18th Congress of the European Society for Agronomy

The secrets of shading for thriving cocoa

Not scheduled

15m

Les Dortoirs (1st floor) (The Couvent des Jacobins)

Poster Synergies between researchers, society and farmers Poster session #2

Speaker

Stéphane Hubert Guei (Université Felix Houphouët-Boigny/ Centre d'Excellence Africain sur le changement climatique la biodiversité et l'agriculture durable)

Description

1. Faced with the looming threat of climate change and the spread of the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus, the sustainability of cocoa cultivation in Côte d’Ivoire is at stake. In this context, agroforestry emerges as a beacon of hope for sustainable cocoa production. However, the quest for optimal shading in these agroforestry systems remains a major challenge. This study aims to unveil the secrets of ideal shading by characterizing a shading system through a thorough analysis of the functional and morphological traits of associated trees, correlated with the agromorphological characteristics of cocoa trees.

2. To achieve this, a rigorous methodology was employed, involving the installation of 4 agroforestry plots, each measuring 1000 m². Morphological characteristics such as height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and crown diameter were meticulously measured on shading trees within the plots. Concurrently, the productivity, vegetative state, and health status of cocoa trees were assessed.

3. The results highlight the crucial role of DBH, basal area, crown height, and crown diameter of a tree as the main determinants of shading. Heavily shaded plots were more susceptible to brown rot attacks and less productive. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that variability in shading significantly influences the agronomic traits of cocoa trees, particularly in their architecture due to tropism movements in search of light. In conclusion, these findings shed valuable light on how to preserve and optimize cocoa production in the face of climate change and increasing pathogenic pressure.