Effects of Months of Coppicing on Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Chupons’ Flowering and Yield in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rehabilitation through coppicing and chupon regeneration has been reported to improve cocoa yield. However, appropriate month for this operation is grossly scarce in literature. Therefore, investigation was carried out between 2017 and 2019 to evaluate effect of coppicing at different months on cocoa (Theobroma cacao L) chupons’ flowering and yield performance in Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Uhonmora, Edo State. Months of coppicing considered as treatments were December 2017 to November 2018. The experiment was laid out in Randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected on number of flowers, number of cherelles, number of pods, fresh pod weight, fresh bean weight and dry bean weight of the chupons. Data were analyzed with ANOVA at P = .05.  This study revealed that old cocoa trees coppiced in the month of April were the most vigorous and showed earlier and steadier yield attributes than other treatments, coming into full flowering, cherelles and pods formation at 4, 9 and 14 months after coppicing, respectively. The old cocoa coppiced in April produced 8, 18, 27, 30 and 45 pods per tree (8999, 20189, 29631, 33331 and 50363 pods per hectare of coppiced cacao) after 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 months, respectively. Also, it was observed that old cacao coppiced in the months of April and January produced the highest fresh pod weight, fresh bean weight and dry bean weight. April is therefore recommended as the appropriate month to coppice old cocoa plantation for yield performance of cocoa trees in Uhonmora, Edo-State, Nigeria.