Effect of pre-budwood collection treatment on budding success in cocoa (<i>Theobroma cacao</i> L)

Abstract

The inconsistencies in success of budding exercises pose great problem in the rapid multiplication of desirable genotypes for germplasm, clonal plot and seed garden establishment in cacao, Theobroma cacao L. This study was carried out at Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan to determine the effects of pre-budwood collection treatments of twig on bud take and sprout. Four treatments (i) whole leaf clip (ii) half leaf clip (iii) apical bud clip and (iv) twig wounding at the point of budwood collection and (v) a control (budwood collection and budding on the same day) were applied. Budwoods were collected 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days after treatment (DAT) giving a factorial experiment of 5 x 5 in a randomized complete block design. Clone Na 32 was used for this experiment. Results showed that the wounding treatment gave a significantly greater (p < 0.001) bud take than all other treatments for all the days under study. At 2 – 6 DAT, there was no significant difference (p < 0.609) between the wounding treatment (68% - 82%) and the control (48% - 72%). However, at 8 – 10 DAT, bud take in the wounding treatment (76% - 88%) was significantly higher than the control (40% -56%). Assessment of sprouts and green buddings four weeks after opening showed that the wounding treatment consistently gave a significantly higher percentage (p < 0.001) budding success (46% - 72%) than the control (26% - 54%) for all the days studied. This strongly showed that the wounding treatment even at two days before budwood collection greatly increased bud take and sprouts and hence, budding success than in the conventional method. This study underscores the potential advantage of twig pre-treatment before budwood collection for increased budding success in cacao.

Key words: Pre-budwood; budding success; cacao; Theobroma cacao L.; germplasm.

Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol.4(2) 2003: 206-209