Spatial-temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll and its relationship with cocoa yield

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial-temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll index and its relationship with cocoa yield. The experiment was carried out in an experimental area of cocoa production located in Ilhéus, Bahia State, Brazil. Leaf chlorophyll content was measured in September, October, January, February, March and April in the 2014/2015 season, at each sampling point of a regular grid by using a portable chlorophyll meter. Under the same conditions, yield was evaluated and the data were submitted to descriptive statistics and a linear correlation study. Geostatistical analysis was used to determine and quantify the spatial and temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll index and yield. Leaf chlorophyll index varied over the period evaluated, but the months of February, March and April showed no spatial dependence in the study area, indicating absence of temporal stability. Cocoa monthly yield, except in January, presented high spatial variability. Under the conditions of this study, it was not possible to establish a relationship between leaf chlorophyll index and cocoa yield.

Efecto de la fertilización orgánica y la poda sobre la producción de cacao en Cundinamarca, Colombia

“…The contents of chlorophylls a, b, and total (a+b) were positively correlated with bean number and weight; at the same time, the contents of total (a+b) chlorophyll had high genetic variance and high phenotypic variance among the cacao genotypes (Anita-Sari et al 2015). No relationship was evident between the relative chlorophyll contents in leaves and cacao yield in Brazil (Medauar et al 2018).…”

“…In cacao, the chlorophyll levels in leaves may or may not correlate with the yield (Zakariyya & Prawoto, 2015; Medauar et al 2018). Establishing whether the chlorophyll content correlates with the yield has practical importance and would allow using chlorophyll contents to predict the yield or growth variables.…”