Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades
Cacao is an understory plant cultivated in full-sun monocultures, multistrata agroforestry systems, where cacao trees are planted together with fruit, timber, firewood, and leguminous trees, or within thinned native forests. In agroforestry systems of cultivation, cacao is subjected to excess shade...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1536 |
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| author | Enrique Arévalo-Gardini Abel Farfán Fiorella Barraza César O. Arévalo-Hernández Luis B. Zúñiga-Cernades Julio Alegre Virupax C. Baligar |
| author_facet | Enrique Arévalo-Gardini Abel Farfán Fiorella Barraza César O. Arévalo-Hernández Luis B. Zúñiga-Cernades Julio Alegre Virupax C. Baligar |
| author_sort | Enrique Arévalo-Gardini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cacao is an understory plant cultivated in full-sun monocultures, multistrata agroforestry systems, where cacao trees are planted together with fruit, timber, firewood, and leguminous trees, or within thinned native forests. In agroforestry systems of cultivation, cacao is subjected to excess shade due to high density, excess growth, and the unmanaged pruning of shade trees. Cacao is tolerant to shade, and the maximum photosynthetic rate occurs at an irradiance of around 400 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>. However, excess shade further reduces the irradiance, which is detrimental to photosynthesis and growth functions. Intra-specific variation is known to exist in cacao for the required saturation irradiance. A greenhouse study was implemented with 58 cacao genotypes selected from four geographically diverse groups: (i) wild cacao from river basins of the Peruvian Amazon (PWC); (ii) Peruvian farmers’ collection (PFC); (iii) Brazilian cacao collection (BCC); and (iv) national and international cacao collections (NIC). All of the cacao genotypes were subjected to 50% and 80% shade where photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was 1000 and 400 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Intra-specific variations were observed for growth, physiological and nutritional traits, and tolerance to shade. Cacao genotypes tolerant to shade were: UNG-77 and UGU-130 from PWC; ICT-2173, ICT-2142, ICT-2172, ICT-1506, ICT-1087, and ICT-2171 from PFC; PH-21, CA-14, PH-990, and PH-144 from BCC; and ICS-1, ICS-39, UF-613, and POUND-12 from NIC. Genotypes that tolerate excess shade may be useful plant types for maintaining productivity and sustainability in agroforestry systems of cacao management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:05:30Z |
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| id | doaj.art-9ec7b982822d411290345fdb8d5554bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:05:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-9ec7b982822d411290345fdb8d5554bc2023-11-22T06:25:15ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-07-01118153610.3390/agronomy11081536Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different ShadesEnrique Arévalo-Gardini0Abel Farfán1Fiorella Barraza2César O. Arévalo-Hernández3Luis B. Zúñiga-Cernades4Julio Alegre5Virupax C. Baligar6Instituto de Cultivos Tropicales (ICT), Tarapoto 22200, PeruInstituto de Cultivos Tropicales (ICT), Tarapoto 22200, PeruInstituto de Cultivos Tropicales (ICT), Tarapoto 22200, PeruInstituto de Cultivos Tropicales (ICT), Tarapoto 22200, PeruInstituto de Cultivos Tropicales (ICT), Tarapoto 22200, PeruAgronomy Faculty, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM), Lima 15026, PeruBeltsville Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USACacao is an understory plant cultivated in full-sun monocultures, multistrata agroforestry systems, where cacao trees are planted together with fruit, timber, firewood, and leguminous trees, or within thinned native forests. In agroforestry systems of cultivation, cacao is subjected to excess shade due to high density, excess growth, and the unmanaged pruning of shade trees. Cacao is tolerant to shade, and the maximum photosynthetic rate occurs at an irradiance of around 400 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>. However, excess shade further reduces the irradiance, which is detrimental to photosynthesis and growth functions. Intra-specific variation is known to exist in cacao for the required saturation irradiance. A greenhouse study was implemented with 58 cacao genotypes selected from four geographically diverse groups: (i) wild cacao from river basins of the Peruvian Amazon (PWC); (ii) Peruvian farmers’ collection (PFC); (iii) Brazilian cacao collection (BCC); and (iv) national and international cacao collections (NIC). All of the cacao genotypes were subjected to 50% and 80% shade where photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was 1000 and 400 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Intra-specific variations were observed for growth, physiological and nutritional traits, and tolerance to shade. Cacao genotypes tolerant to shade were: UNG-77 and UGU-130 from PWC; ICT-2173, ICT-2142, ICT-2172, ICT-1506, ICT-1087, and ICT-2171 from PFC; PH-21, CA-14, PH-990, and PH-144 from BCC; and ICS-1, ICS-39, UF-613, and POUND-12 from NIC. Genotypes that tolerate excess shade may be useful plant types for maintaining productivity and sustainability in agroforestry systems of cacao management.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1536<i>Theobroma cacao</i>lightabiotic stressphysiologyplant nutrition |
| spellingShingle | Enrique Arévalo-Gardini Abel Farfán Fiorella Barraza César O. Arévalo-Hernández Luis B. Zúñiga-Cernades Julio Alegre Virupax C. Baligar Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades Agronomy <i>Theobroma cacao</i> light abiotic stress physiology plant nutrition |
| title | Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades |
| title_full | Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades |
| title_fullStr | Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades |
| title_short | Growth, Physiological, Nutrient-Uptake-Efficiency and Shade-Tolerance Responses of Cacao Genotypes under Different Shades |
| title_sort | growth physiological nutrient uptake efficiency and shade tolerance responses of cacao genotypes under different shades |
| topic | <i>Theobroma cacao</i> light abiotic stress physiology plant nutrition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1536 |
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