Soil Quality Index in Cocoa Crops

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to develop a methodology to calculate a soil quality index in cocoa crops (Theobroma cacao L.), based on chemical properties such as pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and percentage of base saturation, essential for the availability of nutrients in each cocoa tree. The problematic situation that causes this research is related to low yields per hectare, in small and medium-sized cocoa farms in the department of Huila – Colombia. A chemical quality index is proposed, which facilitates the analysis of the health behavior of the cultivated soil and nutrition of the cocoa plants, as a result of its interrelation with the physical and biological aspects. The proposed methodology is based on principal components analysis, to obtain weights and variable standardization equations, which evaluate 248 soil samples. The data indicate that in the cocoa producing land lots there are high pH values, cation exchange capacity and base saturation, but low levels of organic matter. It is concluded that in general the soils used showed moderate or low quality (52.42% and 11.29%, respectively), the rest showed high quality (36.29%). A soil intervention can improve its quality, however, the characteristic of the crop and the low levels of organic matter, requires recovering the properties and improving the health of the soil, if possible, through the implementation of regenerative agriculture, the object of future studies and research.