THESIS EXAMINERS REPORT

Candidate

: Nur Sholecha Ruseani, The University of Queensland, Australia

Thesis title

: Interaction of Vascular Streak Dieback Disease of Cocoa with Soil Nutrient

Status in Indonesia

General Comments:
The candidate has presented an attractive diagnostic thesis in 6 chapters investigating the role
of certain plant nutrients in severity of vascular streak dieback disease (VSD) of cocoa. The
first two chapters provide an overview and places the thesis within a philosophical point of
view related with cocoa, its pests and their interactions with nutrients. Detailed and critical
analysis of literature has been made. This thesis provides relationship between nutritional
status and VSD based on field study in a cocoa plantation (Chapter 3). Detailed study on the
influence of phosphorus and micronutrients on nutrient uptake and their interaction on VSD
is provided in Chapter 4. Further, focused study on the interaction of micronutrient status and
VSD disease is discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 provides general conclusions and summary
for the thesis.
The thesis has shown originality in the application of knowledge about the effects of
nutrients, especially phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) on VSD severity in cocoa
plants and has provided new evidence about lack of beneficial effect of phosphorus
application in soil of the Treblasala Estate (East Java) under studied due to extremely high P
status of the soil. The study was then carefully designed to investigate the application of P in
high P soils and its effect on cocoa growth, nutrients (P, Zn and Cu) uptake related with
susceptibility to VSD infection in susceptible and tolerant cocoa genotypes . Chapters 4 and 5
are aimed at addressing the questions above.
When the initial investigation found the ineffectiveness of liming and the lack of plant
response to P application, the candidate showed creativity by pointing out the hypothesis of P
application and micronutrient uptake and its correlation with VSD severity.
The conclusion of this correlation should relate between VSD infection and nutrient content
of healthy leaf prior infection. Low nutrient content was caused by limitation of
transportation.
Other comments:
My following comments relate to the need in research to consider and present alternative
explanations for data, even when interpreting in the light of hypothesis and the aims of the
study. The thesis has beeen carefully prepared and proof-read. The candidate should also
undertake a final check of the References section and consistence in citing. Therefore, the
following comments should be considered prior to submission of the final thesis.
p.1, line 7: Twenty years old publication citied for present situation is not relevant.
p.1. line 18: In this sub-chapter (1.1) , the importance of cocoa in Indonesia should also be
explained in comparison with other cash crops or other export commodities of
Indonesia, in order to have this conclusion.

p.1, line 19: Cocoa productivity is limited only by VSD, but also by other pests and diseases,
pruning, fertilizing, sanitation, land suitability. Therefore, this subtitle should be
revised.
p.1, line 22: The importance of VSD should be explained in relation with other cocoa
diseases. In main cocoa production areas where VSD tolerant clones has been
widely used, Phytophthora palmivora is more important to be handled than
VSD.
p.2, line 5 : Title of this sub-chapter must be revised because it only explains the research of
VSD related mainly with soil nutrients. Besides, as a general introduction of a
thesis on VSD in Indonesia this sub-chapter has to look at the research results
on VSD in Indonesia as well that quite progressively explore this problem in
this last ten years. For example, publications on VSD control by breeding for
resistant planting materials (Susilo & Anita-Sari; Anita-Sari & Susilo), canopy
replacement (Santoso et al.), mechanism of resistance (Susilo; Abdoellah),
nutrient effects VSD severity (Abdoellah & Nuraini), biology (Parawansa) ,
potassium and boron (Abdoellah et al.).
p.7, line 3: High temperature is dangerous for cocoa plants.
p.9, line 3: Based on soil and leaf analysis results, and annual rainfall?
p.9, line 11: ICCRI fertilizer recommendation for cocoa also based on annual rainfall
p.9, line 24: Please mention the reference of the report that Oncobasidium theobromae attack
cocoa in Uganda or Africa in general, because based on my recent references,
cocoa in Africa is still free from Oncobasidium theobromae.
p.15, line 9 : Sanitation by pruning will produced stunted trees when the plants used are low
producing flushes clones (Susilo & Anita-Sari, 2014). Therefore, sanitation
pruning in cocoa should be done selectively.
p.46, line 10 : Criteria of dry month should mention based on what classification. SchmidtFerguson or Oldeman or other classifications.
p.50, line 4: How did you get this ratios in comparing these three elements?
p.50, line 13: Do you mean the content?
p.51, line 3: For how many times of application in a year?
p.53: line 3: The result does not explain the presence or absence of interaction. Present the
interaction between site and genotype both for soil and leaf analysis in Table 3.6
and Table 3.7 will provide better understanding concerning the topic of this
study.
p.56, line 3: It is better to put the significance of these data (based on Duncan MRT, SD or SE
or others), especially preparing for publication.
p.56, line 11: The conclusion of this correlation should relate between VSD infection and
nutrient content of healthy leaf prior infection. Low nutrient content was caused
by limitation of transportation.
p.59, line 2 : Interactions could be complex, but it does not mean that you can not draw
several important conclusions from your field study results.
p.59, line 10 : Be specific not all micronutrients, only Cu and Zn based on this result.
p.59, line 12: Nutrient status in healthy leaves not in diseased ones should be considered.
Low nutrient status in diseased leaves is the impact of infection which limit the
transportation of nutrients.
p.61, line 19: What about the important physical characteristics of the soil, such as texture,
porosity, bulk density and structure of the soil which are very important for
cocoa growth.
p.62, line1: Organic matter content of the soil is very small.
p.62, line 2: Mention the methods of analysis of each component to make them comparable.

