How much water does a cocoa tree need?
Table of Contents
How much water does a cocoa tree need?
Depending upon rainfall, the cacao will need between 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) of water per week.
Are cocoa trees dying?
What is happening to cacao trees? They are currently threatened by climate change. For cacao trees to produce cacao fruit, its flowers require pollinating, but only 10 to 20 percent of the flowers are generally pollinated, according to EcoWatch, leaving 90 percent to die within 36 hours of opening.
What conditions does a cacao tree need to grow well?
Cocoa trees don’t just grow anywhere. In fact, they need a hot and humid climate to flourish. Cocoa evolved in the Amazonian forests as an under-storey crop, so they like to be under forest trees or other crops where there is shelter from direct light.
How do you take care of a cocoa tree?
TAKING CARE OF THE PLANTATION
- Replace seedlings that have not grown.
- Remove weeds and keep the soil covered.
- Prune the cocoa trees.
- Apply fertilizer.
- Protect the cocoa trees from insects and diseases.
How long do cocoa trees live?
100 years
IN ITS PRIME. A young cacao tree grows rapidly, but it won’t begin to produce beans until it’s about five years old. A cacao tree can live up to 100 years, but most trees only provide marketable cacao beans for about 25 years.
How do you take care of a cacao tree?
How is cocoa disease treated?
Abstract. Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) has been of great threat to the Ghanaian cocoa industry since 1936. Eradication by cutting out and replanting of affected cocoa farms has been the main method of controlling the disease in Ghana.
Where do cocoa trees grow best?
Cocoa trees grow best in warm environments about ten to twenty degrees North and South of the equator. Some of the current producers of cocoa are countries like Ghana, Ecuador, Cameroon, and Indonesia.
Do cacao trees need full sun?
Cacao trees can grow in full sun to partial shade, meaning they need at least three hours of direct sunlight on most days. But they will appreciate some shade from the strong afternoon sun, which can scorch their leaves.
What is the major disease of cocoa?
Pests and diseases of cocoa
| Disease | Region | Estimated World Production Loss(tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| Black Pod (phytophthora fungus) | Africa, Brazil, Asia | 450,000 |
| Witches Broom (fungus) | Latin America | 250,000 |
| Frosty Pod Rot (fungus) | Latin America | 30,000 |
| Swollen Shoot Virus | Africa | 50,000 |
How do you apply fertilizer to cocoa trees?
Spread fertilizer around each cocoa tree, but be careful not to put any on the trunk, the branches or the leaves of the cocoa tree: otherwise the fertilizer will burn the tree. Spread the fertilizer in a ring around the trunk at a distance of about 1 metre from it, where most of its small roots are.
Do cocoa plants need water?
The rainfall must be well distributed and any dry period should be no longer than three months. Annual rainfall greater than 2500 mm may result in a higher incidence of fungal diseases. Irrigation is rarely used and there is limited information about growing cocoa under irrigation.
