Theobroma cacao by bees (Hymenoptera) or butterflies/moths (Lepidoptera), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, "Forcipomyia" midges in the subfamily Forcipomyiinae. Having the natural pollinator "Forcipomyia" midges for "Theobroma cacao" was shown to have more fruit production than using artificial pollinators. The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, long and wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually called "beans", embedded in a white pulp. The seeds are the main ingredient of chocolate, while the pulp is used in some countries to prepare refreshing juice, smoothies, jelly, and nata. Usually discarded
Cacao necrosis virus virus is not infective in sap after heating to 65 °C for 10 minutes, dilution to 0.0001 virions, or storage for 7 days at room temperature. Cacao necrosis virus "Cacao necrosis virus" (CNV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the genus "nepovirus" that infects "Theobroma cacao" en natura causing cacao necrosis disease. CNV is considered synonymous with Strain S of cacao swollen shoot virus. Unlike cacao swollen-shoot virus, it is not transmitted by mealybugs nor vectored by aphids, beetles or leafhoppers that also commonly infest cacao. It is serologically, distantly related to Tomato black ring virus and very distantly related