Agriculture & Horticulture

Biography

Biography: Rozita Osman

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Many researchers have reported the importance of good agriculture practices in many plants or crops plantation. Four major activities in field maintenance of cocoa plantation included pruning, fertilization, sanitation and harvesting. Cocoa yield is much depended on these factors. However, many farmers only adopted some practices and left others, especially on sanitation practices. In addition, some other farmers do all the practices such as pruning, fertilizer application and sanitation, but not in a proper way. Therefore, they did not achieve the desired yield. This study is trying to indicate the main factors that influenced the cocoa yield in field and the effect when some of those practices were not carried out properly.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Four different practices were adopted in 12 years old cocoa research blocks. One of the block was maintained with complete field activities which included proper pruning, proper fertilizer application and proper recommended sanitation practices. Other blocks were varied where some of block only adopted one or two good practices. Parameters for this study included harvested cocoa pod, potential yield of cocoa dry bean, infection by pest and disease and damaged by mammalian pests. All data were recorded at monthly interval for two years.

Findings: The most significance practices that contributed to the yield in cocoa plantation are sanitation and pruning. Cocoa yield was not severely affected when there was no fertilizer applied might be caused by the residual left from the previous fertilizer program. Without good agriculture practices, the incidence of major cocoa pest and disease has increased.

Conclusion & Significance: High yielding cocoa can be achieved through fully good agriculture practices for cocoa management. Proper sanitation, pruning and harvesting all ripe pods are very important to increase productivity.