Flowering, pollination and pod setting in cacao
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2007-02
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This study was undertaken in 8-year old ' Forastero ' cocoa (Theo-broma cacao) mix-planted with arecanut palms (Areca catechu) of the same age. The crop is irrigated during the dry months (December-May). The observations on flowering and pod setting were recorded in ten trees, and in each tree, observations were limited to the main trunk, and the figures later transformed to give flower production and fruit set per meter of the main trunk. Natural pollination was studied by randomly collecting 25 flowers daily (int he afternoon) and observing for the presence of pollen grains under the microscope. Efficiency of various pollination methods were studied using fully cross compatible trees. Monthly flower production and fruit setting varied from tree to tree. The peak period of flowering was in May, and the peak period of fruit setting was in March and October. Fruit set was generally more during the dry months from December to June, and very low or absent during July-September. The mean annual fruit set was only 3.0% and out of this only about one fourth reached maturity. Pollination study showed that 28.2% flowers got pollinated under field conditions, while only about 8% of this was successfully pollinated (i.e. having sufficient number of pollen grains for fertilizing majority of ovules present in the ovary). The maximum successful pollination was in March (11%) and the minimum was in December (4.4%). Pollination trials indicated that pollinating on the style gave maximum setting (82%), while pollinating on the stigma alone gave 66.5% setting. The results are discussed in the light of available information.
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In: Proceedings, PLACROSYM IV, CFTRI, Mysore, 3-5 Dec. 1981. Edited by S. Vishveshwara and others 1982 p-449-458