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Effects of Pod Maturity on Bean Development, Viability, Mucilage Content and Seedling Vigour in Cacao

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

S. A. Adenikinju
Affiliation:
Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Gambari Experiment Station, Ibadan

Summary

Hand-pollinated pods of the Crin Elite establishment cocoa progeny C77 X C23 showed that pod maturity, based on pod age, significantly affected bean viability as well as leaf area, leaf number, plant height and plant girth of the seedlings produced. Beans extracted from immature unripe cocoa pods only 15 weeks from hand-pollination were more than 50 per cent viable and produced seedlings vigorous enough for transplanting to the field after 20 weeks in the nursery compared with beans from 25-week-old normal, mature-ripe cocoa pods. Loss by black pod disease (Phytopthora palmivora Butl) could therefore be avoided and time of waiting for pods to attain normal maturity and ripening saved, by early harvesting.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

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References

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