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hi
- Thread starter sagar1044
- Start date
Hello Sir
There is very ggod market for cocoa not only in Maharashtra but everywhere.
Climate for Cocoa:
Average rainfall of 1250-3000 mm. per annum and preferably between 1500-2000mm. with a dry season of not more than 3 months with less than 100mm. rain per month is ideal, but the quantity is less important than distribution. Rainfall can be supplemented with irrigation during dry months.
Temperature varying between 30-320C mean maximum and 18-210C mean minimum but around 250C is considered to be a favourable. It can’t be grown commercially in areas where the minimum temperature fall below 100C and annual average temperature is less than 210C.
The most marked effect was on leaf area, plants growing at low humidity ( 50-60%) having larger leaves and greater leaf area than plants growing at medium (70-80%) and high (90-95%) humidity under the latter conditions leaves are small and tend to be curled and withered at the tip. The other effects of humidity concern the spread of fungal diseases and the difficulties of drying and storage.
Soil:Cocoa is grown on a wide range of soil types and the standards for soil suitable for cocoa vary considerably. Cocoa trees are more sensitive to moisture stress than other tropical crops. In addition cocoa trees are sensitive to water logging. While they can withstand flooding, they will not tolerate stagnant, water logged conditions. The depth of the soil should be at least 1.5m. The best soil for cocoa is forest soil rich in humus. The soil should be such as allowing easy penetration of roots capable of retaining moisture during summer and allowing circulation of air and moisture. Clay loams and sandy loams are suitable. Shallow soils should be avoided. A minimum requirement of 3.5% organic matter say 2% Carbon in the top 15cm. is ideal for growing cocoa plantation. Cocoa is grown on soils with a wide range of PH from 6-7.5 where major nutrients and trace elements will be available.
Selection of planting material: Cocoa can be propagated through seeds or by vegetative means. For raising seedlings, seeds of mature pods are taken from high yielding mother plants. The mother plants selected should yield more than 100 pods per year and should have medium or large green pods with an average dry bean weight of not less than one gram. A more suitable procedure for planting good quality seedling will be to collect hybrid seeds from bi clonal or polyclonal seed gardens involving superior self- incompatible parents.
The seeds generally lose their viability after seven days of harvest. To avoid these drop in viability during long periods of storage, the extracted seeds may be stored in moist charcoal and then packed in polythene bags.
Potting mixture and time of sowing: The normal potting mixture with farm yard manure, sand and soil in equal proportions is good for raising cocoa seedlings. Though cocoa seeds germinate at any time of the year, the best period of sowing the seeds in nursery is December- January so that four to six months old seedlings will become available for field planting by the onset of the monsoon in the traditional areas.
Method of sowing: The seeds are to be sown with the helium end facing downwards or are sown flat. The seeds should not be placed too deep in the soil. The seeds start germinating in a week’s time but the process may continue for another week. Generally 90% of the seeds germinate. Regular watering is essential to keep the soil moist. Over watering should be avoided in order to check the outbreaks of diseases.
Selection of seedlings for field planting: Four to six months old seedlings are generally used for field planting. Since seedling vigour and final yield are closely related, the seedlings for field planting should be selected based on seedling vigour. Seedling vigour can be estimated based on height of seedlings and stem girth.
Varieties:There are three major varietal groups, namely, Criollo, Forestero and Trinitario. Among these, Forestero is the one that is commercially grown all over the world. It is high yielding more resistant to pest and diseases and more tolerant to drought compared to Criollo. Some of the important varieties developed are furnished separately.
Cocoa needs shade for its natural habitat young cocoa plants grow best with 50% full sunlight. As the tree grows, its shade requirement is reduced.
An annual application of 100g N, 40g P2O5 and 140g K2o per plant per year in two equal split doses is recommended. During the first year of planting the plants may be given 1/3rd of the above dose, while the second and third year 2/3rd and full dose of fertilizers applied.
Pruning and training: Pruning is an important continuous operation in cocoa. Cocoa grows in a series of stories. The chupon or vertical branch of the seedlings terminates at the jorquette when four or five branches develop. Further chupon develops just below the jorquette and continues its vertical growth till another jorquette develops and so on. When the first jorquette develops at a height of 1.5m, the canopy will form at a height convenient for harvesting and other operations. It is desirable to limit the tree at that level by periodical removal of chupon growth. The second jorquette may be allowed to form if so desired. Operations like harvesting, spraying etc. will be easier if the height of the trees is kept at the second story level. Generally three to five branches develop at each jorquette. When more fan branches develop one or two weaker ones have to be removed. Similarly overlapping branches are also have to be removed for facilitating uniform light; penetration of every part of canopy.
Harvesting: The development of the pod takes 5-6 months from fertilizing the flower to full ripening. Harvesting involves removing the ripe pods from the trees and opening them to extract the wet beans. As they ripen, the pods change colours, green pods becoming orange, yellow and red pods turning orange. Each pod will have 25-45 beans embedded in white pulp ( Mucilage). Generally cocoa gives two main crops in a year during September – January and April-June, though off-season crops may be seen almost all through the year especially under irrigated condition.
