[Effect of mixed edaphic bacterial inoculants in the early development of improved cocoa cultivars (Theobroma cacao L.) in a traditional agroforestry system of Oaxaca, Mexico].

[Effect of mixed edaphic bacterial inoculants in the early development of improved cocoa cultivars (Theobroma cacao L.) in a traditional agroforestry system of Oaxaca, Mexico]. Rev Argent Microbiol. 2017 Jul 31;: Authors: Hipólito-Romero E, Carcaño-Montiel MG, Ramos-Prado JM, Vázquez-Cabañas EA, López-Reyes L, Ricaño-Rodríguez J Abstract Cocoa plant (Theobroma cacao L.) is native from South America and it represents one of the most significant "bio-cultural" resources of Mesoamerica, since it is a region where it was domesticated and had a relevance as ritual drink and as currency in many pre-hispanic cultures until the arrival of the Spaniards who spread its use worldwide, and became it one of the most consumed commodity goods. Through this research, an alternative is proposed to address the problem of cultivars through the introduction of a wide variety of cocoa plants in traditional agroforestry systems, in synergy with the inoculation of nitrogen-fixing and insoluble phosphor solubilizing edaphic bacterial consortia. Four cultivars of improved grafted cocoa plants were introduced in a traditional agroforestry plot and three fertilization treatments were applied: application of biofertilizer, application of chemical fertilizer and control. Measurements of height, stem diameter, number of leaves and branches were recorded at 2 and 12 months after planting and rhizosphere microbial populations were characterized. Growth resul...
Source: Revista Argentina de Microbiologia - Category: Microbiology Tags: Rev Argent Microbiol Source Type: research