The effect of time of planting at stake on cocoa seedling survival

Abstract

Studies were conducted at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Tafo and its sub-station at Bunso, from 1994 to 1997 to re-appraise the success of cocoa etablishment from seeds sown at stake at specified times of the year before the onset of the dry season. The treatments consisted of four times within the year when seeds were sown at stake, namely April, June, and September. Seedlings raised in polyethylene bags were transplanted to serve as the control. The experiments were repeated every year for 3 years. During the 1995/96 season, the experiments were set up either under shade established one year earlier, or established in the same year as the cocoa seeds were sown at stake. Emergence of germinated cocoa seeds from the soil was generally high and independent of the time of sowing. However, survival of cocoa seedlings from seeds sown in April, June, and July was higher than when seeds were sown in September. Establishing shade one year ahead of sowing seeds at stake improved the survival rate of the cocoa seedlings. Seedling losses due to mammalian or accidental damage during weeding was minimal. The results show that inspite of the unreliable rainfall pattern in Ghana, planting at stake is still feasible in cocoa-growing areas of Ghana with similar climatic conditions as the locations used for this experiment. However, for high percentage survival of seedlings, adequate shade must be established at least one year in advance to protect the young seedlings during the dry season.


Ghana Jnl.agric. Sci Vol.32(1), 1999: 79-86