Root detection by resistivity imaging and physiological activity with the dead-end trench on three clones of cocoa (Theobroma cacao)

Abstract

Abstract. Maghfiroh CN, Putra ETS, Dewi HSES. 2020. Root detection by resistivity imaging and physiological activity with the dead-end trench on three clones of cocoa (Theobroma cacao). Biodiversitas 21: 2794-2803. Indonesia is one of the largest cocoa production countries in Southeast Asia, but has low average productivity (982 kg/ha) based on Indonesian Plantation Statistics (2017). Productivity increase effort by giving dead-end trenches that applied to collect organic material, accommodate surface runoff sediments, prevent erosion, and maintain nutrient availability. Dead-end trench had an impact on root cutting and improve rooting. Clone is very influential on cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) yield. The superior clones recommended are clones RCC-70, RCC-71, and KKM-22, which have high productivity and are resistant to pests and diseases. The objectives of this research were (i) to detect the presence of roots by resistivity imaging (ii) to study the effects of dead-end trench application on physiological activities of cocoa leaves and yields of three clones (RCC-70, RCC-71, and KKM-22); (iii) to determine which cocoa clone (s) performed a significant yield increase with the application of dead-end trench. Research was conducted in August 2018-April 2019 at PT. Pagilaran cocoa plantation in North Segayung Production Unit, subdistrict Tulis, Batang, Central Java. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete design with two factors and three blocks as replications. The first factor was dead-end trench application (with or without dead-end trench application) and the second factor was cocoa clones (RCC-70, RCC-71, and KKM-22). This study showed that dead-end trench applications affected plant roots based on the interpretation results of geoelectric-resistivity measurements. Dead-end trench application significantly affected chlorophyll a, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and H2O leaf content. Dead-end trench application has no significant effect on the content of chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll content, nitrate reductase activity, stomatal density, CO2 leaf content, and photosynthesis rate.

Determine the Effects of Drought Stress on the Cacao Seedlings (Theobroma cacao L.) with Rice Straw Compost

“…Good cocoa seeds for planting in the field must meet the standard quality of seeds ready to be planted, namely: seedling age 4-5 months, seedling height 50-60 cm, number of leaves 20-24 sheets and a minimum of 4 old leaves, stem diameter the bottom seedling is about 8 mm and the seedlings are in good health (not attacked by pests and diseases) and intact (not broken and so on) and growing normally (not bent and so on) 18 . The plant generally has a mechanism to minimize water loss during stress conditions.…”

The agro-physiological characteristics of three rice varieties affected by water depth in the coastal agricultural land of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…The filtrate was mixed with a shaker for 15 minutes until it changes the pink color. The filtrate was measured using 2 D Milton Roy Spectrophotometer with 540 nm wavelength and calculated using formula (Maghfiroh et al 2020):…”