Thursday, November 20, 2008

Cocoa Fertilizer Recomendations

Nursery Stage

The objective is to have seedling with good leaf area and encourage root development. Soil used for polybags should preferably be sandy clay loam but using other potting material such as recycled organic is also applicable. The soil is thoroughly mixed with 10gm Ground Rock Phosphate (GRP) and 10gm Ground Magnesium Limestone (GML) for a size 15x20 cm polybags. As the size of the polybags increase, the amount also increase about 10gm of each type of fertilizer. Watering is essential to maintain the soil in a moist condition but waterlogging should be avoided by all means. Seedlings will respond to fertilizers applied at ‘little-and-often’ rate. Upon emerging of the leaves at about 2-3 weeks old, weekly spraying of foliar fertilizer is recommended switching to suitable compound fertilizer after the 3rd month applying at forthnightly interval.

Sample of polybags used related to age of seedlings in nursery:-

Months in Nursery

Polybag Size

Width

Length

Gauge

3 – 4

2 inches

7 inches

150

4 – 6

4 inches

9 inches

250

6 – 8

6 inches

10 inches

400

10 – 12

12 inches

18 inches

500



Sample of fertilizer application schedule is as follows:-

Age of Seedling

Amount per bag

Type of fertilizer

Remarks

2 weeks

20 gm

NPK 14:13:9

Mixed fertilizer in 20 liters water

3 weeks

40 gm

NPK 14:13:9

Mixed fertilizer in 20 liters water

4 weeks

5 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

6 weeks

5 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

7 weeks

5 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

10 weeks

5 gm

NPK 12:6:22

In each bag but not touching the plant

12 weeks

10 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

14 weeks

10 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

16 weeks

10 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

18 weeks

15 gm

NPK 12:6:22

In each bag but not touching the plant

20 weeks

15 gm

NPK 12:6:22

In each bag but not touching the plant

22 weeks

15 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant

24 weeks

15 gm

NPK 14:13:9

In each bag but not touching the plant


Immature Stage – 1 to 3 years old plants

Soil condition during planting is important to ensure good growth. Soil pH value preferably be about 4.5 and moist but not waterlogged. In its initial growth, cocoa plants need overhead shade of 80 – 90 % and inter-planting under tall plants such as coconut, pili, banana and mahogany is suitable to achieve this condition. But using artificial temporary shade is also being done by planters who preferred to plant cocoa in a monoculture cultivation of zero-shade condition. The purpose of routine fertilizer application in this immature stage is to ensure vigorous growth in root and canopy formation to achieve an early crop production.

Age (months)

1ST to 3rd YEAR

Soil below pH 4.5

Soil above pH 4.5

Type of Fertilizer

Amount

Type of Fertilizer

Amount

2

NPK 14:13:9

30 gm

NPK 15:15:6

30 gm

4

NPK 14:13:9

60 gm

NPK 15:15:6

60 gm

6

NPK 14:13:9

60 gm

NPK 15:15:6

60 gm

9

NPK 14:13:9

120 gm

NPK 15:15:6

120 gm

10

GML

300 gm

GML

200 gm

12

NPK 14:13:9

120 gm

NPK 15:15:6

120 gm

15

NPK 12:6:22

120 gm

NPK 12:12:17

120gm

18

NPK 12:6:22

120 gm

NPK 12:12:17

120gm

20

GML

400 gm

GML

300gm

21

NPK 12:6:22

180 gm

NPK 12:12:17

180gm

24

NPK 12:6:22

240 gm

NPK 12:12:17

240gm

28

NPK 12:6:22

240 gm

NPK 12:12:17

240gm

30

GML

500 gm

GML

400gm

32

NPK 12:6:22

240 gm

NPK 12:12:17

240gm

36

NPK 12:6:22

240 gm

NPK 12:12:17

240gm



Mature Stage – above 3 years old plants

Adequate quantities of fertilizer should be applied to coincide with the onset of periodic leaf flushes and the peak seasonal cropping months. Leaf growth following the initiation of a flush consumes large quantities of nutrients, lowering the nutrient status for sometime until photosynthesis by the new leaves restores the carbohydrates used for their growth. Adequate supply of nutrients is therefore essential to maintain nutrient levels of older trees. This is an important consideration for young trees whose nutrient reserves are much smaller. In the case of leaf flushing, N should be well sustained whilst following successful formation of the cherelles, K is important. The effect of flushing on cherelle wilt (aborting of new fruitlets) can be associated with the temporary depletion of nutrient reserves by leaf growth which is related to the Leaf Area Index (LAI) factor. Trees with low LAI due to drought, pruning works, insect damage, etc tend to flush more vigorously than trees with good canopy.

The two nutrients required in largest amounts are K and N with regard with yield / crop production. Nutrient requirements appear to increase significantly after the pods have passed the critical period of cherelle wilt. The analysed nutrient contents removed by the harvested pods per 1000 kg dry beans is as follows:

COMPONENTS

N

P

K

Mg

Ca

Beans

19.20

4.40

10.50

3.10

0.80

Shell

0.16

0.02

0.67

0.04

0.08

Husk

13.80

0.35

53.25

2.05

3.70

TOTAL

33.16

4.77

64.42

5.19

4.58



Sample of fertilizer application schedule for mature stage is as follows:

No. of Application Per Year

4th and 5th YEAR THEREAFTER

Soil below pH 4.5

Soil above pH 4.5

Type of Fertilizer

Amount

Type of Fertilizer

Amount

1st

GML

500 gm

GML

400 gm

2nd

NPK 14:13:9

300 gm

NPK 15:15:6

300 gm

3rd

NPK 12:6:22

300 gm

NPK 15:15:6

300 gm

4th

GML

500 gm

GML

400 gm

5th

NPK 14:13:9

450 gm

NPK 15:15:6

450 gm

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