Land Use Effect on Quality of Plateau Soils: A Case Study of Ososo in Northern Edo State, Nigeria

The study examined land use effect on quality of plateau soils, using Ososo in Northern Edo State, Nigeria as a case study. The objectives were to examine the status of soils under the different land uses and evaluate variation in the physicochemical properties of soils among the investigated sites. A total of thirty-six soil samples were collected from secondary forest, cocoa plantation and quarry site at 0 - 15 and 15 - 30 cm depths. Soil quality indicators were analyzed in the laboratory, while data were examined by descriptive and inferential statistics. Due to the effect of mining activities, quarry site had lower mean values of soil organic matter, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, effective cation exchange capacity, potassium, copper and manganese while iron, zinc and calcium were lower in secondary forest. However, Na and ECEC were higher in cocoa plantation. The study further revealed that though the examined land uses had varied effects on the soil properties; quarry site impacted the soil quality parameters more negatively compared to the secondary forest and cocoa plantation land use types. Significant variation (p < 0.05) in sand, clay and available phosphorous was detected in the topsoil of the different land uses. The research concluded that the status of the soil nutrients was low. To improve the quality of the plateau soils, liming and the use of animal droppings, town refuse ash and plant remains is recommended.

Cocoa plantation carbon stock at different years after planting (5,10,15) in Tomoni Beringin Jaya Village, East Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

This study aimed to determine cocoa carbon stocks based on the conditions of cocoa plantations in Tomoni Beringin Jaya Village, East Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Carbon stocks were estimated from aboveground and belowground biomass using an allometric methodology. Sample sites were cocoa plantations; sampling intensity was 30% of the land planted with cocoa for 5 years (n = 214), 10 years (n=229) and 15 years (n=329), soil sampling disturb (measure soil organic carbon), un disturb (measure bulk soil bulk density) and soil bulk density at depth 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm. Carbon stock cocoa aboveground biomass at the age of 5 years (M45) was 1.89 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass was 0.56 ton C ha-1 with proportion 77.19%:22.81%. Carbon stock cocoa aboveground biomass at the age of 10 year (BR25) was 3.66 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass 1.01 ton C ha-1 with a proportion 78.37%:21.63%. Carbon stock cocoa aboveground biomass at 15 year (BR25) was 4.58 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass of 1.21 ton C ha-1 with a proportion 79.07%:20.93%. Cocoa carbon stock at 5 year, 10 year, and 15 year respectively increased, nevertheless mean annual carbon stock cocoa decreased in 5 years cocoa aboveground biomass was 0.37 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass 0.11 tonCa-1. Carbon stock cocoa 10 year aboveground biomass 0.36 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass 0.10 ton C ha-1. Carbon stock cocoa 15 year aboveground biomass 0.30 ton C ha-1 and belowground biomass 0.08 ton C ha-1. Soil organic carbon showed dynamic under different year cocoa plantation. Soil organic carbon in cocoa plantation age 5 year was 0.031 tonCha-1, cocoa plantation age 10 year was 0.034 ton C ha-1, and cocoa plantation age 15 year was 0.043 ton C ha-1.

Control of cacao (Theobroma cacao) diseases in Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Ecuador

