Understanding the cocoa genome may allow more efficient breeding of cocoa plants and enhance the quality of cocoa, the key ingredient in chocolate.
Genome sequencing may help eliminate some of the guesswork of traditional breeding. Consequently, farmers could plant better-quality cocoa and realize healthier, stronger cocoa crops with higher yields, pest and disease resistance, and increased water and nutrient use efficiency. That is especially important in Africa, where 70% of the world's cocoa is produced.