p.62, line 5: What is the aim of applying P fertilizer, when the soil available P content is
already high?
p.62, line 12 : This study has been started with unbalance of exchangeable base cations.
Cocoa need exch. K:Ca:Mg = 8:68:24
p.62, line 24 : Do you mean that this soil was the already mixed soil and zeolite?
p.62, line 27 :What is the volume of each nutrient solution applied every month? Or what is
the amount of N and K (mg/pot) for every month of application?
p.63, line 1: The plants were thinned to one plant/pot, based on what?
p.63, line 7: The plants were kept in that environment condition how long?
p.64, line 20: Comparison should be made only in group of treatment, only for phosphorus
and only for zeolite treatments. As the results, the significant effect can not be
seen, especially at 20 WAP.
p.65, line 12: Comparison in the same column or in the same column and the same group of
treatment? (see data for 14 WAP).
p.67, Table 4.7: for N, all are very high; for K, all are low; for Ca and Mn, all are extremely
high;
p.67, line 20: P is extremely high; and where are the significance letter for Mn and Cu.
p.68, line 7: Accumulation of unneeded P supply to the plants (luxury consumption tend to be
toxic).
p.69, line 19: Table 4.9. Writing of treatment codes in this way make it confusing. What are
the meaning of all these? One of good examples is Table 4.5.
p.70, line 1: I do not think that the P rates were not high enough, because soil available P
content was already high, therefore application with high dosage of P may result
in P toxicity in the plants.
p.72, line 1: The conclusion should answer the objectives of this experiment.
p.73, line 13: Do you mean micronutrient fertilizers or micronutrient in soil?
p.73, line 19: Would you please, be specific, explain what you mean with the non commercial
area of a plantation.
p.75, line 14: Exch. K:Ca:Mg=3:66:31 compared with ideal = 8:68:24
p.75, line 20: The title of this chapter is regarding interaction between phosphorus and micronutrients, however, the results do not mention the presence or absence of the
interactions. The title of this chapter should be revised in order not to be
misleading. If there is no interaction, at least, there should be a statement that
according to statical analysis there is no interaction between phosphorus and Zn
or Cu on certain parameter(s).
p.75, line 21: In p. 73, the soil was taken from non-commercial area of the plantation,
whereas here the soil was taken from a protected forest area nearby the
plantation. Which one is right? In general, forest soil is more much fertile which
is not the case of cocoa land in Indonesia at the moment.
p.76, line 5: The way of writing treatments in this column is confusing (please see it in
connection with the next figures). It is better not to write as codes, but as the
dosages.
p.76, line 17: But why plant height at 21 WAP is not different anymore? It should be
discussed.
p.79, line 1: Title of a table should explain the parameters in row and column.
p.82, line 27: Not for leaf area, leaf number, and plant height.
p.86, line 1-2: In the treatments, not only the micro-nutrients (Cu and Zn) but also macronutrients (P and K). The title should be revised.
p.88, line 18: Did you use both clones represented the susceptible clones in your treatments?
(please see p.94, line 22. It is not consistent)

p.89, line 3: Are they the 3-months or 8-months old seedlings in preparation?
p.94, line 10: Application of fungicides during conducting experiments related with fungi
actually is not allowed. The problem is in the preparation of clonal seedlings
(budded or grafted). It is a good idea to trap the VSD spores by placing the
cocoa seedlings on a bench under highly infected cocoa trees.
p.94, line 22: In the results presented in the tables the susceptible clone used was BL 2936.
p.96, line 13: Have you calculated the P uptake of the cocoa seedlings based on P
concentration in shoot and root, and shoot and root dry weight and compared
them with the difference in P concentration in soil between the two clones?
Availability of P in soil does not always correlated with P concentration in plant.
In general, growth of PBC 123 is more vigorously compared with BL 2936.
This type of growth needs more nutrients. However, nutrient concentration
mainly represented by nitrogen over all was low. It is interesting for further
study the effects of the PBC 123 clone on rhizosphere related with P availability.
p.98, line 8: Do you mean the Zn concentration in soil / plant / availability in soil?
p.99, line 3: N concentration in cocoa leaves of all treatments is low which may greatly
inhibit plant growth.
p.103, line 1: 1 or 12?
p.109, line 4: Do these pictures want to show that BL 2936 is more tolerant to VSD than PBC
123? In the field, PBC 123 cocoa clone is also affected by VSD, but can be
recovered due to its ability in easily producing flushes.
p.111, line 9: It is better to mention the names of the tolerant or susceptible clones, because
the tolerant clones (such as PBC 123) can also be infected by VSD, the
difference only on the ability to cover with more productive in producing
flushes.
p.111, line 11: Longitudinal cut will give a good picture of the streak than cross cut.
p.112, line 15: There is no data on this clone. For susceptible one in the tables is BL 2936.
p.118, line 16: Describe relationship between urea and soil pH.
p.118, line 17: Liming recommendation usually is based on soil pH and soil buffer capacity,
thus there should be no problem with the dosage of the limes if these factors
have been considered.
p.118, line 19: Increase to what level?
p.125, line 1: For References, my comments in general: Follow the Guide for writing
References for a thesis in your Faculty or University. At least be consistent in
writing references from journals, books, proceedings, chapter in books, reports,
and thesis.
Finally, the candidate could have paid more attention in the thesis to more recent works on
VSD conducted in Indonesia and published in journals and proceedings.
Based on above comments, I have a few suggested minor revisions, but these are at the
discretion of the Board of Examiners. Nevertheless, the candidate clearly demonstrates
creative abilities in this research field and the thesis meets the required standard of a master
thesis to justify the award of a MPhil.
Thesis Examiner: Dr. John Bako Baon
Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute
Jln. P.B. Sudirman 90, Jember 68118, INDONESIA
Date:

1st May 2015