Abstract

Okinsolo E. Alfred*, Aminabor D. K., Okoye Destiny and Boziengeni Murphy

A field study was carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan (Lat.7° 25’N; Long. 3° 25’E) to evaluate the effect of NPK fertilizer formulations on the growth and yield of three cocoa genotypes in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria. The treatments consisted of two NPK-liquid fertilizer types (Nutrico 1 and 2) applied at a rate of 10 ml/15 L water and NPK- solid fertilizer 15:15:15 (applied at 40 g/tree) and a control (no fertilizer application). The four treatments were applied to three cocoa genotypes (T65/17×N38, T65/35×T30/13 and T82/27×T16/17). The treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results indicated that all the fertilizers irrespective of rates of application and types of NPK formulations enhanced the growth and yield parameters of cocoa relative to the control in the three genotypes. The effect of Nutrico 1 liquid fertilizer was comparable to NPK (15: 15: 15) on stem girth of cocoa and number of mature and ripe pods. Nutrico 1 liquid fertilizer significantly (p<0.05) enhanced the number of cherelles and mature pods in T65/35×T30/13 and T82/27×T16/17. The fertilizer treatments were not significant on the number of diseased pods in the three genotypes. It could be inferred that the NPK liquid-fertilizers particularly the Nutrico 1 is a very promising fertilizer that could improve the productivity of cocoa in Nigeria.