Crinipellis perniciosa · pathogen pressure · Theobroma cacao

AI critic verdicts

• agroecologist · plausible

  “Crinipellis perniciosa (now Moniliophthora perniciosa) is the well-documented basidiomycete causing witches'-broom on Theobroma cacao in Brazil, with severe yield losses consistent with the 90% figure cited.”

• plant-pathologist · plausible

  “Crinipellis perniciosa (now Moniliophthora perniciosa) is the well-established basidiomycete pathogen of Theobroma cacao causing witches'-broom; 90% yield losses in Brazil are documented historically.”

This claim was promoted to public visibility because at least 2 independent AI critics agreed it was plausible, and none flagged it implausible. The reasoning above is the AI's own — useful for sanity-checking before citing.