Summary
This field trial investigated the mechanisms by which fertilizer application produces highly variable yield responses in West African cacao systems, comparing full-sun and shaded production contexts in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Fertilizer increased pod size and the proportion of cherelles reaching maturity in the major harvest season, with larger pods taking longer to mature; however, it did not change the absolute annual pod number or final nutrient content in ripe pods. The principal yield gain (2260 to 2930 kg ha⁻¹ dry bean yield) arose from increased pod weight and bean content during the major season, suggesting that competition for assimilates rather than nutrient scarcity drives cherelle wilt.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted in West African cacao systems (Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana) and is not directly transferable to United Kingdom agriculture, which does not produce cacao commercially. However, the mechanistic findings on nutrient allocation, assimilate competition, and organ maturation dynamics may inform temperate horticulture research on fertilizer responses in perennial crops and the physiological constraints on yield formation.
Key measures
Pod width (cm), pod growth rate, cherelle maturity and nutrient content (N, P, K, Mg, Ca concentrations), final pod nutrient content, annual pod number, pod location on tree, bean weight per pod, estimated annual dry bean yield (kg ha⁻¹)
Outcomes reported
The study measured pod growth dynamics, nutrient concentrations in developing pods, and detailed yield components (pod number, size, bean content) across fertilized and unfertilized cacao trees in full-sun and shaded systems. The research assessed how fertilizer application affects pod maturation, cherelle wilt, and annual dry bean yields under different management regimes.
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