About Cocoa - _ About the Crop _.pdf

7/29/2019 About Cocoa - _ About the Crop _.pdf

1/7

ut Cocoa - :: About the Crop ::

//dccd.gov.in/ctech.htm[4/27/2011 10:21:50 PM]

About the Crop

Schemes / Programmes

Application Forms

Guidelines

Implementing Agencies

Nurseries

Statistics

About Cocoa

:: About TH E CROP - COCOA ::

TechnologyCultivation

Cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L. ) is a native of Amazon

region of South America. The bulk of it is produced in the

tropical areas of the African continent. There are over 20

species in the genus but the cocoa tree Theobroma cacao is

the only one cultivated widely.

Cocoa being a tropical crop, India offers considerable scope

for the development. Cocoa is mainly grown in Kerala,

Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Importance:

Though cocoa has been known as the beverage crop even before tea or coffee, it is relatively a new

crop in India. Cocoa being primarily an item of confectionery industries is the produce of Cacao plant

mostly grown as a companion crop interspersed within the irrigated Coconut and /or Arecanut

gardens. Even though Cocoa comes under the definition of plantation crops pure plantation of cocoa

as such is absent in India. The commercial cultivation of cocoa however commenced from 1960s

only. Various Cocoa products are confectionery in nature and consumable with palatable ness.

Internationally it is an item largely consumed in developed countries. India has gained a foreign

exchange of nearly Rs. 9.00 crores in 1995-96 and Rs. 6.00 crores in 1996-97 by way of export of

cocoa beans and its products from India. At present the global production and consumption of cocoa

is around 27.00 lakh MT, compared to this, Indias production is meager i.e. 10,000 MT.

TOP

Climate:

Rainfall

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
http://dccd.gov.in/cocoa.htm#abouthttp://dccd.gov.in/Scheme%20Cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/forms.pdfhttp://dccd.gov.in/guide%20cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/cocoa%20agency.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/nursery%20cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/stat2.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/stat2.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/nursery%20cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/cocoa%20agency.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/guide%20cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/forms.pdfhttp://dccd.gov.in/Scheme%20Cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/cocoa.htm#abouthttp://dccd.gov.in/welcome.html


2/7



Temperature varying between 30-320C mean maximum and 18-210C mean minimum but around

250C is considered to be a favourable. It cant be grown commercially in areas where the minimum

temperature fall below 100C and annual average temperature is less than 210C.

Humidity

This is uniformly high in cocoa-growing areas, often 100% at night, falling to 70-80 % by day,

sometimes low during the dry season. The most marked effect was on leaf area, plants growing atlow 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.

TOP

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 forcocoa 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. Cocoa doest not come up in coastal sandy soils where coconut flourish.

Selection of planting mate rial:

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.

TOP

Potting mixture and time of sow ing:

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- J anuary so that four to six months old seedlings will

become available for field planting by the onset of the monsoon in the traditional areas.

Met hod of sowing:


3/7



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 weeks 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.

TOP

Selec tion of seedlings for field planting:

Four to six months old seedlings are generally used for field planting. Since seedling vigour and finalyield 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.

Propagation:

Vegetative propagation: Large scale production of superior planting material is possible in cocoa

through vegetative means like budding and grafting of which budding is the easiest. The different

budding methods feasible are T , inverted T, patch and modified Forkert. The new method of micro

budding also may be followed.

Selection of root stocks and bud wood: Seedlings of about 60-90 days are generally used as rootstock. While selecting root stock, care should be taken to see that both root stock and scion are of

same thickness and physiological age. Bud wood from chupons can be taken for budding. The patch

to be taken should be above 2.5 cm. long and 0.5cm. wide with a single vigorous bud on it. Bark of

the same size is removed from the root stock and the bud patch is inserted. It is then tied with

grafting tape. The patch selected should have bud that is visible to the naked eye but it should not

have signs of proliferation. Even though bud wood freshly collected can be used for budding, pre-

curing of bud wood is found to increase the percentage of success. Such a pre-curing consists of

removing the lamina portions of all the leaves from the region of bud stick chosen. The petiole stump

will fall off in about 10 days and the buds would have been initiated to grow. Buds may now be

extracted from the pre-cured portion. If the root stocks are less than four months old, the bud wood

selected should also be green or greenish brown.

TOP

1.

A healthy seedling

ready for budding

2.

Preparing rootstock

removing bud patch

3. 4.


4/7



Bud patch removed

from scion shoot Tying budded portion after

inserting the patch

5.

Budding tape removed

21 days after budding

6.

Sprouted bud

7.

Seedling shoot above the

sprout snapped back

TOP

After ca re :

About three weeks after budding, the grafting tape is removed. If there is successful bud union, a

vertical cut is made half way through the stem above the bud and the stock portion is snapped back.

Such snapped root stock portion is cut and removed only after the bud has grown sufficiently with at

least two leaves hardened. After about four to six months, they are ready for field planting. Care

should be taken to remove the new sprouts from the root stock portion.


5/7



Shade:

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.