There is very ggod market for cocoa not only in Maharashtra but everywhere.
Climate for Cocoa:
Average rainfall of 1250-3000 mm. per annum and preferably between 1500-2000mm. with a dry season of not more than 3 months with less than 100mm. rain per month is ideal, but the quantity is less important than distribution. Rainfall can be supplemented with irrigation during dry months.
Temperature varying between 30-320C mean maximum and 18-210C mean minimum but around 250C is considered to be a favourable. It can’t be grown commercially in areas where the minimum temperature fall below 100C and annual average temperature is less than 210C.
The most marked effect was on leaf area, plants growing at low humidity ( 50-60%) having larger leaves and greater leaf area than plants growing at medium (70-80%) and high (90-95%) humidity under the latter conditions leaves are small and tend to be curled and withered at the tip. The other effects of humidity concern the spread of fungal diseases and the difficulties of drying and storage.
Soil:Cocoa is grown on a wide range of soil types and the standards for soil suitable for cocoa vary considerably. Cocoa trees are more sensitive to moisture stress than other tropical crops. In addition cocoa trees are sensitive to water logging. While they can withstand flooding, they will not tolerate stagnant, water logged conditions. The depth of the soil should be at least 1.5m. The best soil for cocoa is forest soil rich in humus. The soil should be such as allowing easy penetration of roots capable of retaining moisture during summer and allowing circulation of air and moisture. Clay loams and sandy loams are suitable. Shallow soils should be avoided. A minimum requirement of 3.5% organic matter say 2% Carbon in the top 15cm. is ideal for growing cocoa plantation. Cocoa is grown on soils with a wide range of PH from 6-7.5 where major nutrients and trace elements will be available.
Selection of planting material: Cocoa can be propagated through seeds or by vegetative means. For raising seedlings, seeds of mature pods are taken from high yielding mother plants. The mother plants selected should yield more than 100 pods per year and should have medium or large green pods with an average dry bean weight of not less than one gram. A more suitable procedure for planting good quality seedling will be to collect hybrid seeds from bi clonal or polyclonal seed gardens involving superior self- incompatible parents.
The seeds generally lose their viability after seven days of harvest. To avoid these drop in viability during long periods of storage, the extracted seeds may be stored in moist charcoal and then packed in polythene bags.
Potting mixture and time of sowing: The normal potting mixture with farm yard manure, sand and soil in equal proportions is good for raising cocoa seedlings. Though cocoa seeds germinate at any time of the year, the best period of sowing the seeds in nursery is December- January so that four to six months old seedlings will become available for field planting by the onset of the monsoon in the traditional areas.
Method of sowing: The seeds are to be sown with the helium end facing downwards or are sown flat. The seeds should not be placed too deep in the soil. The seeds start germinating in a week’s time but the process may continue for another week. Generally 90% of the seeds germinate. Regular watering is essential to keep the soil moist. Over watering should be avoided in order to check the outbreaks of diseases.
Selection of seedlings for field planting: Four to six months old seedlings are generally used for field planting. Since seedling vigour and final yield are closely related, the seedlings for field planting should be selected based on seedling vigour. Seedling vigour can be estimated based on height of seedlings and stem girth.
Varieties:There are three major varietal groups, namely, Criollo, Forestero and Trinitario. Among these, Forestero is the one that is commercially grown all over the world. It is high yielding more resistant to pest and diseases and more tolerant to drought compared to Criollo. Some of the important varieties developed are furnished separately.
Cocoa needs shade for its natural habitat young cocoa plants grow best with 50% full sunlight. As the tree grows, its shade requirement is reduced.
An annual application of 100g N, 40g P2O5 and 140g K2o per plant per year in two equal split doses is recommended. During the first year of planting the plants may be given 1/3rd of the above dose, while the second and third year 2/3rd and full dose of fertilizers applied.
Pruning and training: Pruning is an important continuous operation in cocoa. Cocoa grows in a series of stories. The chupon or vertical branch of the seedlings terminates at the jorquette when four or five branches develop. Further chupon develops just below the jorquette and continues its vertical growth till another jorquette develops and so on. When the first jorquette develops at a height of 1.5m, the canopy will form at a height convenient for harvesting and other operations. It is desirable to limit the tree at that level by periodical removal of chupon growth. The second jorquette may be allowed to form if so desired. Operations like harvesting, spraying etc. will be easier if the height of the trees is kept at the second story level. Generally three to five branches develop at each jorquette. When more fan branches develop one or two weaker ones have to be removed. Similarly overlapping branches are also have to be removed for facilitating uniform light; penetration of every part of canopy.
Harvesting: The development of the pod takes 5-6 months from fertilizing the flower to full ripening. Harvesting involves removing the ripe pods from the trees and opening them to extract the wet beans. As they ripen, the pods change colours, green pods becoming orange, yellow and red pods turning orange. Each pod will have 25-45 beans embedded in white pulp ( Mucilage). Generally cocoa gives two main crops in a year during September – January and April-June, though off-season crops may be seen almost all through the year especially under irrigated condition.