Abstract
This study investigated the performance of cocoa trees within an irrigated cocoa plantation situated in the semi-arid region of Bahia, Brazil. Two treatments were compared: "full sun," where cocoa trees were not shaded, and "shade," where trees were covered with a shading net absorbing 30 % of the radiation. The number of leaves and the leaf area index (LAI) were assessed using destructive method on 8 trees. In addition, new flushing of leaves, categorized into four flushing stages, were assessed visually on a weekly basis during two years. The variation of the stem diameter was measured using dendrometer sensors (n = 12 trees). Yield parameters like dry bean yield and number of fruits (healthy and aborted) were assessed on 40 trees per treatment. Both treatments, performed well in the semi-arid region. Generative parameters, such as dry bean yield (±2,000 kg/ha), fruit healthy and abortion rate per plot, were unaffected by full sun and shade treatments. The treatments showed high fruit abortion rates of (±60 %), showing that there's still much room for yield optimization. Additionally, stem diameter of the trees showed a significant reduction of the stem growth (daily increase of stem diameter) and maximum daily shrinkage (daily variation of stem diameter) during the flushing of new leaves. This implies that the emergence of new leaves significantly influences stem growth, consequently affecting the fruits which are growing on the stem. This assumption was corroborated by the significantly increased fruit abortion rate during the flushing of new leaves (stages 1 & 2). These findings highlight the potential of dendrometers to quantify this effect what can be used in future to optimize management practices. By doing so, more effective strategies can be developed to enhance cocoa yield and overall productivity in semi-arid regions.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Dry bean yield and fruit health and abortion did not differ between full sun and shade.
- Taxon
- cocoa
Theobroma cacaot0 - Treatment
- full sun and shade treatmentse0
- Outcome
- dry bean yield (±2,000 kg/ha), fruit healthy and abortion rate per plote0
- Direction
- unaffectede0
- Value
- ±2,000 kg/hae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“Generative parameters, such as dry bean yield (±2,000 kg/ha), fruit healthy and abortion rate per plot, were unaffected by full sun and shade treatments.”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit abortion rates were about 60%.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Outcome
- fruit abortion ratese0
- Value
- ±60 %e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“high fruit abortion rates of (±60 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
Stem growth decreased during new leaf flushing.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Organ / stage
- flushing of new leavese0
- Outcome
- stem growthe0
- Direction
- reductione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“stem diameter of the trees showed a significant reduction of the stem growth (daily increase of stem diameter) and maximum daily shrinkage (daily variation of stem diameter) during the flushing of new leaves”
Claim · model-written summary
Maximum daily stem shrinkage decreased during new leaf flushing.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Organ / stage
- flushing of new leavese0
- Outcome
- maximum daily shrinkagee0
- Direction
- reductione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“stem diameter of the trees showed a significant reduction of the stem growth (daily increase of stem diameter) and maximum daily shrinkage (daily variation of stem diameter) during the flushing of new leaves”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit abortion increased during early leaf flushing stages.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Organ / stage
- flushing of new leaves (stages 1 & 2)e0
- Outcome
- fruit abortion ratee0
- Direction
- increasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“significantly increased fruit abortion rate during the flushing of new leaves (stages 1 & 2)”
Claim · model-written summary
Dendrometers can quantify the effect of leaf flushing on stem growth.
- Taxon
- cocoaTheobroma cacaot0
- Outcome
- quantify this effecte0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cocoa”
e0“These findings highlight the potential of dendrometers to quantify this effect”
The same questions in other papers
shade · yield · Theobroma cacao (cocoa)Results differ
5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 10 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
12 papers more in this group
See all 16 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.