A spraying and harvesting trial in Trinidad against cocoa pod diseases
An experiment in the control of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) pod diseases caused by fungi, especially witches' broom (Marasmius perniciosus Stahel) and black pod (Phytophthora palmivora Bult.), was carried out on mature trees of a single clone in a high rainfall area in Trinidad. Knapsack type spraying with copper oxychloride (blitox) during the wet season reduced black pod by up to 67 per cent. There was no control of witches' broom but some of other, less important, fungal infections. Frequent harvesting reduced black pod by up to 41 per cent and also reduced minor fungal infections. As expected it had no effect on witches' broom incidence. Spraying increased the healthy pod harvest by up to 48 per cent and frequent harvesting by up to 22 per cent. Bean yield per pod was increased by all treatments over control plots; the highest yield was given by the most frequently sprayed plots. Crop loss, as beans per pod, was 90 per cent in witches' broom infections and 60 per cent in those caused by black pod in the control plots. The experiment indicated that yields were increased by 128 lb of dry cocoa per acre (22 per cent) on the sprayed plots, and by 180 lb (31 per cent) on those frequently harvested.
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
Jul
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| Subjects: | THEOBROMA CACAO, PHYTOPHTHORA PALMIVORA, CRINIPELLIS PERNICIOSA, ENFERMEDADES FUNGOSAS, CONTROL DE ENFERMEDADES, PULVERIZACION, FUNGICIDAS, METODOS DE APLICACION, DOSIS DE APLICACION, RENDIMIENTO, TRINIDAD Y TOBAGO, |
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