Cocoa Genome Engineering using CRISPR/Cas9 Technology : Cocoa Genome Engineering using CRISPR/Cas9 Technology

The availability of African cocoa varieties is the only reason why they are globally sought-after for chocolate production rather than their taste. Therefore, a transfer of genetic materials from quality cocoa breeds into the high-yielding and resilient African varieties or vice versa, would inferably increase the availability of quality cocoa beans all-year-round, and also increase the chances of obtaining sumptuous and palatable chocolates anywhere in the world.In order to produce cocoa varieties with good taste, high drought and disease resilience, better aroma, good seed quality and texture, top flavour with healthy phytochemicals etc., rigorous genome editing should be conducted on the existing cocoa species within Africa alongside other foreign varieties in other to produce hybrids that can easily adapt to the climatic and edaphic factors of the African terrain. This will help increase the yield per hectare of cocoa production in Africa, as well as repurpose Africa towards sustainable cocoa production