See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/329925217

Standardization of Seedling Selection Criteria in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)

Article  in  International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences · December 2018

DOI: 10.20546/ijcmas.2018.712.106

CITATIONS READS
0 108

3 authors, including:

Janani Ponnusamy
Central Potato Research Institute
13 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Resource Optimization in Potato based Cropping Systems View project

Characterization of physiological responses cashew accessions for salt and drought stresees View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Janani Ponnusamy on 19 January 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 12 (2018)
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.712.106

Standardization of Seedling Selection Criteria

in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)

P. Janani*, N. Kumar and V. Jegadeeswari

Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

Keywords
Cocoa, Seedling
In cocoa, four yielding categories viz., [‘Low’ (<1 kg), ‘Medium’ (1-2 kg),
selection, Nursery ‘High’ (2-3 kg), ‘Very high’ (> 3.0 kg)] were evaluated for standardization
of seedling selection criteria at nursery stage. The results showed that the
Article Info
highest germination percentage, seedling height, girth, number of leaves,
Accepted: leaf area and seedling vigour were registered in high and very high yielding
10 November 2018
Available Online:
categories compared to other yielding categories.
10 December 2018

Introduction workers (Liyanage, 1953; Sahasranaman,

1962; Bhagavan and Nair, 1989) resulted in
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a highly the standardization of criteria for selection of
cross-pollinated and heterozygous crop, the mother palms and selection of seedlings in the
seedling progenies exhibit higher variability nursery based on the certain morphological
(N‘Goran et al., 2000). The seed is the traits, which are likely to produce quality and
cheapest and simplest propagule of cocoa, high yielding seedlings. Ascenso and Bartley
which is available in large quantity and give a (1966) suggested seedling selection criteria for
convenient growth habit. Propagation through cocoa could be applied in the early stage of
seedlings normally produces wide variability plant development as it would be valuable in
in their progenies. In perennial crop like saving time and land. No earlier attempt was
cocoa, the selection of planting material is made in cocoa in these aspects and hence the
very important to perpetuate healthy, high present study was undertaken to evaluate the
yielding and quality plants. In a similar cross- different groups of progenies based on mother
pollinated perennial seed propagated crops plants yield to standardize the pre-selection
like coconut and arecanut attempts by earlier criteria in the seedlings itself in cocoa.

856
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

Materials and Methods The vigor of cocoa seedlings was calculated

by multiplying the height and stem diameter
In Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the suggested by Amma et al., (2002).
survey was made in Anaimalai region of
Coimbatore during 2008-2012 and 151 trees HD2= Height x (Stem Diameter) 2.
were identified (Thondaiman, 2011) based on
yield, pod and bean characters. The trees were The data collected were subjected to statistical
classified based on dry bean yield (kg) / tree analysis for their significance (Panse and
as ‘Low’ (<1 kg), ‘Medium’ (1-2 kg), ‘High’ Sukhatme, 1967)
(2-3 kg), ‘Very high’ (> 3.0 kg) yielding
categories. The mature Forastero type pods Results and Discussion
were collected in different categories and from
each category, eight pods showing yellow In the present investigation, seeds were
color particularly in furrows were harvested. collected from 4 different categories of mother
The pooled seeds from each category were trees based on dry bean yield such as ‘low’,
sown in black polythene bags of 6"x 9" size ‘medium’, ‘high’ and ‘very high’
and 250 gauge thickness with 4 drainage holes (<1, 1-2, 2-3 and >3 kg dry beans per tree
filled with a potting mixture of 2:1:1 respectively) and the seeds were collected
proportion of Soil: Sand: FYM. The seeds from each category separately and evaluated
were sown at a depth of 1 cm. The experiment for growth parameters.
was laid out in completely randomized design
with five replications and 200 seedlings per Germination percentage (%)
treatment were raised in the nursery at
Anaimalai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu for The seed germination percentage of different
evaluation. The germination percentage and yielding categories is presented in Figure 1.
seedling growth characters such as height The results revealed that seedlings from high,
(cm), girth (cm) and number of leaves were very high and medium yielding categories
recorded at fortnightly intervals starting from invariably exhibited higher germination
30th day to 150th days after germination. percentage (86, 80 and 82 per cent) than low
Intermodal length (cm) was calculated at 90th yielding categories (62 per cent). Amma et al.,
and 150th day after germination. The length (2002) reported that the speed of germination
and breadth of the standard leaf (6th leaf from had no significant association with final
top) were measured in 5 randomly plants in seedling vigour in hybrid cocoa seedlings.
each replication and the average was However, in coconut, Liyanage and
calculated. The leaf area was estimated as its Abeywardena (1957) suggested early
length multiplied by its maximum width germination is associated with higher yield in
multiplied by 0.666 + 0.73 (cocoa leaf the adult palms and Ananda et al., (2008)
calibration factor) suggested by Bismark observed that arecanut seedlings from early
(2011) and expressed in cm2. and high initial germination produced
significantly more vigorous than seedlings
Leaf Area = L x B x 0.666 + 0.73 from delayed germination.

