GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF FOURTEEN (14) MCB CLONES AS ROOTSTOCK IN COCOA NURSERY
Authors: Boney M., Sairul J. and Mohd. Yusof M. Y.
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 13(2)/2021
Keywords: Cocoa seed, rootstock, growth performance, nursery, clone
Published On: 1/11/2021
Abstract
Establishment of planting material in the nursery is normally using seed of the cross UIT1 x NA33. The using selection of this seed as a rootstock is due to high resistant with pest and disease and also good in terms of growth performance. However, due to the availability of the seed are greatly reduced by other commercial cocoa tree planting, most of cocoa nursery alternatively grow rootstocks from the seeds obtained from clonal cocoa fields. Therefore, in this study, the alternative seeds used were the MCB’s Clones: MCBC 1, MCBC 2, MCBC 3, MCBC 4, MCBC 5, MCBC 6, MCBC 7, MCBC 8, MCBC 9, MCBC 10, MCBC 11, MCBC 12, MCBC 13 and MCBC 14. The study was conducted to determine the growth performance of different seed of 14 MCB clones as rootstock in cocoa nursery. From the result, it can be determined that certain seed of MCB clones can produce a good quality seedling in term of growth and development. It can also be concluded that, MCBC 7 have a potential of being alternative seed as rootstock in nursery due to its vigorous growth while MCBC 3 has the poorest growth as can be seen in diameter and height results. Hence, cocoa clonal seed particularly from MCB clones can be raised alternatively as rootstock under nursery system before it grafted with desired clones.