Development of a composite soil degradation assessment index for cocoa agroforests under tropical conditions of southwest Nigeria

Adeniyi, Sunday; Clercq, Willem de; Niekerk, Adriaan van

doi:10.5194/se-2016-175

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Soil fertility often deteriorates on cocoa farms (Adeniyi et al, 2017). Typically, cocoa trees planted on a freshly cleared forest initially benefit from high fertility due to high organic matter levels and well-developed soil structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medium-term effect of fertilizer, compost, and dolomite on cocoa soil and productivity in Sulawesi, Indonesia

et al. 2021

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In Indonesia, management practices that reduce soil fertility could be limiting cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) production. To address this, we investigated the effects of fertilizers and organic amendments comprising different combinations of NPK + urea, dolomite, and manure-based compost on soil properties and cocoa productivity. We extended an existing field experiment in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, to assess these treatments’ effects on cocoa trees from the age of 2.9 years to 7.4 years. The treatments were first applied 5 months after planting and subsequently twice a year. Soil analyses were performed before planting, after 3 years, and finally after 7 years. Productivity was assessed yearly between the age of 3.5 and 7.4 years. The highest yields were obtained from the plots receiving compost, although the yield benefits diminished over time. Inorganic fertilizer alone doubled the yield compared to the control, while the yields with compost and compost + fertilizer were three times that of the control. With dolomite alone, the yield cumulated over 4 years was 41% higher than the control. The positive effect of compost on cocoa yields can potentially be attributed to (1) physical changes increasing soil water availability, (2) the chemical improvement of nutrient availability, and (3) biologically, by promoting the activity of beneficial organisms. The application of dolomite increased soil pH, Ca, and Mg contents. Soil organic carbon greatly declined in the composted treatments, even though 10 kg of compost was applied per tree per year, probably because of the low C:N ratio of the compost. Future studies should assess different fertilizer formulations and combinations with organic inputs and explore the mechanisms by which compost promotes cocoa productivity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medium-term effect of fertilizer, compost, and dolomite on cocoa soil and productivity in Sulawesi, Indonesia

et al. 2021

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Assessment of Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer as a Suitable Nitrogen Source for Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Cultivation in Ghana

Dogbatse,

Awudzi,

Arthur

et al. 2024

International Journal of Agronomy

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Urea or sulphate of ammonia fertilizer application on cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Ghana has either caused no changes or a decrease in cacao yields. In Ghana, soil diagnosis has shown low soil N in cacao‐growing areas, which could be limiting cacao production. Alleviating the low soil N to increase cacao yields without negative effects requires the use of an appropriate source and dose of N fertilizer. A study was conducted to determine the suitability of calcium nitrate fertilizer as a source of N and the right N dose that will ensure an increase in cacao yield. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to evaluate the effects of 11 treatments which were combinations of dose and number of N fertilizer application. The results showed an increase in soil pH, N, and P contents and a decrease in exchangeable bases over the four years for the surface soil depth. For organic carbon (OC), the average annual rate of change resulted in a gain of OC in the soils for all the treatment plots, except for treatment with 60 kg N ha−1 applied once over the 4 years. Soil P concentrations of the plots saw a drastic increase and a gain of P for all the treatment plots. The concentration of exchangeable bases declined in 4 years. Significant differences were observed in the 3‐year cumulative dry bean yield of cacao for the treatments with 75 kg N ha−1 split applied being the highest. The study showed that the calcium nitrate fertilizer is a suitable N source for cacao in Ghana and a dose of 75 kg N ha−1 of the fertilizer should be split applied, i.e., half applied in May and half applied in September to ensure an increase in cacao yield.

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Development of a composite soil degradation assessment index for cocoa agroforests under tropical conditions of southwest Nigeria

Cited by 2 publications

References 61 publications

Medium-term effect of fertilizer, compost, and dolomite on cocoa soil and productivity in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Medium-term effect of fertilizer, compost, and dolomite on cocoa soil and productivity in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Assessment of Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer as a Suitable Nitrogen Source for Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Cultivation in Ghana

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