The productivity of cacao trees decreases with time, forcing farmers to renew their plantations by either cutting down the old trees or establishing a new crop elsewhere. Frequently, new plantations are established in areas of the forest that are thinned out to accommodate new, young cacao trees. However, this comes with high economic and ecological costs. An alternative approach is to graft highly productive and native cultivars onto the existing older cacao trees. The results were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
Cacao grafting consists of implanting a shoot from a promising variety into an adult cacao tree. By making use of the adult root system, grafting young and fresh branches completely replaces the old tree crown in a short time period. This approach has long been used for many crops, but its consequences for cacao production and biodiversity had never been simultaneously tested.
The technique focused on grafting high-yielding genotypes from the very highly valued, native variety Cacao Blanco de Piura. It shows the value of grafting as a method to improve yields in a short time.
In the first six months after grafting, the researchers monitored the diversity of arthropods -- for instance, spiders, mites and insects. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. Cacao grafting increases crop yield without compromising biodiversity. ScienceDaily, 30 January Promoting cacao production without sacrificing biodiversity. Retrieved February 1, from www. Explore More from ScienceDaily. Said to be a gift from the gods, cacao for the ancient Maya was considered sacred, used not only as currency, but in special ceremonies and religious rituals.
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