Abstract
Cocoa agroforestry systems differ in the diversity of shade tree species composition. Though cocoa benefits from shade, there is a lack of species-specific information on shade trees that enhance soil fertility and yield. We examined how soil characteristics and cocoa yield were affected by eight commonly retained forest tree species, compared with unshaded control plots over a 3-year period. Using 74 circular plots from 10 cocoa farms in the Western region of Ghana, we sampled soils from two random points within each plot. Soil nutrients at the beginning and end of the study were analyzed, and yield was expressed as number of harvested pods and dry weight of beans per hectare. Levels of soil K and Ca were below recommended values. Although soil available phosphorus (P) was higher in control plots than under shade trees, yield around shade trees were higher than on unshaded plots. Cocoa yield differences between shade tree species and control plots were significant only in the major crop season, but not in the minor crop season. Cocoa yields under Cedrela odorata, Khaya ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Milicia excelsa were significantly higher than on control plots. Hence, the inclusion of specific shade tree species in cocoa agroforestry systems is important to maintain high yields in cocoa systems with low inputs. To our knowledge, this study presents one of the first attempt to assess the impacts of specific shade tree species on soil characteristics and cocoa yield.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Soil K and Ca were below recommended values in cocoa farms.
- Taxon
- cocoa
Theobroma cacaot0 - Outcome
- soil K and Cae0
- Direction
- belowe0
- Comparator
- recommended valuese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Levels of soil K and Ca were below recommended values.”
t0“cocoa”
Claim · model-written summary
Available soil phosphorus was higher on unshaded control plots than beneath shade trees.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Outcome
- soil available phosphorus (P)e0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- under shade treese0
- Setting
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“soil available phosphorus (P) was higher in control plots than under shade trees”
t0“cocoa”
Claim · model-written summary
Cocoa yield was higher around shade trees than on unshaded plots.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- unshaded plotse0
- Setting
- around shade treese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“yield around shade trees were higher than on unshaded plots”
t0“cocoa”
Claim · model-written summary
Shade species yield differences versus control were significant only in the major crop season.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Outcome
- yield differencese0
- Qualifier
- only in the major crop seasone0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yield differences between shade tree species and control plots were significant only in the major crop season, but not in the minor crop season.”
Claim · model-written summary
Shade species yield differences versus control were not significant in the minor crop season.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Outcome
- yield differencese0
- Qualifier
- minor crop seasone0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yield differences between shade tree species and control plots were significant only in the major crop season, but not in the minor crop season.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cocoa yield under Cedrela odorata was significantly higher than on control plots.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Interactor
- Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odoratae0other - Outcome
- Cocoa yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yields under Cedrela odorata, Khaya ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Milicia excelsa were significantly higher than on control plots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cocoa yield under Khaya ivorensis was significantly higher than on control plots.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Interactor
- Khaya ivorensis
Khaya ivorensise0other - Outcome
- Cocoa yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yields under Cedrela odorata, Khaya ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Milicia excelsa were significantly higher than on control plots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cocoa yield under Terminalia superba was significantly higher than on control plots.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Interactor
- Terminalia superba
Terminalia superbae0other - Outcome
- Cocoa yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yields under Cedrela odorata, Khaya ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Milicia excelsa were significantly higher than on control plots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cocoa yield under Milicia excelsa was significantly higher than on control plots.
- Taxon
- CocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Interactor
- Milicia excelsa
Milicia excelsae0other - Outcome
- Cocoa yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cocoa yields under Cedrela odorata, Khaya ivorensis, Terminalia superba and Milicia excelsa were significantly higher than on control plots.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend particular shade tree species to maintain high cocoa yields in low input systems.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaoe0
- Outcome
- inclusion of specific shade tree speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the inclusion of specific shade tree species in cocoa agroforestry systems is important to maintain high yields in cocoa systems with low inputs.”