Growth and Quality of Genotype TSH1188 Cacao Tree Seedlings Produced under Different Seasons and Irrigation Depths

The low quality of seedlings can be caused by problems in the irrigation and nutrition of the seedlings in their early stage, thus compromising the success of the implantation of the crop. The aim of this work was to determine the optimal irrigation depth most suitable for the development of cacao tree seedlings genotype TSH1188, raised at different times of the year. To achieve this goal, a study was developed, at the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo - Campus Itapina, about the effect of the application of six different daily irrigation depths (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm) on the growth and quality of seedlings of the cacao genotype TSH1188, produced in tubes, by evaluating the morphological characteristics of the seedlings and their relationship with the quality of the plant. The study was conducted in a completely randomised design (CRD) at three different planting seasons notably in the Autumn with 36 plants per treatment, in the Winter with 20 plants per treatment and the spring using 20 plants per treatment. The results showed that regardless of the season, for all the variables studied, it was discovered that irrigation depths had impacts on the growth and quality of cacao seedlings, the best depths were 8 and 10mm d-1 as the seedlings proved to be the best in all characteristics evaluated. The irrigation depth of 8 mm d-1 was the one that presented the best results for all the three seasons, in the production of cacao tree seedlings genotype TSH1188, i.e. ideal Dickson quality index, stem diameter, plant height and a number of leaves, which are characteristics used to identify quality seedlings.