PHYSICAL QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF COCOA BEAN (Theobroma cacao L.) BASED ON CANOPY POSITION AND PLANT AGE

Abstract

The research aimed to study the cocoa bean quality and productivity based on their position on canopy and different plant ages. This has been conducted at cocoa farming area at Wonggeduku Subdistrict, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. These treatments were arranged based on the nested design in which the pod position on the canopy i.e. on main stem, primary and secondary branches, and nested to the plant ages i.e. 8,10, 12, and 14 years old were used. The observed variable were pod length, pod diameter, seed weight, seed number, and dry production per pod. The data gathered were analysed by analysis of variance and the difference between treatments were justified by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 95% significant level. To study the relationship between plant ages and pod position on canopy, the regression analysis was applied. Research result showed that there were interaction effect on pod position and ages on all variable observed. The best treatment on the main stem and primary branch at eight year age of the plant was on the length, diameter and weight of pods, seed number, and dry seed production per pod. KEY WORDS: Cocoa pod, plant age, pod position, production, quality