Effectiveness of biochar and biofertilizers in the growth and quality of cocoa seedlings

The main objective of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of biochar and biofertilizers in the growth and quality of cocoa seedlings in the nursery. The work was developed from January to April 2020, in the cultivation house of the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Calazacón in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. The evaluated treatments were T1: Biochar, T2: biochar + biofertilizer, T3: biofertilizer, T4: compound fertilizer and T5: control treatment. The biochar was applied in doses of 20 g kg-1 of substrate. The biofertilizer was made up of a commercial microbial consortium made up of strains of fungi, bacteria, mycorrhizae and yeasts. A completely randomized design with four replicates was used. The experimental unit was made up of 20 CCN-51 cocoa seedlings. The main variables recorded were plant dry mass (g), leaf area (cm2) and Dickson's quality index. The results showed significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) between the evaluated treatments, highlighting the biochar + biofertilizer treatment with the highest growth rate in dry mass, foliar area and Dickson's quality index with 8.23 g, 497.82 cm2 and 5.45, respectively., in relation to the other treatments evaluated. A significant (p < 0.05) and positive correlation was found between the Dickson quality index and the growth variables analyzed. The combined application of biochar and biofertilizers on the substrates can enhance the growth and quality of cocoa seedlings in the nursery.

• Egile nagusia: Cargua Chávez, Jessica Elizabeth (author)
• Beste egile batzuk: Echeverria Arangundi, Corayma Maribel (author), Cedeño García, George Alexander (author)
• Formatua: article
• Hizkuntza: spa
• Argitaratua: 2020
• Gaiak: Biocarbón; microorganismos eficientes; plantas de cacao; vivero; Biochar; , efficient microorganisms; cocoa plants; nursery
• Sarrera elektronikoa: https://revistasespam.espam.edu.ec/index.php/Revista_ESPAMCIENCIA/article/view/224