Bioferments in the morphological and quality of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings in the nursery

Díaz-Chuquizuta P.; Díaz-Chuquizuta H.; Arevalo-Aranda Y.G.; Cuevas-Giménez J.P. · Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems (2025) · DOI: 10.56369/tsaes.6271

Resumen

Background. The morphological quality of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings in the nursery is essential for the success of commercial plantations. Bioferments represent a sustainable alternative to improve the morphology and quality of seedlings. Objective. To evaluate the effect of bioferments on the morphology and quality of cocoa seedlings in the nursery. Methodology. Four treatments were used with different combinations of substrates and solid and liquid bioferments. A completely randomized design with four repetitions was used, measuring morphological and quality variables. Results. The traditional substrate treatment with the addition of solid and liquid bioferments (ST+BS+BL) showed the highest values in height, stem diameter, dry biomass and Dickson quality, surpassing the traditional substrate by 51%. Implications. Bioferments improve the availability of nutrients and the structure of the substrate, favoring the development of vigorous and better quality seedlings. Conclusions. The combination of solid and liquid bioferments represents an agroecological strategy to optimize the morphological attributes and quality of cocoa seedlings in the nursery. © authors. Work licensed under a CC-BY 4.0 License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/