Analysis of coconut liquid smoke as a biofertilizer alternative of Theobroma cacao L. seedlings

• Main Authors: Rivero, Suellin Kaith J., Vitug, Jasmine Lorraine G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Cacao; Biofertilizers; Fertilizers; Organic fertilizers; Theobroma; Coconut products; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/5690
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study observed the effects of coconut liquid smoke on the growth of cacao seedlings, specifically the UF 18 variant with the following parameters: stem length, stem girth (3 levels), number of story, number of leaves, leaf color, length and width. The cacao seedlings were also treated with a negative control (water), positive control (Osmocote ® fertilizer) and cacao pod husk extract. Results of the experiment showed that among the nine parameters, stem length, stem girth 1 and number of leaves showed a significant difference among its treatments. The parameters showing statistical significance were further subjected to post-hoc tukey’s test and the results proved that water or the negative control was significantly different among the other treatments which would account to the poor development of the plants treated with water alone. Furthermore, the plants which were treated with the positive control (Osmocote ® fertilizer), cacao pod husk extract and the coconut liquid smoke did not show any significant difference at all meaning that the nutrients present in all these three treatments had almost the same effect on the development of the cacao seedlings. It can be concluded that the natural biofertilizers could be used as an alternative to the slow-release chemical (Osmocote ®) fertilizer. This would cost less than the chemical fertilizers commonly used by the farmers without sacrificing productivity, as well as leaving no harmful effects to the environment.