Determination of Selection Index of Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao L.) Yield Traits Using Regression Methods

The increasing chocolate consumption has not been followed by growing production of dry cocoa beans. In order to support the increase in cocoa production, planting materials with high yield are needed. The objective of this research was to determine the components of cocoa traits affecting weight of dry cocoa beans, and set a selection index for superior cocoa trees. The experiment material were four cocoa hybrid populations of which their family ancestry were unknown, and were planted on Samigaluh Plantation, Yogyakarta, and Segayung Plantation, Central Java. Observations and data collection were conducted on four plant populations. The observations were undertaken for three years, by observing plant traits, including pod length, pod diameter, husk thickness, cavity diameter, pod fresh weight, cocoa bean/pod fresh weight, husk fresh weight, dry weight of cocoa beans/pod, number of cocoa beans/pod, dry weight per cocoa bean. The collected data were analyzed using path and regression analysis methods. The results showed that pod diameter (X4), fresh pod weight (X5), number of cocoa beans/pod (X8), and dry weight/cocoa bean (X9) were used to form a selection index resulting the equation I = 0.0792 X4 + 0.1330 X5 + 0.0106 X8 + 0.1349 X9 furthermore will be used in the selection of cocoa trees. Ten cocoa plants from seeds having the highest general selection index were D 034, D 003, D 015, A 054, D 004, D 033, D 041, A 157, D 036, and D 025 will be selected for further evaluation

Comparison of Canopy Openness in Different Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Production Systems in Alto Beni, Bolivia

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) grows naturally as an understory tree in tropical forests and produces well under shaded and non-shaded conditions. It is cultivated by small scale farmers in South America under various conditions, ranging from monocultures to different kinds of agroforestry systems. While in monocultures it is exposed to direct sunlight, one or various tree species shade the cocoa in agroforestry systems. Also organic cocoa cultivation is becoming more and more popular due to premium prices and increasing ecological consciousness. In Alto Beni, Bolivia, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and local partners have established a long-term field trial to compare cocoa production systems. The bi-factorial randomised block design includes management and biodiversity factors combined to the following five cocoa treatments: monoculture and agroforestry systems both under organic and conventional management, and successional agroforestry system (high plant species diversity) under organic management and for further comparison fallow plots of same age as the cocoa plots. Research is done in all fields of agronomic, economic and environmental interest. This study focuses on the comparison of the canopy openness of the different cocoa production systems and fallow plots. Knowledge about the canopy openness enables the estimation of light entering the production system, especially on the cocoa layer (photosynthesis relevant) and also on the soil as canopy openness influences the microclimate in the plantation. Another aspect of the canopy is the impact on the throughfall within the plot. Over the time, variations in the canopy structure indicate the production of biomass, of nutrient enrichment by throughfall (rain-wash and nutrient leaf leaching in the canopy) and may indicate pruning necessities when the plant cover above the cocoa exceeds critical values. To estimate the canopy openness, in the years 2012 and 2013 hemispherical photography was taken with fisheye lenses in the different cocoa production systems and in the fallow plots. The photos were analysed with the programme Gap Light Analyser. First results of canopy openness between the cocoa systems will be shown and discussed for leave area index and potential microclimate differences

Mapping plant diversity in cocoa-based agroforestry systems to improve overall productivity

In cocoa-based agroforestry systems (CAFS), the cocoa trees are associated with other cultivated plant species at variable densities. There, the spatial distribution of the cultivated plants can be regular, random or aggregated, and their age may vary even in the same species. Variables of (i) density, (ii) spatial distribution and (iii) age can thus influence the overall productivity of CAFS and its distribution in space. We studied the relationships between these 3 variables and CAFS productivity based on data collected in 34 experimental yield tracking plots placed in agroforestry fields of producers in the Dominican Republic. A mapping of the cultivated plants was carried out on each plot at their installation and harvests of the ripe products of each individual plant were carried out every two weeks over a period of one year. The first results of this study indicate that optimal CAFS productivity can be maintained along a decreasing density gradient of crops, associated with cocoa tree ageing. In addition, regular and random spatial distribution of all plant species may increase overall productivity. The analysis of the variability of cocoa, fruit, tuber and timber yields allows us to provide recommendations on the most suitable species and the optimal distance between plants to improve overall productivity and therefore the producer's income

Chromatographic Identification of Leaf Color Characteristics on Fine-flavor and Bulk Cacao as Selection Indicator

