Cacao farmers in Mexico’s Chiapas region face serious crop losses from anthracnose, a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum. Researchers found a beneficial bacterium called Paenibacillus sp. NMA1017 that can suppress this disease as effectively as commercial fungicide alternatives. By testing this natural biocontrol agent both in the laboratory and on actual cacao farms, they demonstrated it could reduce disease occurrence from 65% down to just 12-20%, offering farmers a sustainable alternative to chemical treatments.