Growth and Establishment of Cacao Seedlings under Intercrop with Plantain at Different Transplanting Positions

An investigation was carried out in Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Uhonmora Station, Edo State to evaluate the effect of transplanting positions of cacao (Theobroma cacao L) seedlings with plantains under field condition. Four treatments were evaluated: Plantain suckers on top of cacao seedlings at transplanting (PTCT), Cacao seedlings on top of plantain suckers at transplanting (CTPT), Cacao seedlings transplanted 30 cm apart from plantain suckers (CT30P) and Cacao seedlings transplanted 150 cm apart from plantain suckers (CT150P) as control. The experiment was arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Plantain suckers were planted at 3 x 3 m spacing as shade crop while cacao seedlings (hybrid) were planted on treatment basis. The experiment was monitored for 22 months after transplanting. Data were collected on plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, number of branches and leaf area at 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Months After Transplanting (MAT), and on Survival count (%) at 10 and 22 MAT. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) as well as descriptive statistics, and significant means separated by Duncan multiple range test (P<0.05). The result showed that cacao seedlings on top of plantain (CTPT) at transplanting had the highest percentage of 91.67 and 75.00 survival count at 10 and 22 MAT, respectively, closely followed by plantain on top of cacao seedlings at transplanting (89.00% and 72.00%). When compared with CT150P, CTPT increased the plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, number of branches and leaf area at 4 MAT, at 15 MAT, at 3, 13, 14, 15 MAT, at 3, 15 MAT and at 13, 14,15 MAT, respectively by 1%, 10%, 61%, 2%, 3%, 8%,46%, 11%, 5%, 3% and 13%, respectively. Therefore, cacao seedlings transplanted on top of plantain was the most effective treatment for improving cacao seedling establishment and growth under field condition.