Abstract
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is sensitive to water deficit stress which is the main factor limiting its productivity. Morpho-physiological responses of cocoa hybrids to differential water deficits at young age showed significant differences under controlled condition. Physiological parameters, viz., water status, gas exchange, photosynthesis and photochemical activities, despite having good correlation among them, may not contribute as selection criteria separately. However, simultaneously they distinguished the hybrids under induced water stress. Three different behavioral groups were categorized, the first group showed small reduction in photosynthesis, followed by maintenance of water use efficiency with low conductance and low transpiration rate in the hybrids VTLCP-22, VTLCP-24 and VTLCH-4. The second group included hybrids VTLCP-27, VTLCP-25 and VTLCP-26, which had adequate functioning of PSII, net photosynthetic activity, reduced transpiration rate, high stomatal resistance and vegetative vigor. Third group comprising of hybrids VTLCH-3, VTLCP-11, VTLCP-28 and VTLCP-29 has high transpiration rate, reduction of PSII photochemical activity and low CO2. Cocoa exhibited significant genotypic variation with physiological parameters at young age and breeding for these traits may improve the performance and sustainability under specific growing conditions.
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