Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings

Introduction. Low-fertility soils and high logistics costs for seedling production characterize the Peruvian Amazon. Objective. To evaluate the effect of a combination of sandy soil and oil palm compost on substrate, growth, and nutrition of cocoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Materials and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oscar A. Tuesta, Juan C. Tuesta, Robert Rafael-Rutte, Enrique Arévalo-Gardini, Juan M. Vela L., Cesar O. Arévalo-Hernández
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad de Costa Rica 2024-06-01
Series:Agronomía Mesoamericana
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/agromeso/article/view/57921
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850112803407396864
author Oscar A. Tuesta
Juan C. Tuesta
Robert Rafael-Rutte
Enrique Arévalo-Gardini
Juan M. Vela L.
Cesar O. Arévalo-Hernández
author_facet Oscar A. Tuesta
Juan C. Tuesta
Robert Rafael-Rutte
Enrique Arévalo-Gardini
Juan M. Vela L.
Cesar O. Arévalo-Hernández
author_sort Oscar A. Tuesta
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Low-fertility soils and high logistics costs for seedling production characterize the Peruvian Amazon. Objective. To evaluate the effect of a combination of sandy soil and oil palm compost on substrate, growth, and nutrition of cocoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Materials and methods. The experiment was conducted for 90 days in Yurimaguas, Loreto, using a completely randomized design in a 5 • 5 matrix, with five doses of oil palm compost and sandy soil to determine the best combination for cocoa growth and nutrition. Height (cm), diameter (mm), leaf area (cm2), dry weight of stem and root were measured; soil chemical analysis and plant analysis (macro and micronutrients) were also conducted. Results. Sandy soil showed no significant effect on cocoa seedlings, while treatments with oil palm compost promoted shoot and root biomass. Additionally, this compost favored conditions for seedling growth by promoting higher organic matter, available phosphorus, exchangeable calcium, potassium, and higher cation exchange capacity. Regarding cocoa nutrition, it promoted greater absorption of macro and micronutrients in seedlings. Conclusions. These results indicate that the best treatment was the one composed entirely of oil palm compost, as it promotes growth and nutrition by improving substrate conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-ef29b154ff874f64a3e97f1d457890a7
institution OA Journals
issn 1021-7444
2215-3608
language Spanish
publishDate 2024-06-01
publisher Universidad de Costa Rica
record_format Article
series Agronomía Mesoamericana
spelling doaj-art-ef29b154ff874f64a3e97f1d457890a72025-08-20T02:37:17ZspaUniversidad de Costa RicaAgronomía Mesoamericana1021-74442215-36082024-06-013510.15517/am.2024.57921Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlingsOscar A. Tuesta0Juan C. Tuesta1Robert Rafael-Rutte2Enrique Arévalo-Gardini3Juan M. Vela L.4Cesar O. Arévalo-Hernández5Universidad Nacional Autonoma del Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas, PeruUniversidad Nacional Autonoma del Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas, PeruUniversidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur, Lima, PeruUniversidad Nacional Autonoma del Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas, Peru, & Instituto de Cultivos Tropicales, Taratopo, PeruUniversidad Nacional Autonoma del Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas, PeruUniversidad Nacional Autonoma del Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas, Peru, & Instituto de Cultivos Tropicales, Taratopo, PeruIntroduction. Low-fertility soils and high logistics costs for seedling production characterize the Peruvian Amazon. Objective. To evaluate the effect of a combination of sandy soil and oil palm compost on substrate, growth, and nutrition of cocoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Materials and methods. The experiment was conducted for 90 days in Yurimaguas, Loreto, using a completely randomized design in a 5 • 5 matrix, with five doses of oil palm compost and sandy soil to determine the best combination for cocoa growth and nutrition. Height (cm), diameter (mm), leaf area (cm2), dry weight of stem and root were measured; soil chemical analysis and plant analysis (macro and micronutrients) were also conducted. Results. Sandy soil showed no significant effect on cocoa seedlings, while treatments with oil palm compost promoted shoot and root biomass. Additionally, this compost favored conditions for seedling growth by promoting higher organic matter, available phosphorus, exchangeable calcium, potassium, and higher cation exchange capacity. Regarding cocoa nutrition, it promoted greater absorption of macro and micronutrients in seedlings. Conclusions. These results indicate that the best treatment was the one composed entirely of oil palm compost, as it promotes growth and nutrition by improving substrate conditions. https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/agromeso/article/view/57921cropsfoliar nutritionwaste managementsubstrate
spellingShingle Oscar A. Tuesta
Juan C. Tuesta
Robert Rafael-Rutte
Enrique Arévalo-Gardini
Juan M. Vela L.
Cesar O. Arévalo-Hernández
Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
Agronomía Mesoamericana
crops
foliar nutrition
waste management
substrate
title Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
title_full Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
title_fullStr Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
title_full_unstemmed Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
title_short Effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
title_sort effect of oil palm compost and sandy soil on the growth of cacao theobroma cacao l seedlings
topic crops
foliar nutrition
waste management
substrate
url https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/agromeso/article/view/57921
work_keys_str_mv AT oscaratuesta effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings
AT juanctuesta effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings
AT robertrafaelrutte effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings
AT enriquearevalogardini effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings
AT juanmvelal effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings
AT cesaroarevalohernandez effectofoilpalmcompostandsandysoilonthegrowthofcacaotheobromacacaolseedlings