Molecular characterization of regional Cacao materials from Tumaco, Narino, Colombia

The cacao plant is an economically important crop because its seeds, or beans, are the primary ingredient in chocolate production. Cacao produced in Tumaco, located on the Colombian Pacific coast, is highly esteemed for its unique flavor and aroma, allowing producers to access specialty cacao markets. However, cacao production in the region faces several challenges, including low productivity, a lack of standardization in the post-harvest process, and limited knowledge of local cacao varieties. To address these challenges, a research initiative was launched to genetically characterize 23 Tumaco landraces cultivated in the region and to establish their phylogenetic relationships with previously characterized genotypes from germplasm banks and cacao genetic groups.The sequences obtained in this project belong to the Colombian State, as the country of origin of the genetic material, in accordance with the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol, and Andean Decision 391.