Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) seedlings are very sensitive to water stress during the nursery stage and early field establishment. Sawdust, carbonated rice husk, and compost in the following ratios (i) 60: 40: 0 – M1, (ii) 60: 30: 10 – M2, (iii) 60: 20: 20 – M3, (iv) 60: 10: 30 – M4, (v) 60: 0: 40 – M5, a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sciendo
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Agriculture and Environment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/ausae-2022-0004 |
| _version_ | 1797848581859704832 |
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| author | Mintah Lemuel Ohemeng Ofosu-Budu Godfred Kwabena Osei-Bonsu Nana Oduro Ulzen Jacob Danso Eric Oppong |
| author_facet | Mintah Lemuel Ohemeng Ofosu-Budu Godfred Kwabena Osei-Bonsu Nana Oduro Ulzen Jacob Danso Eric Oppong |
| author_sort | Mintah Lemuel Ohemeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) seedlings are very sensitive to water stress during the nursery stage and early field establishment. Sawdust, carbonated rice husk, and compost in the following ratios (i) 60: 40: 0 – M1, (ii) 60: 30: 10 – M2, (iii) 60: 20: 20 – M3, (iv) 60: 10: 30 – M4, (v) 60: 0: 40 – M5, and (vi) topsoil – M6 as control were used to investigate the effect of growing media, water stress, and re-watering on the growth, dry matter production, and partitioning of cocoa seedlings. Each combination was subjected to water stress 6 weeks after sowing for a period of 4 weeks, after which they were rewatered. Plant height, stem girth, leaf number and area, and seedling biomass were significantly higher in soilless potting media as compared to topsoil. M4 and M5 significantly recorded the highest total dry weight, plant height, stem girth, leaf number, leaf area, and root volume before imposition of water stress. Following imposition of water stress, cocoa seedlings grown in M4 and M5 showed a recovery that was superior to the other growing media, indicating that higher proportions of compost together with sawdust and carbonated rice husk provide an alternative for growing cocoa seedlings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:29:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-592e76ac64844a3bb0f611bf81760691 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2068-2964 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:29:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Agriculture and Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-592e76ac64844a3bb0f611bf817606912023-04-11T17:19:08ZengSciendoActa Universitatis Sapientiae: Agriculture and Environment2068-29642022-12-01141456110.2478/ausae-2022-0004Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlingsMintah Lemuel Ohemeng0Ofosu-Budu Godfred Kwabena1Osei-Bonsu Nana Oduro2Ulzen Jacob3Danso Eric Oppong4Forest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Kade, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaForest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Kade, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaForest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Kade, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaForest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Kade, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaForest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, Kade, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaCocoa (Theobroma cacao) seedlings are very sensitive to water stress during the nursery stage and early field establishment. Sawdust, carbonated rice husk, and compost in the following ratios (i) 60: 40: 0 – M1, (ii) 60: 30: 10 – M2, (iii) 60: 20: 20 – M3, (iv) 60: 10: 30 – M4, (v) 60: 0: 40 – M5, and (vi) topsoil – M6 as control were used to investigate the effect of growing media, water stress, and re-watering on the growth, dry matter production, and partitioning of cocoa seedlings. Each combination was subjected to water stress 6 weeks after sowing for a period of 4 weeks, after which they were rewatered. Plant height, stem girth, leaf number and area, and seedling biomass were significantly higher in soilless potting media as compared to topsoil. M4 and M5 significantly recorded the highest total dry weight, plant height, stem girth, leaf number, leaf area, and root volume before imposition of water stress. Following imposition of water stress, cocoa seedlings grown in M4 and M5 showed a recovery that was superior to the other growing media, indicating that higher proportions of compost together with sawdust and carbonated rice husk provide an alternative for growing cocoa seedlings.https://doi.org/10.2478/ausae-2022-0004cocoawater stressre-wateringgrowing mediacarbonated rice husk |
| spellingShingle | Mintah Lemuel Ohemeng Ofosu-Budu Godfred Kwabena Osei-Bonsu Nana Oduro Ulzen Jacob Danso Eric Oppong Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings Acta Universitatis Sapientiae: Agriculture and Environment cocoa water stress re-watering growing media carbonated rice husk |
| title | Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| title_full | Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| title_fullStr | Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| title_short | Growing media, water stress and re-watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| title_sort | growing media water stress and re watering effects on the growth and dry matter production of cocoa seedlings |
| topic | cocoa water stress re-watering growing media carbonated rice husk |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/ausae-2022-0004 |
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