cheesman morphological Criollo/Forastero split and Cuatrecasas subspecies.
What the second pass must settle
- Does registry entry vr.tr.cacao specifically denote the living species Theobroma cacao, or is a broader plant-and-material meaning intended?
- Which botanical references and diagnostic characters should govern identification of juvenile or non-flowering cacao against related species?
- Which accession-specific compatibility and pod-maturity information is sufficiently documented to support reproductive and harvest decisions?
- Which locally validated light, water and nutrient assessment methods should guide interventions at different cacao growth stages?
- Which regional diagnostic references distinguish cacao pod abortion, infectious disease and environmental injury, and when is laboratory confirmation necessary?