Early yield of five cacao families at three locations in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Five families of Theobroma cacao L. between three and eleven years of age were evaluated for yield at Gurabo, Corozal and Yabucoa. Parents involved in the combination of the families were such well-known clones as 'Pound-7', 'Scavina (SCA)-6', 'Scavina-12', and IMC, EET and UF selections which have been widely used to produce controlled-pollinated seed in Central America and elsewhere. Eight months after transplant, the temporary shade provided by plantains was removed, and the trees were grown under full sunlight and intensive management. Between 1986 and 1993 individual tree yield data were obtained. In September 1989, hurricane Hugo destroyed the Yabucoa experiment but the evaluation continued at Gurabo and Corozal until December 1993. At the termination of the first four-year evaluation period (1988 to 1989), families EET-400 x SCA-12 and SCA-6 x EET-62 were significantly superior yielders at Gurabo with an average total production of 5,538 kg/ha of dry beans. None of the families maintained superiority at Corozal and Yabucoa. The average total yield for all families was 5,950 and 5,225 kg/ha at Corozal and Yabucoa, respectively. The individual tree yield data showed that regardless of location only 2 or 3% of the trees within a family were high yielders and accounted for more than 60% of the total family production. At the termination of the eight-year evaluation period (1986- 1993), families EET-400 x SCA-12 and SCA-6 x EET-62 maintained their superior yielding ability at Gurabo, with an average total production of 14,368 kg/ha. All families performed similarly at Corozal with an average total production of 14,930 kg/ha.