L – Length of the leaf Seedling height (cm) and girth (cm)

B – Breadth of the leaf The seedling height recorded at a monthly

interval from one month after sowing till

857
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

5 months showed significant differences high yielding categories with 14.73 (4th
among the different categories of seedlings month) and 16.60 (5th month) leaves while
from 3rd month onwards. During 5th month low yielding categories had the lowest value
after sowing, the significantly superior of 11.96 (4th month) and 13.20 (5th month)
seedling height was recorded in very high leaves. Invariably the mean number of leaves
yielding category (37.10 cm) while the lowest in the seedlings was very high in high (10.45)
was recorded in low yielding category (26.36 and very high (10.35) categories and the low
cm). In general, seedling height increased with category registered the least number (8.66) of
increasing the level of categories of seeds; leaves. Perusal of data (Table 4) revealed that
very high categories registering as high as leaf area parameter failed to attain the level of
25.08 cm of mean seedling height (Table 1). significance at early stage of observations (up
Significant differences with respect to to 3 months). However, at later stages the
seedling girth (Table 2) were recorded up to differences gain statistical significance. Very
four months after sowing. The high and very high (98.26 cm2) category followed by high
high yielding categories registered more (93.61 cm2), medium (83.89 cm2) and low
seedling girth (2.18 cm and 2.15 cm (72.13 cm2) yielding categories recorded
respectively) than low yielding category (1.81 highest leaf area per seedlings at different
cm) at all the stages of growth (Table 2). stages of growth.

Number of leaves and Leaf area (cm²) Internodal length (cm)

The effect of different yielding categories on a The effect of different yielding categories on
number of leaves of cocoa seedlings was internodal length of cocoa seedlings was
presented in Table 3. At four and fifth months shown in Table 4. Very high yielding
after sowing, high yielding categories was categories registered longest internodal length
significantly different from the other (3.13 cm) followed by high (2.62 cm),
treatments having 15.12 (4th month) and 17.80 medium (2.44 cm) and low (2.20 cm) yielding
(5th month) leaves per plant followed by very categories in order.

Table.1 Seedling height (cm) at monthly intervals in different seedling categories

Yield Seedlings height (cm)

Category 1 2 3 4 5 Mean
MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS
Low 14.19 16.55 19.74 23.59 26.36 20.08
Medium 14.29 17.09 21.98 25.93 31.54 22.16
High 14.51 17.44 25.59 32.29 35.22 25.01
Very high 14.46 18.72 24.81 30.33 37.10 25.08
Mean 14.36 17.45 23.03 28.03 32.55
SE(d) 0.82 0.74 1.14 1.07 0.96
CD NS NS 2.42** 2.27** 2.04**
(P=0.05)
NS- Non Significant, * Significant, ** Highly Significant
MAS- Months After Sowing

858
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

Table.2 Seedling girth (cm) at monthly intervals in different seedling categories

Yield Seedling girth (cm)

Category 1 2 3 4 5 Mean
MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS
Low 0.94 1.41 1.75 2.14 2.82 1.81
Medium 1.12 1.54 1.91 2.39 3.00 1.99
High 1.34 1.69 2.15 2.58 3.15 2.18
Very high 1.27 1.68 2.07 2.68 3.07 2.15
Mean 1.16 1.58 1.97 2.45 3.01
SE(d) 0.10 0.07 0.10 0.06 0.15
CD 0.22** 0.15** 0.22** 0.13** NS
(P=0.05)
NS- Non Significant, * Significant, ** Highly Significant
MAS- Months After Sowing

Table.3 Number of leaves at monthly intervals in different seedling categories

Yield Number of Leaves

Category 1 2 3 4 5 Mean
MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS
Low 4.40 5.27 8.46 11.96 13.20 8.66
Medium 4.61 5.47 9.88 12.20 15.20 9.47
High 4.60 5.58 9.13 15.12 17.80 10.45
Very high 4.70 5.89 9.82 14.73 16.60 10.35
Mean 4.58 5.55 9.32 13.50 15.70
SE(d) 0.32 0.26 0.76 0.83 0.86
CD NS NS NS 1.76** 1.82**
(P=0.05)
NS- Non Significant, * Significant, ** Highly Significant
MAS- Months After Sowing

859
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

Table.4 Internodal length (cm) and leaf area per seedling (cm2) at monthly intervals in different
seedling categories

Yield Internodal length (cm) Leaf area per seedling (cm2)

Category 3 4 5 Mean 3 4 5 Mean
MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS
Low 1.65 2.38 2.58 2.20 54.17 64.18 98.03 72.13
Medium 2.16 2.54 2.63 2.44 62.50 79.71 109.45 83.89
High 2.43 2.64 2.80 2.62 64.25 90.20 126.39 93.61
Very 2.77 3.18 3.45 3.13 68.19 99.27 127.32 98.26
high
Mean 2.25 2.68 2.86 62.27 83.34 115.29
SE(d) 0.16 0.16 0.15 5.22 7.18 4.65
CD 0.34** 0.35** 0.31** NS 15.22** 9.87**
(P=0.05)
NS- Non Significant, * Significant, ** Highly Significant

