## 3 Results and Discussion
### Results of Biocontrol with Trichoderma spp. in the Field  
The biological treatments made with spores of the _Trichoderma_ strains that showed a higher degree of antagonism initially in the in vitro tests also demonstrated an effect on the epidemic intensity of _M. roreri_ in the open field, influencing the final incidence and yield (Table 1). The results indicate that there were significant differences (\(p\) < 0.05) between treatments in terms of the final incidence of moniliasis, crop yield and efficiency of the biopreparations. The highest incidence of the pest was presented in the control treatment (22.23%) followed by treatment T5 (12.60%) and the lowest incidence was reported with the use of treatment T3 (2.52%); the highest productive yield was manifested in the plantations treated with T3 with a range of 976.90 kg/ha and the lowest in the crops with a control treatment with an average of 630.73 kg/ha of harvest. These findings agree that control treatments without the application of _Trichoderma_ spp. are directly correlated with moniliasis proliferation and low crop yield. In a previous experiment carried out at the same study site, [PERSON] et al. [2] applied treatments based on _Trichoderma_ spp., administering a dose of 0.2 mL per plant every 15 days. As findings, a positive impact was observed in cocoa crops treated with antagonistic microorganisms, with yields ranging between 615.20 and 753.10 kg/ha, compared to crops without treatment (533.50 kg/ha). When contrasting these results with those described in the present investigation, a general decrease in the incidence rate of the treated plantations is seen, as well as an increase in the minimum and maximum yields (673.94%, 976.90%, respectively) with respect to the previous research. In addition to the strains of _Trichoderma_ spp. used, a relevant difference lies in the amount of dose administered and the frequency of application, because in this new study a higher dose of biopreparation per plant (0.3 mL) was supplied with a reduced frequency (10 days) than previously established. These variations in proportions could represent factors with a direct influence on the incidence of the disease, crop yields and the efficiency of treatments, since it is scientifically proven that inadequate doses contribute to the development of resistance by pathogens and reduce the desired effects. In a study carried out in Costa Rica, [PERSON] et al. [31] obtained a lower incidence rate in cocoa trees in Treatments 4 and 5 in which _Trichoderma_ spp. spores were used (9.15% and 5.78%, respectively). In Peru, [PERSON] et al. [23] reported that the efficacy of biological treatments ranged from 38.99% to 71.9%. The genetic diversity of each country can also influence the effectiveness of the bioproduct in the soil. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Strain** & **Incidence (\%) *** & **Eficience (\%) *** & **Yield (kg/ha) *** \\ \hline Control & 22.23 * \(\pm\) 1.02 & – & 630.73 * \(\pm\) 9.88 \\ T1 & 8.33 * \(\pm\) 0.20 & 60.56 * \(\pm\) 0.77 & 831.86 * \(\pm\) 16.27 \\ T2 & 11.26 * \(\pm\) 0.40 & 51.26 * \(\pm\) 1.04 & 677.86 * \(\pm\) 40.36 \\ T3 & 2.50 * \(\pm\) 0.40 & 72.46 * \(\pm\) 2.12 & 976.90 * \(\pm\) 25.19 \\ T4 & 9.23 * \(\pm\) 0.75 & 65.13 * \(\pm\) 1.73 & 761.60 * \(\pm\) 27.16 \\ T5 & 12.60 * \(\pm\) 0.78 & 57.36 * \(\pm\) 1.81 & 673.93 * \(\pm\) 20.99 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Control = Treatment without biopreparation; T1 = Treatment based on _Trichoderma_ strain E22; T2 = Treatment based on _Trichoderma_ strain E29; T4 = Treatment based on _Trichoderma_ strain E39. * Different letters denote significant differences between treatments.  
\end{table} 
Table 1: Effect of five _Trichoderma_ spp. strains on cocoa plantations previously infected with moniliasis. The widespread _Trichoderma_ biological control of moniliasis in cocoa crops would greatly increase the production of viable cocoa beans worldwide.