Agronomic assessment of corn utilization as cocoa intercrop under coconut stands

Abstract

Cocoa is known as shade-loving plants, i.e. plants that suitably grow with shaded conditions. Therefore, particular cultivation techniques are needed, such as planting shade trees to cover cocoa trees from direct sunlight exposure. The utilization of shade-loving plants from annual and seasonal crops, such as coconut and corn, can provide several benefits for farmers, including optimal early growth of cocoa seedlings, and the byproduct of shade-loving plants can provide short-term economic benefits for farmers. Corn plants in sustainable cocoa farm management are grouped as pioneer plants that can provide temporary shade so that cocoa plants can be protected from direct sunlight because cocoa is known as a shade-loving plant. One of the efforts to get short-term income for farmers is to utilize corn as an intercrop while allowing for the generative phase of cocoa plants. This research aimed to find the growth and production of several corn varieties and their effect on cocoa growth under shade. It was conducted in a farmer’s field in Bualo Village, Paguyaman subdistrict, Boalemo District, Gorontalo Province from June to November 2022. This research employed a Randomized Group Design consisting of four treatments of corn varieties, namely: BISI 18 (V1), BISI 99 (V2), NASA 29 (V3); and NK 6172, repeated 4 times with 16 experimental units. The results explained that all varieties of corn were able to adapt and tolerate conditions under coconut trees as shades, while the BISI 18 variety showed the highest production yield. Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between the use of corn as an intercrop with the vegetative growth of cocoa plants.