Effects of Mulching and Watering Frequency on Some Agronomic Performances of Cocoa Plants (Theobroma cacao L.) Produced in Nurseries

Abstract

This study was carried out at Nkoemvone Agricultural Research Station in southern Cameroon, to help cocoa farmers monitor their cocoa nurseries during periods of drought or in areas where water resources are scarce and difficult to access. The objective of this work was to find the production methods for cocoa plants that could use the lowest watering frequencies through straw to ensure optimal growth and development of these plants in the nursery. It was carried out between September 2020 and June 2021 in a randomized complete block design. It comprised eighteen elementary plots, i.e. six treatments repeated three times. The number of cocoa plants tested was 360. That is, 20 plants per treatment. The treatments applied were NMWF1/2 days (control treatment); NMWF1/4 days; NMWF1/6 days; MWF1/2 days; MWF1/4 days and MWF1/6 days. At the end of work, three out of six treatments resulted in better agronomic performance. Firstly, MWF 1/2 days, which had a pH-water of 5.1, 7.97% organic matter, 25.34 cm mean cocoa plant height, 5.63 mm mean stem diameter, 10.97 mean leaf number, 9.26±0. 55 as the average length of the main roots, 52.13±5.70 as the average number of secondary roots, 45.97±2.04 % organic matter content of stems + leaves and 37.86±6.62 % organic matter content of roots at the end of the experiment. Then, there is MWF 1/4 days with 5.8, 6.44 %, 23.42 cm, 5.07 mm, 9.35 cm, 10.45±0.82 cm, 47.32±3.21 cm, 58.41±6.54 %, 47.62± 4.12 % respectively. Finally, NMWF 1/2 days showed 5.6, 5.21 %, 23.30 cm, 4.9 mm, 9.55, 10.15±0.58 cm, 51.75±5.11, 44.63±4.74 % and 28.41±7.67 % respectively in the same period. Although these three treatments resulted in more satisfactory growth and development than the others, we only recommend  MWF 1/4 days treatment to the farmers for the purpose of this work.