A problem encountered in plant breeding process to determine bean color quality of fine-flavor cocoa is a long selection period. Preliminary results indicatedthat the fine-flavor cocoa has a low color reflectance than bulk cocoa. The objectiveof this study is to find more applicable and easier method to do the early detectionof fine-flavor cocoa on the breeding population. Detection of the leaf color haracteristics was done by chromatographic and spectrophotometry analysis. hromatographic analysis was carried out in Kaliwining Experimental Station, IndonesianCoffee and Cocoa Research Institute using complete random design consistedof two types of cocoa; fine-flavor (10 clones) and bulk cocoa (10 clones). pectrophotometric analysis was conducted at Ma Chung University, Malang, East Java.Four clones of bulk cocoa and six clones of fine flavor cocoa were used in thisanalysis. The results of the study showed that the flush color characteristics of thefine-flavor cocoa were different from the bulk cocoa characteristics as shown bythe differences in the value of L*, b* and anthocyanin content. Flush characteristic s ofthe fine-flavor cocoa had brighter color, more toward green with higher yellowlevel, while the bulk cocoa had darker flush, red and lower yellow level. Thecolor parameter of L* and b* had a higher genetic variation compared with theenvironment variation. However, the parameter a* had a higher environmental variation compared with genetic variation. Grouping of fine-flavor cocoa and bulk cocoacould be done through the detection of flush anthocyanin content, when tendencyof flush anthocyanin content on fine-flavor cocoa was lower than bulk cocoa.The detection of flush color particularly L* and b* parameters through hromatographic analysis and anthocyanin content through spectrophotometric analysismay be used as a criteria for selection the fine flavor cocoa on seedling phase

Pengaruh Pemberian Campuran Kompos Kulit Buah Kakao Dengan Kompos Tandan Kosong Kelapa Sawit Terhadap Pertumbuhan Bibit Kakao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Pada Medium Subsoil Ultisol

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect a mixture of compost cocoa exocarpium with compost TKKS and to get the best treatment combination for the growth of cocoa in the subsoil medium ultisol. This research was conducted in the experimental field and Laboratory of Production Faculty of Agriculture, University of Riau in Campus Binawidya Km 12.5 Simpang Baru Pekanbaru. This research was conducted from March to June 2016. The research used Completely Randomized Design nonfactorial that consisting of 6 treatment and 3 replications, so that there are 18 experimental units. Each experimental unit consisted of three plants and two seeds sampled, so the total crop was 54 plants. Each treatment is : K0 = without compost; K1 = TKKS compost100 g/plant; K2 = cocoa exocarpium compost 25 g/plant + TKKS compost 75 g/plant ; K3 = cocoa exocarpium compost 50 g/plant + TKKS compost 50 g/plant ; K4 = cocoa exocarpium compost 750 g/plant + TKKS compost 25 g/plant ;K5 = cocoa exocarpium compost 100 g/plant. Parameters measured were seedling height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf area,root volume and seedling dry weight. Data obtained from the research results were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance followed by a further test of Duncan's New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at 5%. Based on the research the application of cocoa exocarpium compostwith TKKS compost on the cocoa seeds that have been carried out, the result showed that the treatment cocoa exocarpium compostwith TKKS compost had significant effect on all parameters of observation. Treatment of cocoa exocarpium compost 100 g/seed can be recommended to get the growth of cocoa's seedling

Social-ecological resilience in organic and non-organic cocoa farming systems in the Yungas of Bolivia

