RESPONSE OF COCOA (THEOBROMA CACAO) SEEDLINGS TO VARYING LEVELS OF PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Iloyanomon CI, Akinrinde EA, Oluwasemire KO (2011) Response of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) seedlings to varying levels of phosphate fertilizers in Ibadan, Nigeria. J. Soil Nature 5(1), 6-10. A screen house investigation was carried out at Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Ibadan (CRIN) to evaluate the response of cocoa seedlings to varying levels of phosphate fertilizers. The treatments were a factorial combination of two cocoa varieties (T12/1233 and T63/970), two phosphate fertilizers types (single super phosphate (SSP) Sokoto rock phosphate (SRP) with a no phosphorous fertilizer control) and four rates of phosphorous fertilizer (0,4,8 and 16 kgP/ha). These twenty four treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with four replicates. Parameters assessed were plant height, number of leaf, stem diameter, stem, root, leaf ,shoot dry matter and total dry matter. Results indicated that SSP applied at the rate of 16kgP/ha significantly (P<0.05) increased number of leaves and stem diameter by 39% and 30%, respectively when compared with no fertilizer control. Similar observation was made on stem diameter with SSP applied at the rate of 16kgP/ha significantly (P<0.05) enhancing stem diameter when compared with all other treatments. SRP had no effect on the growth of cocoa. Cocoa variety T12/1233 was superior to T63/790 in plant height, leaf and shoot dry weight with increases of 21%, 21% and 22% respectively. In soils with low available P of less than10mg/kg, 16kgP/ha is recommended.