Theobroma cacao which climates become more extreme in the narrow band of latitudes where cacao is grown (20 degrees north and south of the equator), the commercial company, Mars, Incorporated and the University of California, Berkeley are using CRISPR to adjust DNA for improved hardiness of cacao in hot climates. Theobroma cacao Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small ( tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of the Americas. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make cocoa mass, cocoa powder, confectionery, ganache and chocolate. Leaves are alternate,
Seed tree Seed tree Seed trees are trees left after reproduction cutting to provide seeds for natural regeneration in the seed-tree method. These trees serve as both the gene source for the new crop of regeneration and as a source of timber during future cuttings. Because of its importance, a seed tree should be carefully chosen based upon both economic and biological factors. Selected seed trees should be the desired species, phenotypically superior, prolific in seeding and flowering, sturdy and healthy, free of damage, and of good growth form. After the site has been successfully regenerated, seed trees may be commercially harvested