Introduction. Ecuador occupies the fourth place in cocoa exports with 293,487 tons per year, produced on 559,617 hectares. However, its yield per hectare is low mainly due to the presence of pathogens that affect the pods. Objective. To evaluates different methods of control of pathogens of the Theobroma cacao cv ‘CCN-51’ pod. Materials and methods. The work was carried out in Luz de America, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Ecuador, between 2016 and 2017. The treatments were the result of the combination of cultural practices + two fungicides (Chlorothalonil and Pyraclostrobin) + one biofungicide Serenade® (Bacillus subtilis QST713), with and without fertilizers. In total, 16 treatments were evaluated with 3 replicates or blocks, installed in a commercial cocoa plantation cv ‘CCN-51’ and under a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Results. The use of fungicides (chemical and biological), decreased the incidence of moniliasis (Moniliophthora roreri), black pod rot (Phytophthora spp.), and cherelle wilt; but the application of fertilizers did not increase the effectiveness of these products. Treatment with only cultural practices did not decrease the final incidence of moniliasis, nor of brown rot, in contrast, the final incidence of cherelle wilt increased. The number of pods and the yield were not directly related and the highest yield of fermented and dry cocoa, corresponded to T9 [Cultural labors + Serenade® (0.2 kg ha-1) (every 15 days) + Fertilizer (0.3 kg ha-1) + Fertilizer (1 kg plant-1)], a treatment that also had the highest net income per hectare. Conclusion. Chemical and biological control can manage cocoa pods pathogens. The integration of both control methods allowed the cocoa producer to obtain greater income.

Change of Land Quality with the Introduction of the Biochar Combination and Cocoa Waste Compost

This study examines the introduction of a combination of cocoa husk biochar which has been a cocoa plantation waste combined with fermented cocoa leaf waste. This study was conducted in West Sulawesi. This study used a randomized block design using a factorial model where the first factor was the administration of cocoa husk biochar with 3 levels, namely without administration (B0), 6 kg plant biochar-1 (B1), 12 kg plant biochar-1(B2) while the second factor was application of fermented cocoa leaf waste (K) which consists of 3 levels, namely without giving cocoa leaf waste (K0), giving 6 kg plant-1 (K1), biochar 12 kg plant-1 (K2). The nine treatment combinations were repeated three times to obtain 27 plant samples. The analysed soil characteristics are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) showed that the combination of cocoa rind Biochar and fermented cocoa leaf waste had an effect on increasing calcium (Ca) by 9.23. Magnesium 1.66 and for the element Potassium had no significant effect on the interaction of the combination of cocoa husk biochar and fermented cocoa leaf waste, but gave a very significant effect on the administration of biochar 12 kg plants-1.

Parasitofauna of ground-dwelling anurans from cocoa plantations in Ugboke, Edo State, Nigeria

The parasitofauna of ground-dwelling anurans from pesticide-treated cocoa plantations (CP) in Ojo Camp, Ugboke, Edo State of Nigeria were investigated and compared with those recovered from host specimens collected from the village settlement (VS). The anurans were caught by hand following visual or acoustic location. The anurans encountered in both the VS and the CP included Aubria subsigillata, Hylarana spp. (H. albolabris and H. galamensis), Sclerophrys spp. (S. maculata and S. regularis), Ptychadena spp. (P. aequiplicata, P. longirostris, P. mascareniensis, P. oxyrhynchus and P. pumilio) and Hoplobatrachus occipitalis. Hylarana galamensis, Ptychadena spp. and Sclerophrys spp. were encountered in the VS and the CP while Aubria subsigillata, H. albolabris and H. occipitalis occurred only in the CP. The helminth parasites recovered included four cestode species (adult of Cylindrotaenia jaegerskioeldi and three encysted proteocephalid larvae), five Polystoma spp. 11 species of digeneans and 19 nematode species. More parasite species were recovered from toads collected from the VS; parasite prevalence was generally low in both habitats but the intensity of infection was higher in the specimens collected from the VS. Although cip A. subsigillata and H. ocitalis both occurred in the CP, A. subsigillata was the more susceptible host of the two, harbouring 16 helminth parasites as against four from H. occipitalis. Polystomes were recovered from H. albolabris and H. galamensis in addition to Diplodiscus fischthalicus and Mesocoelium spp. Infections occurred mostly among the Ptychadeniidae collected from the CP, with prevalence ranging from 12.5% to 100% and infection intensity from 1.0 to 13.0. The generally low parasite burden in anurans from the CP can possibly be attributed to the pesticide contamination of this habitat which may have hindered the development of the free-living stages of parasites in this milieu. Keywords: Anurans; cocoa plantation; pesticides; parasitofauna; prevalence; intensity.

