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Emergence of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Seedlings as Influenced by Soil Remineralization Using Rock Dusts

	International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development (IJSRED)	Full Text:
	Published Issue : Volume-3 Issue-5
	Year of Publication : 2020
	Unique Identification Number : IJSRED-V3I5P52
	Authors : Smart M.O, Ogidan O.A, Okumodi B.O, Shaib-Rahim H.O
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Abstract :

Cocoa(Theobroma cacao) are opted for undergoing extensive nursery preparations, spending nothing less than 4-6months before transplanting to the field. This is due to late emergence that occur in the raising of cocoa seedlings thereby incurring additional expenses during and after nursery stages. Evaluationof the effects of soil remineralization by rock dusts on the emergence of cocoa was therefore carried out using granite and basalt rock dusts to determine the effect of remineralization of soil on the emergence of cocoa.Pots experiment was used with seven treatments including controland these were replicated four times. The treatments were T1 (0.5tons/ha of granite dust per 2kg of top soil), T2 (0.5tons/ha of basalt dust per 2kg of top soil), T3 (1.0tons/ha of granite dust per 2kg of top soil), T4 (1.0tons/ha of basalt dust per 2kg of top soil), T5 (1.5tons/ha of granite dust per 2kg of top soil), T6 (1.5tons/ha of basalt dust per 2kg of top soil), T7 (Control). The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) anddata were collected on days of emergence. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and no significance means among the treatment. The result however showed that T6 and T1 (1.5tons/ha and 0.5tons/ha of basalt and granite) had the best mean days to emergence of (8.75) while T7 (control) had the least mean performance for emergence (10.25). 1.5 ton/ha of basalt rock dust performed best in the percentage of emergence giving a 100% emergence. However, there were no significant differences among the treatment at 0.05 level of significance.This showed that soil remineralization by rock dust should be encouraged to enhance the early emergence Theobroma cacao seedlings, judging with the best performance from the parameter assessed using the treatments including control. Compared to mineral or organic fertilizers, rock dusts are environmentally safe and are readily available mostly in quarries.