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Yield variation in the early productive years in trials with cacao (Theobroma cacao L.)

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Summary

Single tree yields of clones and hybrid seedlings in two cacao trials were analysed. During the first 3 years of production variability was high and frequency distributions were positively skewed. Apparently improved growing conditions in the fourth year resulted in a marked increase in mean yields and produced normal distributions and lower coefficients of variation. Clones and hybrids showed similar responses to annual effects. Early yields are not satisfactory for selection of individual phenotypes because of the nature of the distributions. In view of the tendency for variation to change with season it is suggested to base selection on the combination of several years' yields after the 8th year.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cocoa Research Unit, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad

    B. G. D. Bartley

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  1. B. G. D. Bartley
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Bartley, B.G.D. Yield variation in the early productive years in trials with cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Euphytica 19, 199–206 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01902946

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01902946

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