Analisis Pendapatan Usahatani Kakao Di Kabupaten Ende (Kajian pada Desa Kedebodu dan Rewarangga)

One of the leading plantation commodities in Indonesia is cocoa (Theobroma Cacao). Through the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation (Kepmentan) No.46 / Kpts / PD.300 / 2015 Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara [NTT] was determined as a mainstay cocoa plantation area, but in fact, the production was not optimal. Based on these considerations, this study aims to determine the level of cocoa farming income and the factors that influence farmers' income and analyze the feasibility and usefulness of a cocoa farming fund. The method used in this research is the descriptive method. The research location was determined by purposive sampling, based on the consideration that the area is a cocoa-producing region in Ende Regency. Sampling is the Ende Selatan District of Kedebodu and Rewarangga Villages. The population is all cocoa farmers, with a sample of 20 respondents. Data were collected by interview, questionnaire, observation, and documentation techniques. The feasibility analysis is done by the B / C ratio analysis. In addition to the analysis also conducted an analysis of income and receipts with the formula TC and TR. The results showed a B / C ratio of 5.24% which meant that the cocoa business was profitable and feasible to be developed. Total income from cocoa and non-cocoa is Rp 315,732,000. and from cocoa alone. Rp 91,532,000, - and total revenue of Rp. 73,897,000, and non-cocoa Rp. 29,933,000. While the total cost of cocoa is IDR 17,635,000 and non-cocoa IDR 194,267,000. Factors influencing the cocoa business in Ende District include level of education, gender participation, labor age, age of old cocoa plants, and not yet applying profitable technology. It is advisable for farmers to intensify cocoa farming by implementing P3S, and post-harvest processing, forming young people groups and building networks of cooperation with all stakeholders.

Involvement of farm youth in cocoa plantation resources management practices in Ondo State, Nigeria: a factor analysis

The study identified the factors associated with farm youth’s involvement in Cocoa Plantation Resources Management Practices (CPRMPs) in Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a total of two hundred and four respondents for the study. The data were collected using a structured interview schedule and analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that the average age of the respondents was 33.67 ± 6.50 years and that most (76.0 %) of the respondents were male. The CPRMPs respondents were involved and were categorised into soil, water, cocoa beans, cocoa tree, cocoa seedlings, and financial management practices. The majority (76.0 %) of the respondents were moderately involved in the CPRMPs in the study area. The factors associated with farm youth involvement in CPRMPs were economic pull (λ = 2.208), economic push (λ = 1.962), personal (λ = 1.785) and community-related (λ = 0.927) factors. The factors identified explained 83.314 % of the variance in farm youth’s involvement in CPRMPs. The study, therefore, recommends that there is a need to organise training on CPRMPs to farm youth to be able to optimise the potentials inherent in them for improving their livelihood.

Between Violence, Racism and Reform: São Tomé e Príncipe in the Great Depression Years (1930–1937)

The effects of the Great Depression on the important cocoa plantation sector of the archipelago of São Tomé e Príncipe – a Portuguese colonial laboratory for social change in plantation agriculture shifting between coercive practices and attempts at accommodation – were drastic: initially backed by a right-wing authoritarian government, plantation managements lowered workers’ wages and made already repressive conditions of worker exploitation worse. This article highlights the processes of degradation in plantation workers' life. However, in ways that might seem paradox at first glance, the crisis years of the 1930s also opened the ways to changes in social experiences in the plantations. Labour inspectors were increasingly called upon to scrutinize existing abuses on the plantations, and although this might have been in the first phase simply lip service to certain international debates on good standards in colonialism, inspectors internalized the need for reform and turned out to be critical observers. At the same time, the workers expanded their repertoire of responses – from individual resistance to ever better-organized escape strategies and the manipulation of offers of settlement schemes for small groups of workers. By 1937, these trends were important precursors to changes that would achieve their full impact in the 1950s.