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Exploitation of ortet–ramet relationship for the development of superior cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) clones

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Abstract

Identification of clones with promising growth and yield characteristics remains imperative for cocoa improvement in Ghana. This study assessed the relationship between selected trees from seed origin and their derived clones as a strategy to identify superior cocoa clones. Two experiments consisting of 40 progeny families, and 160 derived clones (plus 20 parents) respectively, were conducted at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, New Tafo-Akim, from 2008 to 2022 to assess the genetic association between the two populations. Agronomic traits measured included stem diameter (vigour) at the juvenile and reproductive phases of growth, as well as bean yield and its components. Significant genetic variation was estimated among the ortets and their ramets for all measured traits. Relatively wide variation and superior performance were observed among the ramets compared with the ortets for all measured traits suggesting the achievement of substantial genetic improvement in the ramets to warrant selection progress. Additionally, the results revealed significant regression co-efficients and correlation patterns, along with high realized heritability values between the ortets and their ramets for bean yield and pod value indicating that high yielding clones with desirable pod values could be identified by relying on the genetic relationship between the progeny families and their derived clones. The high yielding ramets, CRG 0148/418, CRG 0121/106, CRG 0149/210, and CRG 0150/114 identified are therefore, invaluable for utilization in cocoa enhancement programmes across the globe.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the financial support of the Ghana Cocoa Board. We are also grateful to the Technical team at the Plant Breeding Division of CRIG for the technical assistance. This paper is published with kind permission of the Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) as manuscript number CRIG/02/2024/059/002.

Funding

This work was funded by the Ghana Cocoa Board (CRIG/CC/03/08).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), P. O. Box 8, New Tafo-Akim, Ghana

    Ebenezer Obeng-Bio, Kwabena Asare Bediako, Abu Mustapha Dadzie, Atta Ofori, Esther Anokye, Alfred Arthur & Francis Kwame Padi

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  1. Ebenezer Obeng-Bio
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  2. Kwabena Asare Bediako
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  3. Abu Mustapha Dadzie
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  4. Atta Ofori
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  5. Esther Anokye
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  6. Alfred Arthur
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  7. Francis Kwame Padi
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Contributions

F.K.P. conceptualised and designed the study, and also facilitated funding acquisition and project administration. E.O.B. was responsible for data collection, analysis, and first draft of the manuscript. K.A.B. and A.M.D. assisted with data analysis. A.A. was responsible for generation of soil data. All authors (K.A.B., A.M.D., A.O., E.A., A.A., and F.K.P.) commented on previous versions of the write-up, and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ebenezer Obeng-Bio.

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Obeng-Bio, E., Asare Bediako, K., Dadzie, A.M. et al. Exploitation of ortet–ramet relationship for the development of superior cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) clones. Euphytica 220, 83 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-024-03341-2

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