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.

TOP

Planting method:

Cocoa is planted as a pure, mixed crop or intercrop. When planted as a pure crop, Dadap (Erythnina

lithosperma) is planted at 3x 3m spacing to provide shade. Dadap needs pruning every year. For

more permanent shade, Albizzia stipulate can be planted adopting 9x9 or 12x12m spacings. This

requires 4 to 6 years to develop proper canopy to provide sufficient shade. Protection from north east

winds by planting wind-breaks is also necessary. Cocoa can be planted as intercrop in coconut

gardens provided the spacing of coconut is sufficient to provide enough shade and the soil is suited to

cocoa. In arecanut gardens too, cocoa can be planted as intercrop. The spacing of arecanut should

not be less than 2.7 x 2.7 m. The planting hole should be at least the same size as to hold the

basket or polythene bag in which seedlings are raised. Planting should coincide with the onset of

monsoon but in places where irrigation facilities are available planting can be done throughout the

year.

TOP

Nutrit ion and irrigation :

Application of organic manures will be useful in the early establishment period. It may not be

necessary after about three to five years as cocoa litter will be the rich an abounded source of

organic matter. 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. While

applying manures and fertilizers, care should be taken to open only shallow basins around the plants

(radius of 1.5m for adult cocoa) and to avoid serious damage to the surface feeding root systems.

The radius of the basins should be proportionately smaller for young cocoa. Providing adequate

irrigation helps in increasing the yield by about 30 % both in mono as well as in mixed crop. Irrigation

could beneficially be given once in a week in dry months.

TOP

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


6/7



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.

TOP

Gestation period:

Where the climate and soil allow a continuous growth cocoa trees will form a jorquette within 6-9months of planting, the canopies will meet at a spacing of 3 x 3m within 18 months and the 1st crop

may be obtained towards the end of 2nd year or in 3rd year.

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 J anuary and April-J une, though off-season crops may be

seen almost all through the year especially under irrigated condition.

Only ripe pods have to be harvested without damaging the flower cushions by cutting the stalk with

the help of knife. The harvesting is to be done at regular intervals of 10-15 days. The damaged ,

unripe and infested pods have to be separated out to ensure better quality of beans after processing.

The harvested pods should be kept for minimum period of two days before opening for fermentation.

However, pod should not be kept beyond four days.

Curing is the process by which cocoa beans are prepared for the market which requires beans of

good flavour, potential and good keeping qualities. The curing process involves fermentation followed

by drying. Fermentation involves keeping the mass of cocoa beans well insulated so that heat is

retained, while at the same time air is allowed to pass through the mass. The process lasts up to 7

days and followed immediately by drying. Cocoa bean mass under the process of fermentation has to

be overturned regularly to maintain the uniform specified temperature all over the mass.

TOP

Rejuvenation of senile gardens:

Top working is a method to convert old poor yielding cocoa plants to high yielders. This technique

helps in the rejuvenation of old and unproductive cocoa plantations. A poor yielding cocoa tree of any

age can be converted to a high yielder by the simple procedure of top working. The method is similar

to the budding on seedlings. The tree to be top worked is snapped back just below the jorquette (1-

1.5 m above the ground) after cutting half way through the width. Patch budding is done on three or

four newly formed most vigorous chupon shoots and the rest of the chupons are removed. Buddingshould be done only when the shoots attain pencil thickness and their leaves are hardened. The bud

wood is taken only from fan shoots of high yielding trees. Patch budding can be easily done on these

shoots by removing a patch of bark of 2.5 m length and 0.5 cm width and inserting a patch of bud of

similar size. This scion is fixed in position and protected by tying with a polythene tape. Three weeks

after budding the tape is cut off and the stock portion of the seedling above the bud union is snapped

back. The snapped portion is removed only after at least two hardened leaves develop from the bud.

When sufficient shoots are hardened the canopy of the mother tree can be totally removed. Top

working can be done during all seasons. Still, it may be more convenient if this operation is done in a

rain-free period in irrigated gardens. For rain fed situations, this may preferably be done after the

receipt of pre- monsoon showers. Top worked trees grow much faster than budded plants of the

same age especially because of the presence of an established root system. They start yielding

heavily from the second year onwards while a budded cocoa plant of the same age may take five


7/7


years for the same.

TOP

BACK HOME NEXT

.::About DCCD::About Cashew::About

Cocoa :: .
http://dccd.gov.in/cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/welcome.htmlhttp://dccd.gov.in/ctech1.htm#abouthttp://dccd.gov.in/dccd.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/dccd.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/cashew.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/cashew.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/dccd.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/ctech1.htm#abouthttp://dccd.gov.in/welcome.htmlhttp://dccd.gov.in/cocoa.htmhttp://dccd.gov.in/ctech1.htm#abouthttp://dccd.gov.in/welcome.htmlhttp://dccd.gov.in/cocoa.htm

About Cocoa - _ About the Crop _.pdf

Documents

Transcript of About Cocoa - _ About the Crop _.pdf