Growth of Cocoa as a Function of Water and Nitrogen

Abstract

The effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on the growth characteristics of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), specifically the clone CCN-51, was evaluate in a field experiment conducted on the period from August 2010 to June 2011 in Jequi city, Bahia State, Brazil. The experimental area, approximately 0.18 ha with the planting of cocoa clonal CCN- 51 in Yellow Oxisol was irrigated drip emitters. The statistical experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications where the factors water level and nitrogen level were factorial combined resulting in the 16 treatments. During the experimental period were measured plant height and stem diameter during six periods. The analysis of variance showed a significant effect of water and N levels in plant height and stem diameter. The biometric variables responded to treatments. The water level used in this study negatively affected the plant growth. The nitrogen level used in this study positively influenced the plant growth. The relative growth rate in relation to the plant height and stem diameter, on average, corresponded to about 14% and 15%, respectively.