Survival and productive performance of pods in four cocoa clones (Theobroma cacao L.) in Nueva Guinea, RACCS, Nicaragua

Abstract

Cocoa productivity in Nicaragua is affected by genetic factors, agronomic management, and the incidence of pests and diseases that cause significant production losses. The objective of this research was to evaluate survival curves and the productive performance of cocoa pods (Theobroma cacao L.) in four clones grown in the municipality of Nueva Guinea, South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCS), Nicaragua. The study was conducted over a six-month period in a five-year-old cocoa plantation, where two plots of 600 m² each were established. Four clones were evaluated: CATIE-R1, CATIE-R6, ICS-95, and PMCT-58, selecting ten trees per clone. The variables analyzed included pod survival and mortality, fruit morphological characteristics, seed index, pod index, number and weight of beans, yield estimation, and productive efficiency. The results showed that the CATIE-R1 clone had the highest pod survival rate (77.9%), followed by PMCT-58 (66.6%), ICS-95 (55.7%), and CATIE-R6 (38.8%). The main causes of mortality were damage caused by squirrels, woodpeckers, and the black pod disease. Regarding productive characteristics, CATIE-R6 showed the highest number of beans per pod (31.09) and the highest total seed weight (129.28 g), while ICS-95 presented the greatest fruit length (21.3 cm). The best pod index was observed in CATIE-R6 with 22 pods required to obtain one kilogram of dry cocoa. The estimated current yield was higher for CATIE-R6 (2.45 kg) and CATIE-R1 (2.20 kg) per ten evaluated trees. Finally, the highest productive efficiency index was recorded for CATIE-R1 (0.03135 kg/cm²), indicating a better balance between vegetative vigor and production. It is concluded that the CATIE-R1 clone showed the highest survival rate and productive efficiency, while CATIE-R6 stood out in variables related to fruit size and number of beans, demonstrating significant differences in the productive behavior of the evaluated clones under the agroecological conditions of Nueva Guinea.