Fig.1 Effect of different seedling categories on germination percentage (%) of cocoa at 7th and
15th day after sowing

DAS: Days After Sowing

860
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

Fig.2 Seedling vigour at different seedling categories at nursery stages of cocoa

Seedling vigour ideal seedling selection criteria based on high

heritable characters (earliness in germination,
Seedling vigour exhibited significant seedling height, girth of the seedling etc.
differences among the different categories of
seedlings at all stages of observations. It is concluded, on the basis of the different
However, at most of the stages, high and very growth parameters recorded, (germination
high yielding categories (152.34 and 150.50) percentage, seedling height, girth, no of
remained on par with each other. The low leaves, seedling vigor etc.), it is concluded
yielding category invariably exhibited poor that seeds from ‘high’ and ‘very high’
seedling vigour (85.34) at all stages of growth yielding mother trees are likely to produce
(Fig. 2). Seedling vigour of cocoa was vigorous seedlings. The selection based on
influenced by varieties (Adenikinju, 1969) seedling vigour has to be verified in the field
and bean maturity at the time of sowing based on yield performance.
(Adenikinju, 1972, 1974, 1978).
Acknowledgment
Further, in the present investigation was
evident that the seedlings from ‘very high’ The first author is grateful to Department of
and ‘high’ yielding groups exhibited better Spices and Plantation Crops, Horticultural
morphological traits in terms of seedling College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu
height, number of leaves, girth, internodal Agricultural University, Coimbatore for
length and leaf area per seedlings etc., than providing necessary facilities to carry out the
‘medium’ and ‘low’ yielding categories of research work and Cadbury India Ltd. for
seedlings. This kind of approach when taken providing financial assistance for this study.
up in coconut and arecanut has resulted in

861
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(12): 856-862

References Bhagavan, S. and Nair, B. P. 1989. Vigour

index as an additional parameter in
Adeninkinju, S.A. 1969. A comparative study identifying elite palms in arecanut. J.
of the performance of six different Plantation Crops, 16 (Supl.,): 389-394.
cocoa types. In. Proc. 3rd Int. Cocoa Bismark, M. B. 2011. Effect of watering
Research Conference Accra 23-29 Nov. regime and cocoa pod husk on soil
579-583. fertility and growth of hybrid cocoa
Adeninkinju, S.A. 1972. Effect of pod seedlings in the semi - deciduous forest
maturity on bean development, zone of Ghana. M.Sc. Thesis, Kwame
viability, mucilage content and seedling Nkrumah University of Science and
vigour in cocoa Expl. Agric. 8, 123-129. Technology, Kumasi.
Adeninkinju, S.A. 1974. Analysis of growth Liyanage, D.V. 1953. Selection of coconut
patterns on cocoa seedlings as seed nuts and Seedlings. The Ceylon
influenced by bean maturity. Expl. Coconut, 3 & 4: 127-129.
Agric. 10, 141 – 147. Liyanage, D. V. and Abeywardena, V. 1957.
Adeninkinju, S.A.1978. The selection of Correlations between seednut, seedlings
cocoa pods for raising seedlings. Cocoa and adult palm characters in coconut.
Growers’ Bulletin 27 June 1978, 27 – Tropical Agriculture, CXIII (4): 325-40.
33. N‘Goran, J. A. K., Laurent, V. Risterucci, A.
Amma, P. S., Mallika, V. K. Shalini, M. Raji, M. and Lanaud, C.. 2000. The genetic
M. and Nair, V. R. 2002. An insight structure of cocoa populations
into the pre selection method in cocoa. (Theobroma cacao L.) revealed by
In: Proceedings of National seminar on RFLP analysis. Euphytica, 115: 83-90.
cocoa. CPCRI, Regional Station, Vittal, Panse, V.G. and Sukhatme, P.V. 1967. In:
Karnataka. pp: 52-53. Statistical method for agricultural
Ananda, K. S., Rajesh, B. and Shobha, R. worker, ICAR Pub, New Delhi
2008. Variation in germination, seedling Sahasranaman, K. N.1962. The importance of
morphology and bio-chemical traits seed nut selection in coconut
among indigenous arecanut (Areca cultivation. Coconut bulletin, 10 & 11:
catechu L.) accessions. J. Plantation 417-421.
crops, 36(3):166-170. Thondaiman, V. 2011. Studies on genetic
Ascenso, J. C. and Bartley, B. G. D.1966. diversity and molecular characterization
Varietal relationships of growth factors of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). Ph.D.
of young cacao seedlings. Euphytica, (Hort.) Thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural
15:211-222. University, Coimbatore.

How to cite this article:

Janani, P., N. Kumar and Jegadeeswari, V. 2018. Standardization of Seedling Selection Criteria
in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 7(12): 856-862.
doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.712.106

862

View publication stats