Cocoa based small scale agriculture is the basic livelihood of most farming families in the region of Alto Beni in the Bolivian Andes. Cocoa cultivation is affected by climate change impacts, soil degradation, pests and plant diseases, and insecure cocoa prices. From a sustainable development point of view, cocoa farms need thus to become more resilient. Resilience refers to the ability within a farming system to reduce the sensitivity to stress factors while maintaining productivity, the capacity for self-organisation, to learn, and to adapt to change. Resilience can be subdivided in the three features buffer capacity, self-organisation, and adaptive capacity. This study addresses differences in resilience of organic and non-organic cocoa farms, and the most important features that influence social-ecological resilience in cocoa farming systems. Indicators for resilience were defined in a transdisciplinary process with local experts and cocoa farmers in a workshop and focus groups. Indicators for buffer capacity were tree diversity, crop diversity, and the diversity of income sources of the farming family. Indicators for self-organisation were the interaction with farmers’ organisations, their subsistence level, cocoa yields, and the annual family income. Adaptive capacity was assessed by inquiring the number of courses on cocoa cultivation family members had participated in, and the number of information sources they had. We interviewed 52 certified and non-certified households and conducted an in-depth participant observation with 15 households from the sample. It resulted that organic farms in the research area were more diversified (tree species in cocoa plots: 4.4 vs. 1.9, crop diversity: 8.4 vs. 6.7 crop varieties on cocoa farms), and had higher cocoa yields (506 kg ha−1 yr−1 vs. 335.8 kg ha−1 yr−1, both without external inputs). Annual family income was significantly higher on organic farms with 7530.2 vs. 6044.4 USD. Organic farmers had participated in more courses on cocoa cultivation which may be the main reason for the better performance of their farms. We conclude that resilience building was enhanced by local organisations that organise organic certification and go further than basic organic certification principles by providing extension services, tree seedlings, capacity building, and certain social insurances

Impact of shade and cocoa plant densities on soil organic carbon sequestration rates in a cocoa growing soil of Ghana

Cropping systems have influence on the conservation of soil organic matter. Soil samples were taken from a long term experiment that was designed to study the impact of shade and cocoa plant densities on cocoa yields. The impact of the treatments on soil organic carbon sequestration rates and the gains or losses of soil organic carbon under the treatments with reference to adjacent undisturbed bush were assessed. The experiment was sited at the Bunso substation of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana on Rhodi-lixic ferralsol with annual precipitation of about 1500 mm. The shade was provided by forest trees of 18 trees ha-1 and no shade, while the cocoa densities were 1111, 1428 and 1667 trees ha-1. Shade effects on organic carbon pools within the top soil (0-30 cm) under cocoa were not significant (p=0.05). Cocoa plant densities per unit area influenced the soil organic carbon pools. The soil organic carbon pools were significantly lower (p=0.05) in the closely planted farms than in the widely spaced farms. There were no soil organic carbon sequestration in the highest cocoa plant density of 1667 trees ha-1 but 250 and 190 kg soil organic carbon ha-1 yr-1 in the top soil (0-15 cm) were sequestered in the soils under cocoa with density of 1111 trees ha-1 for shaded and unshaded farms respectively. Irrespective of the shade conditions, the net gains of carbon in the soils were higher in farms with lower cocoa plant density. The results suggest that cocoa planted at low plant density under shade stores more carbon per unit area of soil than an equivalent area of cocoa planted at high density without shade. It is concluded that cocoa farming could be an effective means to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions in cocoa growing countries.Key words: Soil organic carbon, sequestration rates, cocoa plant density, shade

Cocoa Liquor, Butter, & Powder Production

This project recommends a design for a cocoa processing plant to produce cocoa liquor, powder, and butter from fermented cocoa beans, in accordance with US Patent 6,066,350. The recommended design minimizes the use of external utilities by optimizing various heat integration strategies. The plant has a capacity of 120,000 tonnes/year and will be located in Tema, Ghana. The proposed design yields 25,000 tonnes/year of alkalized cocoa liquor with 54% fat, 52,000 tonnes/year of cocoa butter, 36,000 tonnes/year of 3% fat alkalized cocoa powder, and 9,000 tonnes/year of below 0.5% fat alkalized cocoa powder. The cocoa butter and powders made in this process are of Food Grade quality and are compliant with FDA regulations, and have less than 1 PPM residual solvent concentrations. A total permanent investment of $19M is required. Despite this, the process has an estimated IRR of 33.5$29M. It is recommended that the company bring this plant into operation and commence additional research, with emphasis in the cocoa powder market, and the effectiveness of solvent extraction and removal

Cocoa Plant, People and Profit in Ghana

Cocoa production assumed commercial dimension by the beginning of the nineteenth century in Ghana. Soon after that the country became the world’s leading producer of cocoa. Since then the ecological system of the cocoa plant, people involved in its management and their profit motives have been interwoven. The cocoa plant ecosystem in Ghana has been performing well under variable soil and climatic conditions. In addition, the different cocoa actors have unequal powers which affect sharing of the incentives from the sale of cocoa beans. Hence, sustainability of the cocoa industry in Ghana depends on ethical unity amongst the multi-stakeholders. By using the conceptual 3Ps approach to analysis of sustainability (environment, sociocultural and economic), benefits accruing and problems will become evident to elicit appropriate remedy