Utilization and Agriculture of Cocoa Plants

Utilization and Agriculture of Cocoa Plants
Theobroma cacao is the Latin name for the cacao tree. The best temperature for cocoa plants between 29-31 C and the minimum temperature between 19-22 C. Cocoa plants are very suitable in the average rainfall of 1,350-1990 mm / yr. On dry land cocoa can grow optimally if there is irrigation water. The world is one of the producers of cocoa. But unfortunately the productivity and quality of Indonesian cocoa is still low compared to tropical countries in Africa.
This is due to the lack of knowledge of cocoa farmers to process cocoa in post-harvest, good cocoa usually passes the fermentation method and then dried. Most cocoa farmers do not carry out fermentation methods so that the quality of the agicultural farm cocoa is still low. Therefore, dried cocoa beans, cocoa counseling is carried out in terms of pest control, fertilization, pruning to increase the production and quality of cocoa. When harvesting cocoa it should not be rotated and should not be pulled because it can damage the growth of cocoa plants. The process of pruning cocoa plants is very optimal at the beginning of the rainy season.
Cacao trees should not be too leafy because the sun cannot enter the cacao tree directly. Biochar can be added to the soil with a view to improving soil function and to reduce emissions from other biomass which will naturally reduce greenhouse gases. Biochar also has a sufficient carbon sequestration value. Biochar is a desirable soil material in many locations because of its ability to attract and retain water.
This is possible because of the porous structure and high surface area. As a result, nutrients, phosphorus and agricultural chemicals are maintained for the benefit of plants. Biochar can be an important tool to improve food security and diversity of agricultural land in areas with drained soil, scarce organic resources, and inadequate water and chemical fertilizer supplies. Biochar also improves the quality and quantity of water by increasing the retention of soil nutrients and agricultural chemicals for the use of plants and plants.
More nutrients live in the soil instead of leaching into ground water and cause pollution. The application of biochar to the soil is a new and unique approach to making a sink (sink) for long-term atmospheric co2 in terrestrial ecosystems. In the manufacturing process, about 50% of the carbon present in the base material will be contained in biochar, biological decomposition is usually less than 20% after 5-10 years, whereas in combustion only 3% of the carbon is left behind. Besides reducing emissions and increasing binding of greenhouse gases, soil fertility and crop production can also be increased.
The two main things of biochar's potential for agriculture are its high affinity for nutrients and their persistence. Biochar is more persistent in the soil, so all the benefits associated with nutrient retention and soil fertility can run longer than other organic materials that are normally given. Long-standing persistence makes biochar the first choice for reducing the impact of climate change. Although it can be an alternative energy source, the benefits of biochar are far greater if it is buried in the soil in realizing environmentally friendly agriculture.
The addition of biochar to the soil increases the availability of the main cation and phosphorus, the total n and the cation exchange capacity of the soil (ktk) which ultimately increases yield. The high availability of nutrients for plants is the result of increased nutrients directly from biochar, increased nutrient retention, and changes in soil microbial dynamics. Its long-term benefits for nutrient availability are associated with higher organic carbon stabilization along with slower nutrient release compared to the commonly used organic material. The role of biochar in increasing crop productivity is influenced by the amount added. Giving as much as 0.4 to 8 t c ha-1 is reported to increase productivity significantly between 20 - 220%.