EFFECT OF POD SIZES AND FERMENTATION METHODS ON PHYSICAL QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF COCOA (THEOBROMA CACAO) BEANS

Abstract

Cocoa is an important crop that provides livelihood for most producing countries. In recent years rejection of beans due to inappropriate fermentation method is a major challenge confronting the industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pod sizes and fermentation methods on the physical attributes of cocoa beans. A 3 x 3 factorial arrangement
in a Completely Randomized Design replicated three times was the experimental design used. The study revealed that pod sizes significantly affected bean weight and bean number such that 96% (R2=0.9591) of variations in bean weight could be attributed to pod size. A correlation analysis also revealed that there was a significant (p≤0.05), strong and positive relationship between pod size and bean number where 97% (r= 0.9744) of bean number was ascribable to pod sizes. No mouldy beans were produced from medium pods under all three methods of fermentation. No slaty beans were produced by beans from medium pods under tray and basket fermentation as well as beans from large pods under tray fermentation. There was a significant, strong but negative correlation between percentage purity and slaty beans. The highest bean purity was produced by medium size pods fermented using tray fermentation. Medium pod sizes produced the least number of germinated beans under all three methods of fermentation. In conclusion, to obtain cocoa beans with high bean weight, bean numbers as well as desired physical attributes large and medium pods fermented using the tray method should be highly considered.