Variations in the number of beans per pod inTheobroma cacaoL. in the Ivory Coast. I. The role of pollen

Abstract

Incomplete pod filling is frequently encountered in cocoa cultivation, but there is disagreement as to the causes. Pollen factors (amount and quality of pollen) were studied on several clones in the Ivory Coast. Hand pollination with compatible pollen showed that the pod filling of clone UPA 413 can be improved, but not that of clone SCA 6. The pollen genotype, and not just its compatibility, seems to affect the average number of beans per pod, but not the standard deviations. Experiments on the number of pollen grains deposited (pollination) looked at hand pollination (where there is always excess pollen), the life span of flowers depending on pollination conditions and the amount of pollen in fallen flowers. They showed that hand pollination with compatible pollen does not always guarantee complete pod filling, that many flowers pollinated with clusters of pollen can fall and that large amounts of pollen are required to obtain pods.