ASSESSING THE POSSIBILITY OF MISLABELLING ERRORS IN RANDOMLY SAMPLED GRAFTED COCOA SEEDLINGS FROM TEN COCOA NURSERIES IN SABAH USING THE KOKOCORRECT
Authors: Lea Johnsiul, Sairan Asim, Rafiah Karim, Norasekin Tamchek, Ishak Zubir, Mohd Zulhilmi Abdul Rahman
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 15(1)/2023
Keywords: Mislabelling error, grafted cocoa seedlings, cocoa nurseries, genotyping
Published On: 27/10/2023
Abstract
Cocoa nurseries play a crucial role in providing high-quality planting materials for cocoa planting. As mislabelling and misidentification of cocoa clones can lead to adverse effects on genetic diversity, productivity, and pest and disease tolerance, the study was embarked on to evaluate mislabelling errors in grafted cocoa seedlings from ten cocoa nurseries in Sabah, Malaysia. At the same time, the study also evaluated the usefulness of the KokoCorrectTM molecular bio-diagnostic kit for clone identification in grafted cocoa seedlings. A total of 1,367 grafted cocoa seedlings were genotyped using the KokoCorrectTM, which utilizes a set of ten single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The results revealed extensive mislabelling and misidentification, especially in nurseries that did not tag seedlings with clone names. Out of the total samples, 6.7% were identified as non-commercial or unknown clones, indicating errors in scions source selection during the grafting process and mislabelling error rate ranging from 12.5% to 92.5% were observed. The KokoCorrectTM kit effectively distinguished mislabelled grafted cocoa seedlings and provided accurate clone identification. The findings underscore the need for standardized procedures in cocoa nurseries to ensure accurate labelling and identity of planting materials. The study also highlighted the significance of proper training, standard operating procedures, and improved labelling practices to mitigate mislabelling errors. The use of the KokoCorrectTM kit offers a reliable and cost-effective solution for clonal identification, enabling efficient screening of large numbers of cocoa planting materials. This research emphasizes the importance of maintaining clonal integrity in cocoa cultivation to enhance productivity and sustainability.